Estimating Activity Durations

Bill Carmody explains how to estimate activity durations in project management. He discusses consulting participants for time estimates, using past projects as a reference, and adapting to changes for improved efficiency. The process involves setting clear expectations for task durations and reviewing discrepancies between estimated and actual hours post-project.

What is the first step in estimating activity durations according to Bill Carmody?

• Assigning tasks to team members

• Identifying all tasks and consulting participants

• Calculating the total project cost

• Setting deadlines for each task

When direct consultation is not possible, what method can be used to estimate task durations?

• Consulting online forums

• Asking for client feedback

• Using industry standards and past project data

• Guessing based on intuition

Why might you adjust the estimated time for a task compared to a previous project?

• To increase project costs

• To match the competitor's timeline

• Due to changes in circumstances or new efficiencies

• To reduce team workload

What is the benefit of setting clear expectations for task durations?

• It helps in managing the overall project timeline

• It guarantees project success

• It reduces the need for team meetings

• It ensures tasks are completed faster

What should be done at the end of a project regarding time estimates?

• Evaluate discrepancies between estimated and actual times

• Increase the budget for future projects

• Reassign tasks to different team members

• Ignore any discrepancies