2007-MLL16

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COLLABORATIVE ESTIMATING, RESPONSIBLE, ACCOUNTABLE, COMMUNICATED AND INFORMED

Management & Lessons Learned Track

Downloadable Files:

M&LL-16 Razzaq Paper Collaborative Estimating

Abstract:

From their inception, cost estimating models have been operated by individual users interpreting the technical and programmatic information that they have gathered into the cost models for which they have been trained. However, there is now an opportunity for a change in this culture and the way in which Parametricians interact with each other and their customers.
This paper is a discussion of the advantages and merits of collaborative estimating and what it means to the average Cost Engineer or Cost Analyst. The paper will explore the overall framework in which Cost Engineers and Analysts conduct their activities. Their interfaces and relationships with other departments within an organization. The paper will present a RACI (pronounced Racy) matrix which will identify for a Cost Engineer the typical Responsibilities, Accountabilities, Communication and Information paths.
The paper will then present a solution to collaborative estimating called TruePlanning. When presented, the presentation will be concluded with a demonstration of the software working in a collaborative environment.

Author:

Shamraz Razzaq
Shamraz Razzaq is an Executive Consultant responsible for Training, Customer Support and Consultancy in Northern Europe. He reports to Grahame Jones (Manager, UK and Northern Europe). Shamraz has presented courses in hardware estimating, software estimating, life cycle cost, risk analysis and supplier assessment in South Africa, UK and Germany. Shamraz was responsible for the development of the PRICE True IT Questionnaire.
Mr Razzaq began his estimating career working as a Cost Forecaster within Pricing and Forecasting Group (PFG) a support group of the Defence Procurement Agency (DPA) part of the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). He specialised in Land Systems and supported DPA project approvals. He has been parametric cost estimating since 1999.
Mr Razzaq previously worked as a Senior Estimator at BAE Systems Military Aircraft Division (Warton) mainly working on the Future Offensive Air Systems (FOAS) contract looking at affordable UAV systems.
Mr Razzaq is trilingual, has a Diploma in Aerospace Engineering and is a member of The Association of Cost Engineers (ACostE) and Society of Cost Analyst and Forecasters (SCAF).