2024 SCAF/ICEAA International Training Symposium

Presentation Summaries

Clarity is Truth: A Framework for Data Visualisation (ITS01)
Amritpal Agar

The cost analysis is done, now you need people to understand the results. That is where data communication comes in. Cost data visualisation techniques need to be part of your process, to overcome common communication barriers, and to ensure all stakeholders are on the same page. The cost community needs a common framework which allows us to transform complex analysis into insightful, trusted and informed decision-making. In this presentation, guided by key data visualisation literature and examples of good and bad takes, I will share a set of (working) principles for consistent, concise and clear cost data visualisation. You should attend this session to gain actionable principles to enhance or improve engagement with your key stakeholders.

Keywords: Communication, Decision Analysis, Methods, Data Visualization

ITS01 – Agar – Clarity is Truth Data Viz -ppt

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ChatGPT: Friend or Foe – Meet Your New EN SME (ITS02)
Patrick Casey

ChatGPT Friend or Foe Meet, Your New EN SME, is an insightful exploration into the capabilities and nuances of ChatGPT. Delving deep into the genesis of this AI model, the presentation tracks its evolution from its inception by OpenAI to its fourth iteration. Patrick Casey, a Senior Cost Analyst at Quantech Services, candidly shares his experiences with the tool, highlighting its transformative power in various use cases for cost analysts ranging from WBS considerations to innovative recipe creations. While celebrating its prowess, the presentation places a strong emphasis on addressing its limitations and security concerns, providing the audience with a comprehensive understanding. As a grand finale, attendees are treated to an entirely AI-generated TV commercial. This engaging journey demystifies ChatGPT, offering appreciation and critical insight into this modern marvel. Beyond mere technology, the presentation invites audiences to consider the impact of AI in our lives, challenging us to harness its potential responsibly.

Keywords: Data Collection, Functional Requirements, Software, AI

ITS02 – Casey – Chat GPT Friend or Foe – ppt

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Why should we care about Software Cost Estimating when we don’t Build Software? (ITS03)
Carol Dekkers

Given the increase in software-intensive programs today, it should come as no surprise to experienced cost estimators that even minor software development can render a program overbudget and behind schedule. This presentation outlines the key differences in cost estimating approaches from traditional industries (hardware, facilities, systems) versus software development, and why CEBoK-S knowledge is critical for today’s cost estimators. Given that close to 60% of software projects are deemed failures (overbudget and/or late), with little improvement despite modern technologies, understanding the basics of software cost estimating can provide a competitive advantage for anyone involved in estimating programs for which software development is a component.

Keywords: Communication, Cost Management, Data-Driven, International, Software, CEBoK-S

ITS03 – Dekkers – Why Care about Software Cost Estimating – ppt

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Software Sizing Toolkit for Early Estimating (ITS04)
Carol Dekkers

Unlike hardware or other tangible products, software development is a human-centric, labor- intensive, and creative process to deliver an intangible product, all of which complicates software cost estimating. Over the 25+ years (mid-1990’s to 2021) that the Standish Group reported in their annual CHAOS report, the “on-time and on-budget and meeting customer needs” success rate of IT projects never achieved 50%, regardless of the development approach. This was a clear signal that either software development was inherently chaotic and out of control, or the underlying estimates were wrong. While “agile” software development improved the overall software As many cost estimators know, software development, by its very nature involves hat the product is intangible, many predictable and unpredictable factors, today’s “agile” software development environment compounds software cost estimating.

Keywords: Communication, Functional Requirements, IT, Software

ITS04 – Dekkers – Software Sizing Toolkit – ppt

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Estimating for Life: Three Transformative Enhancements for LCC Models (ITS05)
Fabian Eilingsfeld
Birgit Biehn
Christian Schindler

In 2012, the German Federal Ministry of Defence launched its comprehensive Life Cycle Cost Management (LCCM) initiative. Prior to LCCM, the prevailing approach to costing and budgeting for the operation and support (O&S) phase of major systems involved flat-lining costs over time. Given that O&S constitutes the largest portion of lifecycle costs (LCC), one of LCCM’s primary goals was to enable more accurate O&S cost estimates. IABG supported this initiative by developing requirements for LCCM-compliant cost models. This paper highlights how an advanced cost estimating tool addresses three major “known unknowns” in future O&S costs: Increased failure rates due to “infant mortality” and ageing effects; Additional efforts for condition-based maintenance when no faults can be found; Product obsolescence and its impact on spare parts costs. These enhanced features enable more realistic estimates of lifecycle costs, thereby facilitating better selection decisions, particularly in terms of long-term program affordability.

Keywords: Life Cycle, LCCM

ITS05 – Eilingsfeld – Estimating for Life – paper

ITS05 – Eilingsfeld – Estimating for Life – ppt

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The Cognitive Data Wizardry for Ultimate Robustness and Transparency (ITS06)
Maryam Farsi

Leveraging cognitive data imputation, ontology, and digital twin technologies can significantly enhance the accuracy of cost estimation and address data quality issues. Cognitive data imputation manages uncertainties in low-quality data by replacing missing values through continuous learning from trends and context, utilising statistical estimates, historical data, and expert knowledge. This process improves both data quality and cost prediction accuracy. An ontology-based approach facilitates interaction between human experts and the machine learning system by defining domain semantics and relationships, enabling detailed cost estimations at various levels. Digital twin technology further revolutionises cost estimation by creating virtual replicas of physical assets and processes, allowing for real-time monitoring and analysis. Integrating large language models (LLM) and graph neural networks (GNN) offers a hybrid model for better data understanding and imputation. This comprehensive approach ensures significant improvements in data.

Keywords: Cost Management, Data-Driven, Life Cycle, Manufacturing, Methods, Modeling, Statistics, Uncertainty, Cognitive Digital twin, Ontology, Data quality, LLM, GNN

ITS06 – Farsi -Cognitive Data Wizardry-ppt

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Costing Web App Development for Operations Research (ITS07)
Kyle Ferris
Eric Hagee

Custom web applications effectively serve as both analytical and decision support tools for operations research analysts, leveraging programming languages to process large data sets and generate reactive visualizations through low or no-code interfaces. Formulating cost estimates for the design, development, deployment and maintenance of custom web applications is therefore of great interest to operations research stakeholders. Cost analysts can conceptualize the web application lifecycle as instances of an overarching Data Operations Stack. Using this framework, this presentation describes a custom web application lifecycle through successive levels of the Stack, elucidating the personnel, tools, and tasks integrated into each capability area. By leveraging the Data Operations Stack to understand interconnected dependencies, this presentation further addresses how the Stack can be mapped to a standardized work breakdown structure to develop detailed technical, programmatic and risk requirements for defensible cost estimation.

Keywords: Cost Management, Functional Requirements, IT, Life Cycle, Methods, Operations, Software, Data Analytics, Operations Research

ITS07 – Ferris – Costing Web App Dev – ppt

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Biases in Project Estimating and Mitigation Strategies to Overcome Them (ITS08)
Brian D. Glauser

Project estimating involves predicting the time, resources, and costs required to complete a project. However, various biases can influence these estimates, leading to inaccuracies. There are several common types of biases in project estimating including Optimism Bias, Anchoring Bias, Confirmation Bias and several others. Understanding these biases and integrating various strategies to mitigate them is crucial for improving estimating outcomes. Techniques such as reference class forecasting, using historical data, involving diverse perspectives, and applying structured decision-making processes can help mitigate the impact of these biases. This presentation will walk through some of the common biases and some of the mitigation strategies to achieve more credible estimates.

Keywords: Bias, Data-Driven, Decision Analysis

ITS08 – Glauser – Biases in Project Estimating – paper

ITS08 – Glauser – Biases in Project Estimating – ppt

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Adapting Software Estimation with the Trend from Project to Product (ITS09)
Colin Hammond

Many software initiatives are shifting from a “project” to a “product” approach. How should we respond with suitable software cost estimation and contracting? Software estimation is often criticised as being “Anti-agile” and yet foreknowledge of cost and duration are the cornerstones of good decision-making. In this talk Colin Hammond will describe popular agile perceptions and “metrics”. The presentation will briefly describe the common ones, how they tend to be used and/or misused. The talk will also discuss some of the biases at play and the extent to which we are prone to kid ourselves. Be prepared for some ideas that may challenge your current practices. The presentation will conclude with reasoned recommendations for suitable cost estimation approaches in the Product vs Project world.

Keywords: Agile, Cost/Benefit Analysis, Early Cost, Software

ITS09 – Hammond – Adapting Software Estimation – ppt

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The Economics of Automated Software Sizing (ITS10)
Colin Hammond

Functional sizing of software has been proven as a reliable means of costing software projects. In this presentation I will describe, the nature, speed and precision of automated functional sizing from a written set of requirements for early cost estimation. I will then describe the substantial economic benefits of doing so.

Keywords: Agile, Cost/Benefit Analysis, Data-Driven, Early Cost, Functional Requirements, Government, Project Controls, Software, Story Points, function points

ITS10 – Hammond – The Economics of Automated Software Estimation – ppt

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Navigating Pitfalls in Estimating Complex Defence & Aerospace Projects (ITS11)
Colin Harper

In the realms of complex defence and aerospace project management, robust and transparent cost estimation is paramount for project success. However, relying solely on traditional methods—such as expert judgment or historical data—can lead to unreliable estimates. This paper explores the pitfalls associated with not leveraging commercially proven off-the-shelf parametric estimating tools for complex projects and emphasizes the benefits of incorporating these tools into project planning and management. The presentation will address and propose solutions for the following challenges: Lack of Consistency and Standardisation which leads to a lack of applicable benchmarks; Inefficiency due to Failure to Learn from Experience and a lack of systemic, measurable improvement in estimation outcomes. The need to increase reliability using uncertainty to reduce risk; Lack of; Repeatability, Transparency and Accountability .

Keywords: Cost Management, Data-Driven, Modeling, Parametrics

ITS11 – Harper – Navigating Pitfalls – paper

ITS11 – Harper – Navigating Pitfalls – ppt

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The Risks of Misinterpreting Risk Analyses (ITS12)
Dave Hedley

Estimating the costs and time required to successfully deliver programmes and projects often depend on conducting an analysis of the cost and schedule impact should any of the risks to which the activity is subject. When interpreting the results of a risk analysis, management teams sometimes misinterpret the results of their analyses, sometimes with unfortunate consequences. This presentation will identify some of the common causes for the potential problems and how to build resilience into the processes that mitigate against the inherent risks.

Keywords: Program Management, Risk

ITS12 – Hedley – Risks of Misinterpreting Risk Analyses – ppt

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Communication: the Fundamental Skill for Every Cost Professional (ITS14)
George Lyon

Cost estimating and modelling is a varied and complex discipline, with projects ranging drastically in scope and scale. Much focus is placed on costing techniques and tools, but these important elements are without merit unless a fundamental core competence is in place – which is communication. From gathering requirements, agreeing assumptions, working with Subject Matter Experts and delivering results, effective communication is the underlying enabler to achieving costing success.
In this presentation, the importance of effective communication will be discussed, considering different methods and techniques, drawing on previous experiences and case studies. Best practices and new strategies will be proposed, with audience participation encouraged. The session will be light-hearted and interactive, with polls and questions posed to the audience in order to facilitate discussion and share experiences. By learning from our peers, we can take valuable insights away to use in our daily roles and all improve our communication.

Keywords: Communication

Files not provided

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Credible Cost Estimates (ITS15)
Helber Macedo

Why do we have so many projects with cost overruns? Could credible cost estimates be elaborated? What techniques and processes can change your estimates, improving their accuracy? How do you manage risks, uncertainties, and the market competitiveness increasing across the board? First, the presentation will show the top 10 factors responsible for most cost overruns and how to mitigate them. It will illustrate how improve your cost estimation review and validation through the Power BI dashboards, changing how you analyze your costs. Also, the cost configurators will be exemplified, showing how generate accurate costs and increasing your time analysis. Finally, the cost estimation probabilistic method can revolutionize how your company estimate the contingency considering risk and uncertainties.

Keywords: Budgeting, Methods, Monte Carlo, Risk, Software, Uncertainty

ITS15 – Macedo – Credible Cost Estimates – ppt

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The Impact of Generative AI on Software Engineering Activities (ITS16)
Arlene F. Minkiewicz

Generative AI (GenAI) is positioned to revolutionize software development, with potential far reaching implications for productivity. GenAI applications leverage Large Language Models (LLMs) to understand language, imagery and code and then use what they learn to generate content, answering questions, organizing multimodal information, and writing text and code snippets. A McKinsey report published in 2023 reports that GenAI applications such as ChatGPT and Github Copilot have the potential to enable software engineers to complete development tasks: achieving as much as double productivity over traditional methods. Activities such as inception and planning, system design, coding, testing, and maintenance can all be aided through thoughtful applications of GenAI. This paper will include an introduction to Generative AI in the software engineering context along with samples of how it can be used. This will be followed by a discussion of productivity impacts and guidance for incorporating them into a software estimate.

Keywords: Modeling, Software, Generative AI, Software estimation

ITS16 – Minkiewicz – Impact of GenAI on Software Engineering – paper

ITS16 – Minkiewicz – Impact of GenAI on Software Engineering – ppt

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A Novel BoE Methodology (ITS17)
Andy Nicholls

My presentation covers a novel method of creating a BoE and is intended for complex costing situations where several estimators may be required to contribute – drawn from both public service and Industry. A common format and presentational style is therefore proposed that all may follow and create a comprehensive costing framework that may be used as a template to create cost model(s) covering all aspects of complex costing situations.

Keywords: Communication, Cost Management, Infrastructure, Methods, Basis of Estimate

ITS17 Nicholls – Novel BoE Methodology – Paper

ITS17 – Nicholls – Novel BOE Methodology – ppt

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Spinning Plates (ITS18)
Rachael Pickwell

Spinning Plates – I think we are all familiar with this…. but how do we spin plates successfully? This presentation places focus on the use of EVM, tailored to the team and the stakeholders to re-baseline a failing programme to successfully deliver on time, under budget and maintain the service delivery to the Royal Navy. This presentation will provide a background to the plates, the problem, and how we went about base lining and moving forward in a very busy operational environment with the Royal Navy.

Keywords: EVM, Function Points

ITS18 – Pickwell – Spinning Plates – ppt

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Developing Cost Engineers (ITS19)
Emily Purpuri

A look at how Cost Estimating can be introduced at a young age to seed the idea of a career post formal education. Drawing on experience gained during my career, whilst mentoring others, and practical STEM sessions in schools, the session takes a look at what can spark an interest, how we can encourage and grow that interest, and how we can maintain that interest along a costing career path. Practical tips on how to get involved and how to design age appropriate activities are discussed.

Keywords: Communication, Cost Management, Learning Curves

ITS19 – Purpuri – Developing Cost Engineers – ppt

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Recruiting Cost Engineers: A Novel Approach (ITS20)
Del Roberts
Rob Smale

Recruiting experienced cost engineers poses challenges due to their specialised knowledge, which comes at a premium when it comes to renumeration packages are concerned. To address this, Sirius Analysis explores a unique strategy: tapping into a broader talent pool. We are in addition to recruiting experience cost engineers to establish our core capability, we recruit individuals from mathematical, economics, and accountancy backgrounds, leveraging their transferable data and analytical skills. Our approach includes mentorship of junior staff and support to develop their cost engineering expertise utilising ICCEA CEBoK and CCEA certification programme. By bridging domains, we enhance recruitment efficiency by exploiting common skillsets and nurturing development we meet industry demand.

Keywords: Data Collection, Career Development

ITS20 – Roberts – Recruiting Cost Engineers Novel Approach – ppt

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Leverage. Why Everyone Needs it and So Few Have (ITS21)
Steve Robinson

Governments and commercial organisations around the world spend £Billions on software and IT projects and yet have little if any insight into whether the amount committed reflects the amount that they should pay. Should Cost analysis is well know in some sectors, especially manufacturing, and provides insight, efficiencies and cost control to the procurement process. So why not software. The usual answer is that “it’s too hard”. But what if it wasn’t? What if there was something that you could do that could provide similar insights, efficiencies and almost certainly, cost savings, to the software and IT procurement process. And that those savings could be huge. That would be interesting. Right?

Keywords: Cost Management, Software, Should Cost

ITS21 – Robinson – Leverage Why Everyone Needs It – ppt

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Meet the cBCA – Decision Support at the Speed of Relevance (ITS22)
Shreyas Balaram

As the saying goes if your cost analysis is correct but late to need it is wrong! Meet the compressed business case analysis or cBCA developed by the Cost and Comparative Analysis Division of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center. This one-page Excel-based cost/decision support tool was developed to meet the need of expediting the evaluation of Innovaiton projects for potential funding. While our traditional BCA can take us 2-3 months to complete, the cBCA is done in a matter of days and provides senior leadership with the key financial and non-financial indicators to make better decisions. We hope you’ll join us as we walk through the framework and specific use cases. (Principal development credit, Mr. Robert Steffen)

Keywords: Cost/Benefit Analysis

ITS22 – Balaram – cBCA Decision Support – ppt

ITS22 – Balaram – cBCA Decision Support – supplement

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Cost Modeling for IT Deployment Projects (ITS23)
F. Gurney Thompson III
Arlene F. Minkiewicz

In this presentation, we discuss cost modeling for IT projects with equipment deployed both in data centers and in the field, using a Smart City implementation as a use case. Our methodology is structured around four main branches: 1) developing configurations for all deployed equipment, 2) developing software to run on servers, 3) conducting system-wide verification and validation testing, and 4) conducting deployment activities such as site surveys and physical installations. Our ongoing research focuses on creating prototype models to aid laymen estimators in making credible cost estimates. We are developing new models to estimate device configuration and network engineering effort for servers, supporting network hardware, and field devices. These models evaluate the system architectures and complexities of the software/operating system, networking, security, scalability/performance, and data. We aim to share our methodologies and demonstrate how these models streamline cost estimation for complex IT deployment projects.

Keywords: IT, Methods, Modeling

ITS23 – Thompson – Modeling for IT Deployment Projects – ppt

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The Power of ML for Application Maintenance (ITS24)
Eric van der Vliet
George Thomas

Application Maintenance involves managing various types of tickets, such as Service Requests, Incidents, and Problems. This area often deals with hundreds or more applications maintained by a single team, resulting in the accumulation of vast amounts of data in service management tools. However, this data is frequently under-analyzed. While using medians or means is a common and straightforward method for data analysis, deeper investigations reveal that these approaches can be highly unreliable, with prediction errors exceeding 100%. A more effective approach is the application of Machine Learning (ML). Although initial ML models demonstrated some improvement, their results lacked sufficient reliability. One of the challenges is handling categorical data, which cannot be processed effectively by all ML models. This presentation will showcase the outcomes of trials with various ML models and by enriching the data, highlighting an ML model capable of predicting ticket effort with an accuracy of 95%.

Keywords: Data Collection, Software, ML, Data analysis

ITS24 – vanderVliet – Power of ML for Application Maintenance – ppt

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Agile Approvals in UK MOD (ITS25)
Tim White
Johnathan Milsom
Thomas Farthing

What happens when the dynamic world of IT comes up against the red tape of government approvals? How do you define the cost envelope when the problem space and the customer needs are constantly evolving? This paper outlines where applying waterfall methodologies to MOD IT programmes resulted in sub-optimal capability to the user. It will detail the traditional approvals process within UK MOD where a rigid cost envelope is required, demonstrating what is being procured, for how much money, by when. So, how can delivery teams gain approvals where the scope is uncertain? They need to set out the business case with transparency to have the flexibility to veer and haul resources across projects and services, in order to respond to the evolving requirement. One solution to this challenge is to define near-term goals in detail, delegate the power to the SRO, and periodically assess progress towards the long-term strategy.

Keywords: Agile, Decision Analysis, DOD/MOD, Program Management

ITS25 – White – Agile Approvals in UK MOD – ppt

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The Art of Decision Making (ITS26)
Prof Nira Chamberlain OBE

The role of a cost model is to enable a successful project outcome. Risk and probability has an important part to play in this. When we fully understand the very nature of risk and probability, it helps us in the Art of Decision Making.

Keywords: Monte Carlo, Risk, Statistics, Modeling, Tools Analysis, Case Studies

ITS26 – Chamberlain – Art of Decision Making – ppt

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The Real Cost of International Collaborations (ITS27)
Dr. Sanathanan Rajagopal

International Collaboration refers to the process where individuals, groups, organization from different countries work together towards a common goal. Whilst International Collaboration is very cost effective in various fields such as technology, science and business, the real and true cost of such collaboration can be very substantive. In this presentation the Author from his experience of working in several international projects identified the key costs/Drivers and grouped them into several categories. These cost categories will be the focus of this presentation.

Keywords: Budgeting, Communication, Cost Management, Government, International
ITS27 – Rajagopal – Cost of International Collaboration – ppt

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The Number is Evil (ITS28)
Oke Ubani

Why do such smart people often make such horrible mistakes? Lehman brothers, Deepwater Horizon and Space Shuttle Colombia, may call to mind examples of exactly this happening. These decisions were based on ‘the number’, and this presentation is a cautionary tale offering a perspective on an alternative to ‘the number’. Were they mistakes or just miscalculations? And how do we make the right calculations in an uncertain world to make more informed decisions?

ITS28 – Ubani – The number is Evil – ppt

Author Bios:

Amritpal Agar
Sirius Analysis Limited
Clarity is Truth: A Framework for Data Visualisation (ITS01)

With 15 years in the nuclear and water industries, Amritpal has extensive experience in cost data communication and visualization. He has worked in cost estimating, engineering, project controls, and government policy, with plenty of experience communicating across disciplines. Amritpal holds an MSc in the Physics and Technology of Nuclear Reactors from the University of Birmingham and an industrial doctorate in cost modelling for small nuclear power plants. He also founded the “Cost of Everything” podcast and the “CostViz” YouTube channel, with a mission to improve cost communication.

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Shreyas Balaram
Headquarters, U.S. Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center, Cost and Comparative Analysis Division (HQ AFIMSC/FMC)
Meet the cBCA – Decision Support at the Speed of Relevance (ITS22)

Shreyas is a 15-year career civil servant with the United States Air Force. After receiving his mechanical engineering degree from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs he has held multiple operations research positions providing a wide variety of cost and economic analysis support. Shreyas currently provides specialized cost support for HQ AFIMSC in the Enterprise Cost Analysis Branch in San Antonio Texas.

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Birgit Biehn
IABG mbH
Estimating for Life: Three Transformative Enhancements for LCC Models (ITS05)

Birgit Biehn heads the Logistics & Cost Engineering department at IABG in Germany. She studied electrical engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt and has spent the last 16 years gaining experience in public procurement, advising public clients, in particular the German Armed Forces, on military projects regarding cost estimation, profitability analysis, cost monitoring and project management. Before cost engineering, she worked at Vodafone for 16 years, most recently in R&D, developing new mobile services and managing co-operation with competitors and device manufacturers.

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Patrick Casey
Quantech Services
ChatGPT: Friend or Foe – Meet Your New EN SME (ITS02)

Patrick Casey’s passion for mathematics and research found Its perfect application in his role as a Cost Analyst at Quantech Services. His 5+ years of DoD experience have equipped him with a diverse skill set, enabling him to support aircraft modifications, lead cloud transformation efforts, manage various large CI/DC pipeline programs, and develop training on a wide range of topics. Patrick’s versatility is further underscored by his certifications as an AWS Cloud Practitioner, SAFe Lean Agilist, and IFPUG Function Point Specialist (CFPS).

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Prof Nira Chamberlain OBE
Atkins Réalis
The Art of Decision Making (ITS26)

AtkinsRéalis Technical Fellow for Mathematical Modelling
Technical Authority for Strategic Analytics
Past President Institute of Mathematics and its Applications
Visiting Professor at Loughborough University
Honorary Professor at Warwick University
UK’s Top 100 Scientists
2018 voted World’s Most Interesting Mathematician

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Carol Dekkers
Quality Plus Technologies, Inc.
Why should we care about Software Cost Estimating when we don’t Build Software? (ITS03)
Software Sizing Toolkit for Early Estimating (ITS04)
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Software Cost Estimating and Prominence of CEBoK-S (Closing General Session)

Carol Dekkers is a software cost estimation expert whose contracts include development of SiSE at DHS CAD since 2019. She is president of Quality Plus Technologies, specializing in working with organizations who want to keep their promises to their clients through realistic, data-founded estimates. She was also the lead author for the ICEAA CEBoK-S and received the ICEAA Educator of the Year for that work in 2022. She holds a BSc (MechEng) and is an IFPUG CFPS (Fellow), a PMP, Certified Scrum Master and a P.Eng. (Canada). Ms. Dekkers has presented many times at ICEAA.

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Fabian Eilingsfeld
IABG mbH
Estimating for Life: Three Transformative Enhancements for LCC Models (ITS05)

Fabian Eilingsfeld is senior project manager in Life Cycle Cost Management (LCCM) at IABG in Germany. He holds a PhD in aerospace engineering from TU Berlin and an MBA from International Space University. His original academic research focused on cost reduction in space transportation and commercial space travel. Before cost engineering, Fabian had a 15-year career working as production engineer and consultant. He co-authored 2 books and published over 30 technical papers. He currently teaches as guest lecturer at Technical University of Munich and University of Stuttgart.

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Maryam Farsi
Cranfield University
The Cognitive Data Wizardry for Ultimate Robustness and Transparency (ITS06)

Dr Maryam Farsi is a Senior Lecturer in Engineering Optimisation at Cranfield University, School of Aerospace, Transport, and Manufacturing. She is a member of the Centre for Digital Engineering and Manufacturing. Her research focuses on the optimisation of complex systems and system of systems, data analytics and visualisation. Her work has applications across the aerospace, manufacturing, transport, and healthcare sectors. Her research spans three main streams: cost engineering, net-zero engineering, and systems engineering, addressing contemporary challenges in these fields.

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Thomas Farthing
Apache Independent Experts
Agile Approvals in UK MOD (ITS25)

Thomas is a qualified engineer with 11 years of Project Controls experience in Defence. He has a track record of supporting complex procurement programmes within DE&S; specifically the Weapons OC. Thomas’ key strengths are his cost modelling capability and his ability to breakdown pricing methodologies and present them in logical and tangible way. He currently works for ApacheiX providing financial analysis to Digital Identity and supporting the business case for Defensive Cyber Operations.

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Kyle Ferris
Tecolote Research, Inc.
Costing Web App Development for Operations Research (ITS07)

Kyle Ferris is a cost analyst for Tecolote Research, Inc., where he currently provides cost analytics support for US Government organizations such as the DoD and DHS. At Tecolote, Mr. Ferris serves as the Team Lead for the Data Analytics Working Group, where he facilitates the development of data science use-cases for business development. Mr. Ferris also serves as a training developer for Tecolote’s Data Science Analyst Training Program, tasked with developing R and Python training scripts related to data engineering and machine learning.

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Brian D. Glauser
Unison Cost Engineering
Biases in Project Estimating and Mitigation Strategies to Overcome Them (ITS08)

Having worked in the cost estimating community for over 30 years, Brian currently serves as Director of Global Sales for Unison Cost Engineering, providing solutions that empower customers to generate credible, defensible, fact-based estimates. Brian previously served on the Board of Directors of ISPA (International Society of Parametric Analysis), and then as first President of ICEAA (International Cost Estimating & Analysis Association), followed by two terms on the ICEAA Board as Past President.

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Eric Hagee
Tecolote Research, Inc.
Costing Web App Development for Operations Research (ITS07)

Eric Hagee is a data analyst at Tecolote Research, Inc., where he currently supports data collection and warehousing efforts for the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency. At Tecolote, Mr. Hagee serves as a lead developer for the Data Analytics Working Group, where he leverages programming expertise to publish data science use-cases for business development. Mr. Hagee also serves as a lead training developer for Tecolote’s Data Science Analyst Training Program, tasked with developing R and Python training scripts related to web application development.

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Colin Hammond
ScopeMaster Ltd
(ITS09)
Adapting Software Estimation with the Trend from Project to Product (ITS09)
The Economics of Automated Software Sizing (ITS10)

Colin Hammond has worked in IT for over 35 years. He has worked for dozens of organisations across most sectors in various roles from Analyst/Developer to Portfolio Manager. In his continuous search for finding better ways to manage software endeavours, he discovered functional sizing. Colin is the creator of ScopeMaster, the award-winning AI tool that analyses, tests, sizes and generates test scenarios from software requirements.

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Colin Harper
Unison Cost Engineering
Navigating Pitfalls in Estimating Complex Defence & Aerospace Projects (ITS11)
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Software Cost Estimating and Prominence of CEBoK-S (Closing General Session)

Colin has been a Government Consultant at Unison since 2021. Prior to that he was Managing Director of QinetiQ Advisory Services. He led numerous technology insertion programmes in the UK and Internationally in the Defence and Energy Sectors. Credible cost estimates, created by the Advisory Services Cost team under Dale Shermon were a key foundation of these successfully delivered, complex programmes.

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Dave Hedley
Sirius Analysis Limited
The Risks of Misinterpreting Risk Analyses (ITS12)

Dave Hedley is a Managing Consultant with Sirius Analysis Limited with 25 years experience undertaking cost analyses, Project and Programme Management, and Business Case support to a broad range of defence acquisitions. Starting in 1983, and before joining the costing fraternity, Dave conducted ARM, ILS and Safety analyses. Dave has a BSc in Physics and Electronic Engineering and is currently the SCAF Treasurer.

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George Lyon
Capgemini Invent
Communication: the Fundamental Skill for Every Cost Professional (ITS14)

George Lyon is a Managing Consultant with over 10 years experience of cost consulting in Defence. He has completed multiple engagements over his varied career, using his engineering background and consulting skills to deliver fantastic outcomes to his clients. George is Deputy Chair of the Society for Cost Analysis and Forecating (SCAF) and has given informative workshop presentations on topics including Value for Money, Costing Standards & Assurance and Optimism Bias.

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Helber Macedo
Baker Hughes
Credible Cost Estimates (ITS15)

Helber Macedo is a cost engineer expert certified by AACE (CCP) and author of the book A Practical Guide to Cost Engineering (Routledge 2023). He is an experienced professional from the Energy industry who has been working on major projects since 2007. He is a Global Commercial Operations Manager – Costing at Baker Hughes, working with Subsea Projects in the Oil & Gas Industry. Helber is the author of a number of technical papers and developed and taught a variety of in-house cost estimating, construction, planning and industrial assembly courses for Petrobras.

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Johnathan Milsom
Apache Independent Experts
Agile Approvals in UK MOD (ITS25)

Johnathan is a Chartered Engineer with more than fifteen years’ experience working in the UK defence sector. He has worked across several of the largest programmes in the Maritime Domain including T26 and Dreadnought. As a consultant he has led multi-disciplinary teams both in a customer environment and in his previous role as Capability Director. Johnathan has a proven track record for working at pace to meet changing demands from customers.

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Arlene F. Minkiewicz
Unison Cost Engineering
The Impact of Generative AI on Software Engineering Activities (ITS16)
Cost Modeling for IT Deployment Projects (ITS23)
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Software Cost Estimating and Prominence of CEBoK-S (Closing General Session)

Arlene F. Minkiewicz is the Director of Cost Research at Unison Cost Engineering with over 40 years of experience at building cost models. She leads the cost research activity for TruePlanning®, the suite of cost estimating products that Unison provides. She is a software measurement expert dedicated to finding creative solutions focused on helping make software development professionals successful. She is widely published and speaks frequently on software related topics.

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Andy Nicholls
VMZ Parametrics Ltd
A Novel BoE Methodology (ITS17)

13 years Industry, 37 years MoD (41 years Cost Forecasting/ Estimating) former certified cost estimator (SCEA CCE/A), an OGC reviewer. Formally trained in management consultancy, PRINCE techniques, Risk Management, Statistics, Management of International Projects and a variety of associated costing tool sets. Currently I am Director and owner of VMZ Parametrics Ltd delivering a range of costing, parametric training and mentoring services to support UK Government & Industry and Australian customers.

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Rachael Pickwell
QinetiQ
Spinning Plates (ITS18)

Rachael joined the defence industry in 2006 post University. BAE Systems visited the University and Rachael never looked back. Rachael joined a 5 year Project Management Graduate Scheme enjoying a wide variety of Military Aircraft Programmes. Post the Graduate Scheme Rachael joined the Eurofighter Typhoon Programme in Munich. After ten years at BAE Systems Rachael joined QinetiQ, keeping the defence theme, but changing location and moving into the Maritime sector. Rachael has managed the Naval Combat Systems Integration Support Service for nine years with the Royal Navy.

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Emily Purpuri
Sirius Analysis Limited
Developing Cost Engineers (ITS19)

Emily has been Cost Modelling for over 15 years since graduating from Bath University with an MMath. Along the way she added CMath and CCE/A certifications. Additionally, Emily is a STEM Ambassador running sessions in schools showing students the fun side of maths and introducing cost estimating techniques at a young age. Her last session captured imaginations so much that several students went home to tell parents they were going to be Cost Engineers when older!

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Dr. Sanathanan Rajagopal
Sirius Analysis Limited
The Real Cost of International Collaborations (ITS27)
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Software Cost Estimating and Prominence of CEBoK-S (Closing General Session)

Dr Sanath is a highly capable and internationally recognized Cost Engineer/Cost Estimator specializing in Software Estimating, Software Obsolescence Management, Software Obsolescence Cost Estimating and Parametric Estimating. Sanath is an ISPA (International Society of Parametric Association) certified parametric estimator. Dr Sanath is the Head of Cost Engineering for Sirius Analysis and a Visiting Professor of Engineering and Cost Management at Birmingham City University and a Senior Visiting Fellow of City University, London.

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Del Roberts
Sirius Analysis Limited
Recruiting Cost Engineers: A Novel Approach (ITS20)

Del has a strong track record over the last 30 years as a project manager and cost engineer, and considerable knowledge of the UK defence sector in both the operational and support environments. He is a Registered Cost Engineer (RCostE) with the Association of Cost Engineers (ACostE) and Certified Cost Estimator/Analyst (CCEA) with ICEAA and a PRINCE2 and APMP qualified project manager.

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Steve Robinson
Unison Cost Engineering
Leverage. Why Everyone Needs it and So Few Have (ITS21)

Steve has been working within the commercial estimation domain for over 15 years, working with organisations across a variety of domains and geographies. He has first hand experience of the sorts of challenges these organisations face and the direct benefits that can be achieved through the application of innovative approaches. He is also a board member of NESMA as well as the newly formed ICEAA Software Special Interest Group

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Christian Schindler
IABG mbH
Estimating for Life: Three Transformative Enhancements for LCC Models (ITS05)

Christian Schindler works in the Logistics & Cost Engineering department at IABG Industrieanlagen-Betriebsgesellschaft mbH in Ottobrunn, Germany. For many years, he has been supporting Bundeswehr projects with data collection and the delivery of LCC cost estimates. From 2019 to 2022, Christian was involved in the development of True HLCCM, an extension of the PRICE TruePlanning cost estimating tool that has been tailored to the Bundeswehr’s LCCM (Lifecycle Cost Management) initiative.

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Rob Smale
Sirius Analysis Limited
Recruiting Cost Engineers: A Novel Approach (ITS20)

Rob has 8 years experience in the financial sector, specialising in business accounting and budget modelling. A well-motivated individual driven by continuous professional development and improving personal performance, with particular interest in automation of processes and data analysis. Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with a passion for generating impactful solutions in a dynamic, collaborative environment.

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George Thomas
CGI
The power of ML for Application Maintenance (ITS24)

George has over 11 years of experience in software development, product management, and building data solutions. He leads the Asia Pacific Banking COE and a global AI knowledge series at CGI. George has a MBA in General Management and BTech in Computer Science & Engineering; he is currently focused on leveraging AI/ML for banking use cases.

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F. Gurney Thompson III
Unison Cost Engineering
Cost Modeling for IT Deployment Projects (ITS23)

Gurney has over 15 years of experience with cost estimating at Unison, where he leads the hardware research team. He spends much of his time researching and designing costing solutions, most recently for common element models, hardware lifecycle cost management, and IT/electronic system deployment projects. Gurney graduated with a B.S. in Systems Engineering from the University of Virginia in 2007.

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Oke Ubani
The Ferryfield Group
Integrated Risk – A Quantitative Approach (ITS28)

Oke Ubani is a dedicated quantitative risk solutions consultant at Ferryfield Group, where he collaborates with Vose Software as a business development manager. His mission is to enhance awareness of quantitative risk analysis among organizations and governments globally. Oke earned a master’s degree in Information Management for Business from University College London, which has deepened his understanding of how effectively managed information can influence strategic business decisions. Over the past three years, he has worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies, leveraging Monte Carlo-based risk analysis, often focusing on building cost models in Excel to empower them to drive scientific decision-making. Oke is passionate about fostering informed decision-making and driving success through robust risk management practices.

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Eric van der Vliet
CGI
The power of ML for Application Maintenance (ITS24)
Panel Discussion: The Importance of Software Cost Estimating and Prominence of CEBoK-S (Closing General Session)

With over 30 years of experience in software development, process improvement and architecture, started Eric to specialize himself in cost estimation for software development, application maintenance as well as for infrastructure management. Eric is the director of a corporate Estimation Centre of Expertise at CGI, an IT company located in more than 40 countries.

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Tim White
Apache Independent Experts
Agile Approvals in UK MOD (ITS25)

Tim has a BSC in Maths, and has been a Certified Cost Estimator and Analyst with ICEAA since 2015. He is a capable consultant who specialises in the estimation & analysis of complex projects & systems. He has an extensive knowledge of the defence industry, and has experience across multiple domains. He has been the capability lead for P3M specialists within Apache for 4 years, and his current project roles are predominantly within Defence Digital supporting MOD business cases.