The Impact of Lack in Domain or Technology Experience on the Accuracy of Expert Effort Estimates in Software Projects

The study examines the impact of lack of experience in the domain problem or lack of experience with the technologies used in a software development project on the accuracy of single expert estimation of task effort, as measured by estimated versus actual effort. Expert judgment in the estimation of task effort is the most frequently used estimation technique for software projects. Estimators rely on their experience, business domain knowledge, and technical expertise. Occasionally, organizations lack experts on staff that have relevant prior experience on some business or technology related aspects of the project. This research investigates the impact of such incomplete expertise on the reliability of estimates.