For this exercise, use the activities related to this course as your principal activities. You may define your own work categories or use the following set:Once you have decided on the categories, estimate the task frequency and how much time you expect to spend on each. For weekly tasks, estimate the time you will spend each week and for semester tasks, estimate the times for the entire semester. For this part of the assignment you need not measure these times, just come up with estimates.
- Attending class sessions
- Studying and reading textbooks and handouts
- Conducting online searches
- Completing assignments
Until you have practiced estimating, your estimates are not likely to be very accurate. Don't worry about estimate accuracy at this time. It is essential, however, that you think about the tasks you will do and make your own estimate of the time you think they will take. By thoughtfully estimating the time you will spend and then later comparing this estimate with the time you actually spend, you will learn to make better estimates. There is no correct or incorrect amount of time. The only real measure of the quality of an estimate is how closely it agrees with the resources actually spent. (In this case, your time).
Assessment Rubric: Categories, Estimates, Annotation, Structure
Develop a Time Recording Log format and track the time you spend on the principal activities for this course you defined in the first part of this assignment. Keep your log current and calculate weekly totals throughout the semester.The goal of this part of the assignment is to consider how to record your time and to develop a convenient way for you to do so. The time data will be used for comparison with your original estimates and to update your estimated values.
Sample Time Recording Log:
Name: Project/Class: Date Start Stop Interruption Duration Activity Comments 2SEP97 11:10 11:45 :08 :27 Studying Reviewed SWE web pages. 2SEP97 13:25 13:45 :00 :20 Assignment Created annotation for estimation assignment.
Assessment Rubric: Recording Log Form, Log Entries, Annotation, Structure
Summarize your Time Recording Log and calculate meaningful statistics. Compare your original estimates and revised estimates with the actual data. Reflect on the comparisons and account for the degree of accuracy.
Assessment Rubric: Log Summary, Statistics, Reflection, Annotation, Structure