The project team can estimate the likely number of work periods required to perform an activity by using which method?

• A. Analogous
• B. Expert Judgment
• C. PERT
• D. Any of the above

Answer: (D)

Estimating how many work periods a task will take relies on drawing from different types of information. Analogous estimation uses the duration of a similar past task as a basis and adjusts for differences. Expert judgment brings in the experience of knowledgeable team members to estimate duration based on their understanding of the work and likely risks. PERT uses three estimates—optimistic, most likely, and pessimistic—to calculate an expected duration while also capturing uncertainty. Each method has its own data needs and accuracy implications, so you can use any of them depending on what information is available.