What ways have you reduced cost for a software project during the planning phase?

Question

I am getting ready to head up an internal project. I already know that the budget will be tight on this. I am looking for effective ways to reduce project cost. What I would like to see is the most code for the least amount of budget.

For example, if I develop an example page and have an Intern or Jr. Developer refactor another page in the same style the hours on budget would be less assuming they code at the same rate as me. However, I know that Interns and Jr. Developers will not code at the same rate as me. Giving up high cost functionality seems like another way to go, but in the end all functionality is desired. As of now, there is not a time deadline, but that can at a moments notice.

To try to avoid this question being closed, I would like to see answers with the following...

1. What has worked for you in the past.
2. Why a particular process worked for you.
3. What has not worked, i.e. you tried something you thought would work and you were surprised it did not.

Answer 1

On question 1

• Reduce scope.
• Get backing of a CxO.
• Get rid of team members unproductive and not needed to maintain the software afterwards (or ask the people manager a refund for their hours).
• Get a champion for each discipline .
• Deliver early whole processing chain to avoid surprises and risks forgotten.
• Use prioritizing approach such as MoSCoW.
• Make it fun.

On question 2

• Reduce scope; there is nothing like it for reducing costs when everything else has been fixed such as duration, tools, employees, testers, etc.

On question 3 - Get more project team members does not generally help.

Answer 2

Quality, time, cost. Pick two.

Even when you pick two, performance of each variable is still very probabilistic. And we have less control over this performance than we like to admit.

If you are looking at a single project, then you are not really looking for significant cost take out ideas or capability game changing initiatives. If you have this type of pressure of delivering everything the customer wants at a fixed, unmovable cost and likely a fixed schedule, what you really need to do is monitor your work extremely closely, looking for the first signs of unfavorable performance variances, mitigating where you can early and often, and then communicating where you are with your stakeholders early and often. It becomes more about communicating early that you are overrunning than actually hitting your promised targets, so that your customers can make the decisions they need to make if cost is such a huge factor for them.

Use proven cost control and risk management methods. Look for tangible evidence, not just what your team tells you.