Mislick / Nussbaum | Cost Estimation | Buch | 978-1-394-29804-4 | www.sack.de

Buch, Englisch, 416 Seiten

Mislick / Nussbaum

Cost Estimation

Methods and Tools
2. Auflage 2026
ISBN: 978-1-394-29804-4
Verlag: Wiley

Methods and Tools

Buch, Englisch, 416 Seiten

ISBN: 978-1-394-29804-4
Verlag: Wiley


Provides a practical guide to cost estimation tools, methods, and applications across complex projects

Cost estimation plays a pivotal role in informing investment and resource allocation decisions in government, industrial, and military projects. With increasingly complex systems, high-risk environments, and growing demands for accountability, the ability to develop accurate and justifiable cost models is critical. Cost Estimation: Methods and Tools is an essential, up-to-date introduction to the quantitative techniques that underpin effective cost analysis, ensuring readers gain both theoretical understanding and practical application skills.

This thoroughly revised second edition reflects the latest changes in regulations, directives, and reporting practices. It delivers clear, practical explanations of core cost estimation techniques, including regression analysis, inflation indices, learning curves, cost factors, and wrap rates. New coverage of Agile software methods highlights emerging practices and evolving needs across the field. The book equips readers to address the full spectrum of cost challenges—from research and development to production, deployment, operations and support, and finally disposal.

Combining methodological rigor and applied insight, the second edition of Cost Estimation: - Explains fundamental cost estimation techniques through accessible, step-by-step examples
- Incorporates a “deeper dive” into data normalization and regression analysis
- Features numerous worked examples and end-of-chapter problem sets to reinforce comprehension
- Highlights the use of cost models in risk assessment and uncertainty analysis
- Introduces historical context and key terminology to build a solid foundation in cost estimation
- Includes updated examples that reflect real-world applications across both defense and industry sectors along with a real-world cost case study.

Written by experienced practitioners and educators, Cost Estimation: Methods and Tools, Second Edition is ideal for graduate students in Operations Research, Industrial Engineering, Systems Engineering, and Cost Estimation, particularly in courses such as Cost Estimating and Analysis or Engineering Economics. It is equally valuable as a reference for professional cost estimators, analysts, and decision makers working in government, defense, and industry.

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Weitere Infos & Material


Foreword xiii

About the Authors xvii

Preface xix

Acronyms xxv

Chapter 1 “Looking Back: Reflections on Cost Estimating” 1

Reference 12

Chapter 2 Introduction to Cost Estimating 13

2.1 Introduction 13

2.2 What Is Cost Estimating? 13

2.3 What Are the Characteristics of a Good Cost Estimate? 15

2.4 Importance of Cost Estimating in DoW and in Congress. Why Do We Do Cost Estimating? 17

2.4.1 Importance of Cost Estimating to Congress 18

2.5 An Overview of the DoW Acquisition Process 20

2.6 Acquisition Categories (ACATs) 26

2.7 Cost-Estimating Terminology 29

2.8 Summary 36

References 36

Applications and Questions 37

Chapter 3 Non-DoW Acquisition and the Cost-Estimating Process 39

3.1 Introduction 39

3.2 Who Practices Cost Estimation? 40

3.3 The Government Accountability Office (GAO) and the 12-STEP Process 41

3.4 Cost Estimating in Other Non-DoW Agencies and Organizations 44

3.4.1 The Intelligence Community (IC) 44

3.4.2 National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) 45

3.4.3 The Department of Energy (DOE) 45

3.4.4 Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs) 46

3.4.5 The MITRE Corporation 47

3.4.6 RAND Corporation 47

3.4.7 University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs) 47

3.4.8 Commercial Firms 48

3.4.9 Cost Estimating Book of Knowledge (CEBoK) 48

3.5 The Cost-Estimating Process 50

3.5.1 Definition and Planning: Knowing the Purpose of the Estimate 51

3.5.2 Definition and Planning: Defining the System 53

3.5.3 Definition and Planning: Establishing the Ground Rules and Assumptions 55

3.5.4 Definition and Planning: Selecting the Estimating Approach 56

3.5.5 Definition and Planning: Putting the Team Together 59

3.6 Data Collection 59

3.7 Formulation of the Estimate 60

3.8 Review and Documentation 60

3.9 Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) 61

3.9.1 Program Work Breakdown Structure 61

3.9.2 Military-Standard (MIL-STD) 881F 64

3.10 Cost Element Structure (CES) 65

3.11 Summary 67

References 67

Applications and Questions 68

Chapter 4 Data Sources 71

4.1 Introduction 71

4.2 Background and Considerations to Data Collection 71

4.2.1 Cost Data 74

4.2.2 Technical Data 74

4.2.3 Programmatic Data 74

4.2.4 Risk Data 75

4.3 Cost Reports and Earned Value Management (EVM) 76

4.3.1 Cost and Software Data Reporting (CSDR) and FlexFiles 76

4.3.2 Contract Performance Report (CPR) 82

4.3.3 EVM in Action 85

4.3.4 Selected Acquisition Reports, DAES, and Other Oversight Tools 88

4.4 Cost Databases 89

4.4.1 Cost Assessment Data Enterprise (CADE) 90

4.4.2 Defense Acquisition Visibility Environment (DAVE) 91

4.4.3 Enterprise Visibility and Management of Operating and Support Costs (EVAMOSC) 91

4.5 Summary 92

References 93

Applications and Questions 93

Chapter 5 Data Normalization 95

5.1 Introduction 95

5.2 The Role of Data Normalization in Cost Estimating 95

5.3 Normalizing for Content 97

5.4 Normalizing for Quantity 99

5.5 Normalizing for Inflation 102

5.6 DoW Appropriations and Background 106

5.7 Constant Year Dollars (CY$) 108

5.8 Base Year Dollars (BY$) 110

5.9 DoW Inflation Indices 112

5.10 Then-Year Dollars (TY$) 117

5.11 Using the Joint Inflation Calculator (JIC) 121

5.12 Expenditure (Outlay) Profile 123

5.13 Escalation 127

5.14 Summary 127

References 128

Applications and Questions 128

Chapter 6 Statistics for Cost Estimators 131

6.1 Introduction 131

6.2 Background to Statistics 131

6.3 Margin of Error 132

6.4 Taking a Sample 136

6.5 Measures of Central Tendency 137

6.6 Dispersion Statistics 139

6.7 Coefficient of Variation 145

6.8 Summary 146

References 147

General Reference 147

Applications and Questions 147

Chapter 7 Single-Variable Linear Regression Analysis 149

7.1 Introduction 149

7.2 Home Buying Example 149

7.3 Regression Background and Terminology 154

7.4 Evaluating a Regression 159

7.5 Standard Error (SE) 159

7.6 Coefficient of Variation (CV) 161

7.7 Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) 162

7.8 Coefficient of Determination (R 2) 164

7.9 F-Statistic and t-Statistics 165

7.10 Regression Hierarchy 168

7.10.1 Hierarchy of Regression 168

7.11 Staying within the Range of Your Data 170

7.12 Treatment of Outliers 171

7.12.1 Handling Outliers with Respect to X (The Independent Variable Data) 172

7.12.2 Handling Outliers with Respect to Y (The Dependent Variable Data) 173

7.13 Residual Analysis 175

7.14 “Deeper Dive: Beyond the Basics” 178

7.15 “Solar Array Panel” Case Study (Continued, Part 2) 181

7.16 Summary 185

Reference 185

Applications and Questions 185

Chapter 8 Multivariable Linear Regression Analysis 187

8.1 Introduction 187

8.2 Background of Multivariable Linear Regression 187

8.3 Home Prices Example 189

8.4 Multicollinearity (MC) 194

8.5 Detecting Multicollinearity (MC), Method #1: Widely Varying Regression Slope Coefficients 195

8.6 Detecting Multicollinearity, Method #2: Correlation Matrix 196

8.7 Multicollinearity Example, MC #1: Home Prices 197

8.8 Determining Statistical Relationships between Independent Variables 199

8.9 Multicollinearity Example, MC #2: Weapon Systems 200

8.10 Conclusions of Multicollinearity 203

8.11 Multivariable Regression Guidelines 204

8.12 Deeper Dive: Beyond the Basics 206

8.13 “Solar Array Panel” Case Study (Continued, Part 3) 206

8.14 Summary 209

Applications and Questions 210

Chapter 9 Intrinsically Linear Regression 213

9.1 Introduction 213

9.2 Background of Intrinsically Linear Regression 213

9.3 The Multiplicative Model 217

9.4 Data Transformation 218

9.5 Interpreting the Regression Results 222

9.6 Deeper Dive: Beyond the Basics 223

9.7 Summary 227

References 228

Applications and Questions 228

Chapter 10 Learning Curves: Unit Theory 231

10.1 Introduction 231

10.2 Learning Curve, Scenario # 1 231

10.3 Cumulative Average Theory Overview 233

10.4 Unit Theory Overview 234

10.5 Unit Theory 238

10.6 Estimating Lot Costs 241

10.7 Fitting a Curve Using Lot Data 245

10.7.1 Lot Midpoint 246

10.7.2 Average Unit Cost (AUC) 248

10.8 Alternative LMP and Lot Cost Calculations 257

10.9 Deeper Dive: Beyond the Basics 258

10.10 Summary 260

References 260

Applications and Questions 261

Chapter 11 Learning Curves: Cumulative Average Theory 263

11.1 Introduction 263

11.2 Background of Cumulative Average Theory (CAT) 263

11.3 Cumulative Average Theory 265

11.4 Estimating Lot Costs 269

11.5 Cumulative Average Theory, Final Example 270

11.6 Unit Theory vs. Cumulative Average Theory 273

11.6.1 Learning Curve Selection 274

11.7 Summary 275

Applications and Questions 276

Chapter 12 Learning Curves: Production Breaks/Lost Learning 277

12.1 Introduction 277

12.2 The Lost Learning Process 278

12.3 Production Break Scenario 278

12.4 The Anderlohr Method 279

12.5 Production Break Example 281

12.6 The Retrograde Method, Example 12.1 (Part 2) 283

12.7 Summary 290

References 291

Applications and Questions 291

Chapter 13 Wrap Rates and Step-Down Functions 293

13.1 Introduction 293

13.2 Wrap Rate Overview 293

13.3 Wrap Rate Components 295

13.3.1 Direct Labor Wage Rate 295

13.3.2 Overhead Rate 296

13.3.3 Other Costs 297

13.4 Wrap Rate, Final Example (Example 13.2) 298

13.5 Summary of Wrap Rates 299

13.6 Introduction to Step-Down Functions 299

13.7 Step-Down Function Theory 300

13.8 Step-Down Function Example 13.1 300

13.9 Summary of Step-Down Functions 303

Reference 303

Applications and Questions 303

Chapter 14 Cost Factors and the Analogy Technique 305

14.1 Introduction 305

14.2 Cost Factors Scenario 305

14.3 Cost Factors 306

14.4 Which Factor to Use? 309

14.5 Cost Factors Handbooks 310

14.6 Unified Facilities Criteria (UFC) 310

14.7 Summary of Cost Factors 311

14.8 Introduction to the Analogy Technique 312

14.9 Background of Analogy 312

14.10 Methodology 313

14.11 Example 14.2, Part 1: The Historical WBS 314

14.12 Example 14.2, Part 2: The New WBS 316

14.13 Summary of the Analogy Technique 319

Reference 320

Applications and Questions 320

Chapter 15 Software Cost Estimation 321

15.1 Introduction 321

15.2 Background on Software Cost Estimation 321

15.3 What Is Software? 322

15.4 The WBS Elements in a Typical Software Cost-Estimating Task 323

15.5 Software Costing Characteristics and Concerns 324

15.6 Measuring Software Size: Source Lines of Code (SLOC) and Function Points (FPs) 325

15.6.1 Source Lines of Code (SLOC) 325

15.6.2 Function Point (FP) Analysis 327

15.7 The Software Cost-Estimating Process 328

15.8 Problems with Software Cost Estimating: Cost Growth 329

15.9 Commercial Software Availability 330

15.9.1 COTS in the Software Environment 331

15.10 Waterfall vs. Agile: A New Paradigm 332

15.11 Post-Development Software Maintenance Costs 334

15.12 Summary 334

References 334

Applications and Questions 334

Chapter 16 Cost–Benefit Analysis and Risk and Uncertainty 337

16.1 Introduction 337

16.2 Cost–Benefit Analysis (CBA) and Net Present Value (NPV) Overview 337

16.3 Time Value of Money 340

16.4 Example 16.1. Net Present Value 344

16.5 Risk and Uncertainty Overview 348

16.6 Considerations for Handling Risk and Uncertainty 350

16.7 How Do the Uncertainties Affect Our Estimate? 352

16.8 Cumulative Cost and Monte Carlo Simulation 354

16.9 Suggested Resources on Risk and Uncertainty Analysis 357

16.10 Summary 357

References 358

Applications and Questions 358

Chapter 17 Epilogue 359

Looking Back 359

Key Takeaways 360

Lessons from History 360

A Growing Profession 361

Looking to the Future: AI and the Changing Landscape 362

How AIIs Already Helping 362

Why Human Expertise Still Matters 362

The Rise of Purpose-Built Tools 362

The Road Ahead 363

Closing Thoughts 363

Answers to Questions 365

Index 377


GREGORY K. MISLICK is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Operations Research at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), where he has taught since 2000. His expertise includes life cycle cost estimation, regression analysis, learning curves, data analysis, and optimization. He has advised numerous cost and aviation theses, was an Associate Dean at NPS and is the Program Manager of the Master’s degree in Cost Estimating and Analysis curriculum.

DANIEL A. NUSSBAUM is a Professor in the Department of Operations Research at NPS and Chair of the Energy Academic Group. With four decades of experience in financial estimating and analysis for the U.S. Federal government, his research spans cost/benefit analysis, life cycle cost modeling, and financial modeling for strategic decision making.

KAREN R. MISLICK is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Operations Research at NPS where she teaches cost estimating, scheduling, earned value management, Agile development, and data visualization and storytelling. She previously spent two decades at the Government Accountability Office, leading cost, schedule, and earned value analyses and over 250 audits across major federal programs. She is Level III certified in both cost estimating and financial management.



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