Veterans Track
Introduction to Costing and Evaluation
Software architecture cost analysis from an architect's lens — covering estimation, compliance, procurement, communication, governance, complexity drivers, team cost and hidden architecture costs.
01 · Estimation
Software Cost Analysis
Decompose build vs buy, identify custom-work cost drivers, and apply analogous, parametric and bottom-up estimation methods.
02 · Compliance
Legal and Permitting Fees
Track one-time and periodic compliance costs such as audits, certifications, renewals and licensing.
03 · Scope Definition
Work Estimation Techniques
Prepare SOW, WBS and specifications using story points, function points or calibrated t-shirt sizing.
04 · Procurement
Bidding and Negotiation
Support RFP/RFQ evaluation, vendor scoring, bid comparison and scope ambiguity reduction before contract award.
05 · Communication
Cost Communication
Use BAC, cost variance, earned value and dashboards to communicate cost status to teams and executives.
06 · Governance
Cost Governance
Track running costs against baseline, define thresholds, change-control gates, escalation and FinOps tagging.
07 · Complexity Drivers
Application Complexity Breakdown
Understand UI, backend, integration, security and infrastructure complexity as direct cost multipliers.
08 · Team & Process
Development Process & Team Size
Team composition, methodology and delivery model directly drive cost. Team size is a non-linear multiplier.
09 · Hidden Costs
Architecture Decisions That Inflate Cost
Modularisation, weak monitoring, poor testing, refactoring debt and poor technology choices create hidden cost overruns.