What is the intent of Estimating (EST)?

• A. Estimate the size, effort, duration, and cost of the work and resources needed to develop, acquire, or deliver the solution.
• B. Identify causes of selected outcomes and take action to prevent recurrence of undesirable outcomes or ensure recurrence of positive outcomes.
• C. Make and record decisions using a recorded process that analyzes alternatives.
• D. Manage the integrity of work products using configuration identification, version control, change control, and audits.

Answer: (A)

Estimating is about forecasting the size, effort, duration, and cost of the work and the resources needed to develop, acquire, or deliver the solution. This purpose is central to planning because it provides the numeric baselines used to create the project plan, set budgets, and build schedules. By using historical data, size measures, and estimation techniques, the team develops initial estimates and then updates them as more information becomes available, enabling informed decisions about scope, sequencing, and resource allocation. Without solid estimates, plans can become optimistic or misaligned with reality, risking delays, budget overruns, and unmet expectations. Other intents described in the distractors relate to different practices like problem solving, decision analysis, or configuration management, not estimation.