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name: sc-estimate description: Provide development estimates for tasks, features, or projects with intelligent analysis. Use when planning timelines, assessing complexity, or scoping resources.

Development Estimation Skill

Systematic estimation with confidence intervals and risk assessment.

Quick Start

Copy# Time estimate with breakdown
/sc:estimate "auth system" --type time --unit days --breakdown

# Complexity assessment
/sc:estimate "microservices migration" --type complexity

# Effort analysis
/sc:estimate "performance optimization" --type effort --unit hours

Behavioral Flow

1. Analyze - Examine scope, complexity, and dependencies
2. Calculate - Apply estimation methodology with benchmarks
3. Validate - Cross-reference with domain expertise
4. Present - Provide breakdown with confidence intervals
5. Track - Document for accuracy improvement

Flags

Personas Activated

• architect - Design complexity assessment
• performance - Optimization effort analysis
• project-manager - Timeline and resource planning

MCP Integration

• PAL MCP - Multi-perspective estimate validation

Evidence Requirements

This skill does NOT require hard evidence. Deliverables are:

• Estimates with confidence intervals
• Risk factor identification
• Breakdown documentation

Estimation Types

Time (--type time)

• Calendar duration estimates
• Milestone planning
• Deadline assessment

Effort (--type effort)

• Person-hours/days required
• Resource allocation guidance
• Team capacity planning

Complexity (--type complexity)

• Technical complexity scoring
• Risk factor identification
• Dependency mapping

Confidence Levels

Estimates include confidence intervals:

• High (85-95%) - Well-understood scope
• Medium (70-84%) - Some unknowns
• Low (50-69%) - Significant uncertainty

Examples

Feature Estimation

Copy/sc:estimate "user authentication" --type time --unit days --breakdown
# Breakdown: DB design (2d) + API (3d) + UI (2d) + Tests (1d)
# Total: 8 days @ 85% confidence

Complexity Assessment

Copy/sc:estimate "monolith to microservices" --type complexity --breakdown
# Architecture complexity with risk factors
# Dependency mapping and migration phases

Effort Analysis

Copy/sc:estimate "API performance optimization" --type effort --unit hours
# Profiling (4h) + Analysis (6h) + Implementation (16h) + Testing (8h)
# Total: 34 hours @ 75% confidence

Tool Coordination

• Read/Grep/Glob - Codebase complexity analysis
• TodoWrite - Estimation breakdown tracking
• Task - Multi-domain estimation delegation
• Bash - Dependency and project analysis