1. A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage memory having programming instructions operable to: compare actual data associated with each activity of a phase of a project to expected results used to develop a strategic development plan for the project; and calibrate efforts in the strategic development plan for future activities of the project based on the actual data, wherein the calibrating includes: determining a relationship between discovered defects and devoted effort, wherein the relationship is linear when a number of the discovered defects is lower than an upper limit of the discovered defects for each trigger in the each activity, and the relationship is nonlinear when the number of the discovered defects is higher than the upper limit of the discovered defects for each trigger in the each activity; utilizing the determined relationship to calibrate the efforts in the strategic development plan for the future activities by maintaining the devoted effort below the upper limit of the discovered defects in order to maximize a defect discovery efficiency; and adjusting the efforts by a determined percentage for future activities associated with the project.