Abstract: A process controller adapted to provide an estimated prediction of a processing time for a data processing job to be run on one or more of a plurality of data processing devices that operate within a distributed processing system having a range of platforms, the process controller being in communication with a job prediction engine adapted to calculate an estimated processing time associated with the data processing job, wherein the process controller uses the estimated processing time to determine the estimated prediction and is further adapted to control the assignment of the data processing job to the data processing devices upon acceptance of the estimated prediction by a user.