Special Topics in Software Engineering:

Software Size and Effort Estimation

Many software projects fail - project are late, cost too much or do not deliver the expected functionality. In this course the focus is on software size and effort estimation. Both parameters could improve project planning activities and consequently influence that the project is finished on time and within the budget. Software size is an elementary metrics that is used to calculate project effort, duration and costs. Therefore we will focus on measuring software size in object-oriented projects using the Function Point Analysis method. Some other methods will also be mentioned during the course like MK II FPA, COSMIC and Use Case Points. Finally software size will be transformed to effort using different models like COCOMO II and ISBSG repository.

Goals: To become familiar with size and effort estimation process, available methods and their use in practice

Lecturer

Dr. Ales Zivkovic
University of Maribor
ales.zivkovic@uni-mb.si

Dates

Contents

1. Introduction to size and effort estimation
2. FPA Method and its variations
3. FPA method in object-oriented development
4. Use Case Points
5. ISBSG repository and its use in practice
6. Converting Software Size to Effort, Duration and Costs
7. Conclusion
8. Student assignment - software size and effort estimation project

Exam

The marks for this course will be based on a project, which the students have to deliver to the lecturer.

Slides

The slides of this course can be downloaded from here

Literature

• COSMIC, 2003. COSMIC-FFP Measurement Manual - The COSMIC Implementation Guide for ISO/IEC 19761:2003, version 2.2., Common Software Measurement International Consortium (COSMIC).
  www.cosmicon.com
• IFPUG, 2004. Function Point Counting Practices Manual, Release 4.2, International Function Point User Group (IFPUG), Princeton Junction, USA.
  www.ifpug.org
• ISBG, 2001. Practical Project Estimation, A toolkit for estimating software development effort and duration. International Software Benchmarking Standards Group (ISBSG).
  www.isbsg.org
• USC, 1999. USC COCOMO II Reference Manual, University of Southern California.
  http://sunset.usc.edu/csse/research/COCOMOII/cocomo_main.html
• Karner, G., Use Case Points - Resource Estimation for Objectory Projects, Master Thesis, Linkøping University, Sweden, 1993
  www.codeproject.com/KB/architecture/usecasep.aspx
• L.M. Laird, M. C. Brennan, Software Measurement and Estimation: A practical Approach, IEEE Computer Society, John Wiely & Sons Inc, Hoboken, New Jersey, 2006
• D. D. Galorath, M. W. Evans, Software Sizing, Estimation and Risk Management, Auerbach Publications Taylor & Francis Group, Boca Raton, FL, USA, 2006.
  QSM, SLIM Estimate, Quantitative Software Management (QSM),
  www.qsm.com