Practical Software Project Estimation: A Toolkit for Estimating Software Development and Direction

Description

Product verifiable, defensible, and achievable software estimates

Based on data collected by the International Software Benchmarking Standards Group (ISBSG), Practical Software Project Estimation explains how to accurately forecast the size, cost, and schedule of software projects. Get expert advice on generating accurate estimates, minimizing risks, and planning and managing projects. Valuable appendixes provide estimation equations, delivery rate tables, and the ISBSG Repository demographics.
* Verify project objectives and requirements
* Determine, validate, and refine software functional size
* Produce indicative estimates using regression equations
* Predict effect and duration through comparison and analogy
* Build estimation frameworks
* Perform benchmarks using the ISBSG Repository
* Compare IFPUG, COSMIC, and FiSMA sizing methods

Peter Hill is the chief executive officer and a director of the ISBSG. He has been in the information services industry for more than 40 years and has compiled and edited five books for the ISBSG.

CONTENTS:

Chapter 1. Project Estimation: Background, Concepts, and Approaches; Chapter 2. Factors That Influence Productivity; Chapter 3. Software Estimates: How Accurate Are They; Chapter 4. Sizing Software and Size-Approximation Accuracy; Chapter 5. Some Practical Software Size Approximation Techniques; Chapter 6. The Problem of Missing Functionality; Chapter 7. Estimating Using Equations; Chapter 8. Estimating Using Comparisons; Chapter 9. Estimating Using Analogy; Chapter 10. Estimating Using Work Breakdown Structure; Chapter 11. How Do I Estimate a Project Comprising Varying Components; Chapter 12. Using Project History Databases; Chapter 13. Project Estimation Using the ISBSG Database; Chapter 14. Estimating for Agile Software Development; Chapter 15. A Guide to Estimating Project Cost Using ISBSG Data; Chapter 16. Creating a Software Project Estimation Framework Using the ISBSG Repository; Chapter 17. Functional Size Measurement Methods in Use Today; Chapter 18. A Brief Tutorial on Functional Size Measurement (FSM); Chapter 19. An IFPUG Function Point Case Study; Chapter 20. The COSMIC Functional Size Measurement Method; Chapter 21. A COSMIC Function Point Case Study; Chapter 22. A FiSMA Function Point Case Study; Appendix A. What Is in the ISBSG Repository; Appendix B. Project Delivery Rates by Category; Appendix C. Estimation Equations; Appendix D. Project Sample Demographics Used in Chapter 3; Appendix E. The Benefits of Submitting Projects to the ISBSG Repository; Appendix F. ISBSG Member Organizations; Glossary; References; Index