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Foundation ::
Project Management ::
COSTMODELER
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COSTMODELER
A Generalized Framework for Development and Application of Software Development Cost Estimation Models
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Moderators:
Adopt This Application!
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SOURCE CODE AVAILABLE
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COSTMODELER provides a framework for cost estimating software development
and maintenance. Cost estimation models are defined to the program
via data files instead of being directly implemented in the program. Several
models are provided with the program. These models can be used as is or
customized to better represent a particular software development environment
and software product characteristics. No programming is required to
implement new theoretical models for testing and verification.
The size of the proposed software product can be described either in
terms of lines of code or function points. The lines of code may be estimated
directly or specified as a range of probability. The function point
model is sufficiently generalized that it can be adapted to accommodate a
feature point model.
Any number of "cost drivers" may be defined. Cost drivers are those
characteristics of the software development team or the software product
which may have an effect on development costs. A probabilistic range
for the effect of these cost drivers can also be defined. The use of cost
drivers facilitates "what-if" analysis to evaluate the predicted effects
of a variety of management decisions.
A project can be decomposed to any level of detail in an inverted tree
structure. Different cost drivers may be applied at any node in the tree
structure. All attributes are fully inherited from one level of the tree
to the next to minimize input requirements. Notes may be attached to any
node to provide documentation for complex project decompositions. The tree
structure is fully editable at any time with the ability to move, copy, add,
or delete branches.
The project development life-cycle is completely user-definable.
Life-cycle phases may be redefined and new phases may be added. Projects
may be developed as a set of incremental deliveries. Graphic displays
clearly show the relationships between life-cycle phases and increments
and the cumulative total manpower required. Each of the increments may utilize
separate life-cycle phase definitions. Both manpower and schedule
constraints may be applied. Comparative plots visually display the cost
penalties resulting from constraining either parameter.
The members of the development team can be grouped into any number of
classifications. These classifications can be assigned hourly compensation
rates, and the percentage of the total effort to be performed by each
classification for each development phase can be defined. These personnel
classifications and life-cycle relationships can be related to the organization's
manpower cost accounting systems so that actual expenditures may
be compared to the estimates at any point during the development process.
This comparative analysis capability is built into COSTMODELER, with a complete
set of reports to assist in the identification of problems in real
time.
A variety of output reports are provided. Each report is user configurable
to include as much or as little detail as required. Several output
graph formats are included.
COSTMODELER carries the NASA case number MSC-22543. It was originally released as part of the NASA COSMIC collection.
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