The objective is the systematical application of cost driver

There are several dozen scientifically published, mostly even verified estimation methods known. They identify factors (soft-facts) and their evaluation for estimation of project size and the corresponding impact on effort and time. The objective is the systematical application of company and project specific knowledge about cost driver and their rating with positive or negative impact on the IT project. In general the following sizing groups are differentiated within every project including specific factors: organization, personal, project, product and platform. Depending on the project and with respect to the mentioned pattern, further specific groups of soft facts will be used e.g. data, domain and internet. According to the estimation method, there is only one factor (e.g. productivity) or up to an infinite number of factors which can be defined on their own. The most noted estimation method is COCOMO II. This method knows three sub models: Application Composition, Early Design and Post Architecture. By mistake, COCOMO II is only equated with the latter.

 

These factors should only be used in the their current context and defined parameters. Software projects often fail, because of missing estimation methods or if a selected method is used beyond its specification. Failed projects and the lack of knowledge of estimation methods support the wrong statement that estimation methods doesn’t work. The exact opposite is correct, they work very good, if they are used in their specification or pursuant to their developed and defined parameters.

 

Cost Xpert is member of the Research Group COCOMO

A permanent qualified flow of information is mandatory for us. Cost Xpert has affiliates to leading universities and scientific institutions and is member of various scientific committees and research groups. Cost Xpert is the only commercial company at the COCOMO Research Group. One of the team members is co-author of the COCOMO II specification. Not only for this reason, our Tool Suite is the only standard tool which describes scientifically correctly all factors of the COCOMO II specification. Out of the research and analyses of a variety of representative projects Cost Xpert has identified and integrated further project and company specific soft- facts.