The Effects of Software Size on Development Effort and Software Quality
Effective evaluation of software development effort is an important issue during project plan. This study provides a model to predict development effort based on the software size estimated with function points. We generalize the average amount of effort spent on each phase of the development, and give the estimates for the effort used in software building, testing, and implementation. Finally, this paper finds a strong correlation between software defects and software size. As the size of software constantly increases, the quality remains to be a matter which requires major concern.
[1] R. S. Pressman, Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach.
London: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
[2] J. C. Vliet, Software Engineering: Principles and Practice. Chichester:
Wiley, 1993.
[3] R. D. Banker, H. Chang, and C. F. Kemerer, "Evidence on economies of
scale in software development," Information and Software Technology,
vol. 36, pp. 275-282, 1994.
[4] A. Heiat and N. Heiat, "A model for estimating efforts required for
developing small-scale business applications," Journal of Systems and
Software, vol. 39, pp. 7-14, 1997.
[5] D. V. Steward, Software Engineering with Systems Analysis and Design.
Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole, 1987.
[6] A. Lee, C. H. Cheng, and J. Balakrishnan, "Software development cost
estimation: Integrating neural network with cluster analysis,"
Information & Management, vol. 34, pp. 1-9, 1998.
[7] W. S. Humphrey and N. D. Singpurwalla, "Predicting (individual)
software productivity," IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol.
17, pp. 196-207, 1991.
[8] M. van Genuchten and H. Koolen, "On the use of software cost models,"
Information & Management, vol. 21, pp. 37-44, 1991.
[9] G. R. Finnie, G. E. Wittig, and J. M. Desharnais, "A comparison of
software effort estimation techniques: Using function points with neural
networks, case-based reasoning and regression models," Journal of
Systems and Software, vol. 39, pp. 281-289, 1997.
[10] L. Dai and K. Cooper, "Modeling and performance analysis for security
aspects," Science of Computer Programming, vol. 61, pp. 58-71, 2006.
[11] W. Kuo, "Software reliability estimation: A realization of competing
risk," Microelectronics and Reliability, vol. 23, pp. 249-260, 1983.
[12] J. Lo and C. Huang, "An integration of fault detection and correction
processes in software reliability analysis," Journal of Systems and
Software, vol. 79, pp. 1312-1323, 2006.
[13] Q. Liu and R. C. Mintram, "Preliminary data analysis methods in
software estimation," Software Quality Journal, vol. 13, pp. 91-115,
2005.
[14] W. Harrison, "A flexible method for maintaining software metrics data:
a universal metrics repository," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 72,
pp. 225-234, 2004.
[15] C. J. Lokan, "An empirical analysis of function point adjustment
factors," Information and Software Technology, vol. 42, pp. 649-660,
2000.
[16] R. Jeffery, M. Ruhe, and I. Wieczorek, "A comparative study of two
software development cost modeling techniques using multiorganizational
and company-specific data," Information and Software
Technology, vol. 42, pp. 1009-1016, 2000.
[17] J. J. Cuadrado-Gallego, M. Sicilia, M. Garre, and D. Rodríguez, "An
empirical study of process-related attributes in segmented software costestimation
relationships," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 79, pp.
353-361, 2006.
[18] J. Moses, M. Farrow, N. Parrington, and P. Smith, "A productivity
benchmarking case study using Bayesian credible intervals," Software
Quality Journal, vol. 14, pp. 37-52, 2006.
[19] S. D. Conte, H. E. Dunsmore, and V. Y. Shen, Software Engineering
Metrics and Models. Menlo Park, California: Benjamin/Cummings
Publishing Company, 1986.
[20] N. Fenton, "Software measurement: A necessary scientific basis," IEEE
Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 20, pp. 199-206, 1994.
[21] C. F. Kemerer, "Reliability of function points measurement: a field
experiment," Communications of the ACM, vol. 36, pp. 85-97, 1993.
[22] C. R. Symons, "Function point analysis: difficulties and improvements,"
IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 14, pp. 2-11, 1988.
[23] C. F. Kemerer and B. S. Porter, "Improving the reliability of function
point measurement: an empirical study," IEEE Transactions on Software
Engineering, vol. 18, pp. 1011-1024, 1992.
[24] G. Orr and T. E. Reeves, "Function point counting: one program's
experience," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 53, pp. 239-244,
2000.
[25] NESMA, NESMA FPA Counting Practices Manual 2.0: Nesma
Association, 1996.
[26] A. C. Rencher, Linear Models in Statistics. New York: John Wiley &
Sons, 2000.
[27] W. J. Krzanowski, An Introduction to Statistical Modelling. London:
Arnold, 1998.
[28] J. D. Gibbons, Nonparametric Methods for Quantitative Analysis.
Columbus, Ohio: American Sciences Press, 1985.
[29] J. C. Munson, A. P. Nikora, and J. S. Sherif, "Software faults: A
quantifiable definition," Advances in Engineering Software, vol. 37, pp.
327-333, 2006.
[1] R. S. Pressman, Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach.
London: McGraw-Hill, 2005.
[2] J. C. Vliet, Software Engineering: Principles and Practice. Chichester:
Wiley, 1993.
[3] R. D. Banker, H. Chang, and C. F. Kemerer, "Evidence on economies of
scale in software development," Information and Software Technology,
vol. 36, pp. 275-282, 1994.
[4] A. Heiat and N. Heiat, "A model for estimating efforts required for
developing small-scale business applications," Journal of Systems and
Software, vol. 39, pp. 7-14, 1997.
[5] D. V. Steward, Software Engineering with Systems Analysis and Design.
Belmont, California: Brooks/Cole, 1987.
[6] A. Lee, C. H. Cheng, and J. Balakrishnan, "Software development cost
estimation: Integrating neural network with cluster analysis,"
Information & Management, vol. 34, pp. 1-9, 1998.
[7] W. S. Humphrey and N. D. Singpurwalla, "Predicting (individual)
software productivity," IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol.
17, pp. 196-207, 1991.
[8] M. van Genuchten and H. Koolen, "On the use of software cost models,"
Information & Management, vol. 21, pp. 37-44, 1991.
[9] G. R. Finnie, G. E. Wittig, and J. M. Desharnais, "A comparison of
software effort estimation techniques: Using function points with neural
networks, case-based reasoning and regression models," Journal of
Systems and Software, vol. 39, pp. 281-289, 1997.
[10] L. Dai and K. Cooper, "Modeling and performance analysis for security
aspects," Science of Computer Programming, vol. 61, pp. 58-71, 2006.
[11] W. Kuo, "Software reliability estimation: A realization of competing
risk," Microelectronics and Reliability, vol. 23, pp. 249-260, 1983.
[12] J. Lo and C. Huang, "An integration of fault detection and correction
processes in software reliability analysis," Journal of Systems and
Software, vol. 79, pp. 1312-1323, 2006.
[13] Q. Liu and R. C. Mintram, "Preliminary data analysis methods in
software estimation," Software Quality Journal, vol. 13, pp. 91-115,
2005.
[14] W. Harrison, "A flexible method for maintaining software metrics data:
a universal metrics repository," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 72,
pp. 225-234, 2004.
[15] C. J. Lokan, "An empirical analysis of function point adjustment
factors," Information and Software Technology, vol. 42, pp. 649-660,
2000.
[16] R. Jeffery, M. Ruhe, and I. Wieczorek, "A comparative study of two
software development cost modeling techniques using multiorganizational
and company-specific data," Information and Software
Technology, vol. 42, pp. 1009-1016, 2000.
[17] J. J. Cuadrado-Gallego, M. Sicilia, M. Garre, and D. Rodríguez, "An
empirical study of process-related attributes in segmented software costestimation
relationships," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 79, pp.
353-361, 2006.
[18] J. Moses, M. Farrow, N. Parrington, and P. Smith, "A productivity
benchmarking case study using Bayesian credible intervals," Software
Quality Journal, vol. 14, pp. 37-52, 2006.
[19] S. D. Conte, H. E. Dunsmore, and V. Y. Shen, Software Engineering
Metrics and Models. Menlo Park, California: Benjamin/Cummings
Publishing Company, 1986.
[20] N. Fenton, "Software measurement: A necessary scientific basis," IEEE
Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 20, pp. 199-206, 1994.
[21] C. F. Kemerer, "Reliability of function points measurement: a field
experiment," Communications of the ACM, vol. 36, pp. 85-97, 1993.
[22] C. R. Symons, "Function point analysis: difficulties and improvements,"
IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, vol. 14, pp. 2-11, 1988.
[23] C. F. Kemerer and B. S. Porter, "Improving the reliability of function
point measurement: an empirical study," IEEE Transactions on Software
Engineering, vol. 18, pp. 1011-1024, 1992.
[24] G. Orr and T. E. Reeves, "Function point counting: one program's
experience," Journal of Systems and Software, vol. 53, pp. 239-244,
2000.
[25] NESMA, NESMA FPA Counting Practices Manual 2.0: Nesma
Association, 1996.
[26] A. C. Rencher, Linear Models in Statistics. New York: John Wiley &
Sons, 2000.
[27] W. J. Krzanowski, An Introduction to Statistical Modelling. London:
Arnold, 1998.
[28] J. D. Gibbons, Nonparametric Methods for Quantitative Analysis.
Columbus, Ohio: American Sciences Press, 1985.
[29] J. C. Munson, A. P. Nikora, and J. S. Sherif, "Software faults: A
quantifiable definition," Advances in Engineering Software, vol. 37, pp.
327-333, 2006.
@article{"International Journal of Information, Control and Computer Sciences:55767", author = "Zhizhong Jiang and Peter Naudé and Binghua Jiang", title = "The Effects of Software Size on Development Effort and Software Quality", abstract = "Effective evaluation of software development effort is an important issue during project plan. This study provides a model to predict development effort based on the software size estimated with function points. We generalize the average amount of effort spent on each phase of the development, and give the estimates for the effort used in software building, testing, and implementation. Finally, this paper finds a strong correlation between software defects and software size. As the size of software constantly increases, the quality remains to be a matter which requires major concern.
", keywords = "Development effort, function points, software quality, software size.", volume = "1", number = "10", pages = "3105-5", }
