Estimating non-functionals: we need your help
Estimating non-functional requirements has been an issue for decades. We have tried the 14 GSCs to correct the functional size for non-functional complications, but that did not work. We have tried COCOMO-like approaches, which gave unsatisfactory results. We have tried SNAP, but that is far too complicated. So the best approach at this moment is to ignore them and let the contractmanagers fix the problem or point at the architects to come up with an estimate.
A small group of measurement specialists and architects has now come up with a framework that might solve the problem. By using principles from Architecture Driven Estimation the architecture of an IT project can be divided into homogeneous parts (functional and non-functional) that can be estimated part by part. This framework needs to be detailed further to become directly usable by IT-professionals who are responsible for estimating IT-projects. We are looking for volunteers who can help us mature this framework. We are already assisted by measurement specialists from ASSEMI from France, but we are still looking for:
- Solution architects to help us standardize the elements of the Architecture Breakdown Structure we need
- Procurement specialists to help us define standardized components to express Requests for Proposal in a standardized way
- Financial/measurement specialists to help us define standardized ways to estimate the cost of the standardized components
Our framework was presented at the recent International Workshop on Software Measurement in Gothenburg (Sweden). You can find it here.
The IWSM presentation is available here.
When you are interested to help us in any way, please send an e-mail to nfr@nesma.org