Introduction

The size of a software product is an important input for estimating the effort, cost, and time to be spent in developing the product. The productivity of people developing similar products can also be determined and compared by using the product size as an input.

However, factors such as ever-expanding user requirements and the variety of software tools available today make it difficult to estimate the software size. Function point analysis (FPA) is a structured technique for estimating size of a software product. FPA helps in arriving at fairly accurate estimates; as a result, projects can be better managed.

An Introduction to FPA course includes:

• An Overview to Estimation
• Basics of Function Point
• Unadjusted Function Point Count
• Transaction Function Points
• General System Characteristics

Course Benefits

This course will enable you to:

• Get an overview to the estimation process.
• Understand the basics of function points.
• Describe the types of function points and the rules involved in function point counting.
• Understand the types of transaction function points and their counting rules.
• Examine the general system characteristics (GSCs).

You receive a certificate of completion after successfully completing this course.

Content Brief

Process for estimation involves identifying requirements, converting requirements into size, converting size into effort units, using effort to prepare schedule, and using schedule to prepare overall cost of the project.

Function point analysis (FPA) is a structured technique for estimating size of a software product. Function points are weighted sums of five different factors that relate to user requirements—inputs, outputs, logical files, inquiries and external interfaces.

The user must determine the number of external inputs, external outputs, external inquiries, internal files, and external interfaces in the program. This determines a measure called the unadjusted function point count.

The user can then refine this measure by considering the complexity level of each function point and the 14 complexity adjustment factors related to the overall program.

Value adjustment factor and the unadjusted function point count can be used to calculate the final function point count.