Estimation in Maintenance Projects using defect projection Virendra S. Rajput, Satyam Services |
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One of the most prominent aspects of software development process is estimation. Right estimates are very important for the organization for maintaining margins with providing value to customers at appropriate cost. Different models like Function Point analysis, Cocomo Model, Slim-Putnam Model are used for estimations. The major bottleneck with these models is that these are too much development centric. In an end to end solution expectation is implementation of complete functionality. Thus the amount of work is known in terms of functionality and these models work precisely. These are basically quantification based estimation where sizing the work package precisely, ensures right estimation. |
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The maintenance projects estimates cannot be quantified precisely, as amount of defects to be raised does NOT depend entirely on size of work packet. It also depends upon the quality maintained during development of work packets, which constitute the whole project. One of the major factors which effects quality of work packets is there complexity and competency of the resource handling it. Thus Estimation process used for maintenance projects should be built around a project specific estimation model. This should include complexity factors of the system and rate of incorrectness in the system which leads to defects. Just generalizing it; project specific estimation model should be based on complexity factors and on history of handling it. Thus we need to develop trend based estimation based on track record of handling complexity. In trend based estimations we need to find the amount of work coming in terms of defects, on the basis of our previous experience with application. Somewhere we should try to group up multiple aspects, which impact it and come up with model which can give us precise estimates of efforts required. |
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