System, method, and computer program product for effort estimation

• US 20050050551A1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Published: 03/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ent Services Development Corporation LP (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Electronic Data Systems Corporation (Perspecta, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sparago, Evan S., Gragg, Mark E., Stamp, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,350,185 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3616 using software metrics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions

Abstract

A system and method for establishing an estimate for proposals and other customer requests which precludes an extensive up front investment in expert opinion and design. This is accomplished by applying a pattern-based technique toward rough application effort sizing called herein “Web Based Macro Patterns.”

Claims

1. A method for effort esimation, comprising:

creating at least one use case;

classifying each use case according to a set of macro patterns;

counting the number of times each macro pattern is applied;

multiplying the number of times each macro pattern is applied by a metric corresponding to that macro pattern, to produce a set of macro pattern products; and

summing the macro pattern product to determine a effort estimate.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the effort estimate represents a development and unit testing estimate.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the use case includes a user request to view data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the use case includes a user request to modify data.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the metric corresponding to a macro pattern reflect the effort hours required to complete the macro pattern.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the method is implemented using a Java programming language.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving user input over a data processing system network.

8. A data processing system having at least a processor and accessible memory, comprising:

means for creating at least one use case;

means for classifying each use case according to a set of macro patterns;

means for counting the number of times each macro pattern is applied;

means for multiplying the number of times each macro pattern is applied by a metric corresponding to that macro pattern, to produce a set of macro pattern products; and

means for summing the macro pattern product to determine a effort estimate.

9. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the effort estimate represents a development and unit testing estimate.

10. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the use case includes a user request to view data.

11. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the use case includes a user request to modify data.

12. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the metric corresponding to a macro pattern reflect the effort hours required to complete the macro pattern.

13. The data processing system of claim 8, wherein the data processing system interprets a Java programming language.

14. The data processing system of claim 8, further comprising means for receiving user input over a data processing system network.

15. A computer program product tangibly embodied in a computer-readable medium, comprising:

instructions for creating at least one use case;

instructions for classifying each use case according to a set of macro patterns;

instructions for counting the number of times each macro pattern is applied;

instructions for multiplying the number of times each macro pattern is applied by a metric corresponding to that macro pattern, to produce a set of macro pattern products; and

instructions for summing the macro pattern product to determine a effort estimate.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the effort estimate represents a development and unit testing estimate.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the use case includes a user request to view data.

18. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the use case includes a user request to modify data.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the metric corresponding to a macro pattern reflect the effort hours required to complete the macro pattern.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein the computer program product is stored in a Java programming language.

21. The computer program product of claim 15, further comprising instructions for receiving user input over a data processing system network.