Method and apparatus for estimator tool

• US 20070203856A1
• Filed: 03/28/2002
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Mendis, Richard, Frohnhoefer, Raymond, Tabaka, Jean
• Granted Patent: US 7,801,834 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

A software estimator tool implements an estimation process. The tool implements a bottom-up estimation process and a top-down estimation process. The bottom-up estimation process calculates an cumulative estimated level of effort for selected stages during the implementation of a custom software product, the custom software product being comprised of pre-written generic software modules. The top-down estimation process uses the cumulative estimated level of effort to estimate a schedule and calculate estimated billable revenue for the implementation project.

Claims

1-11. -11. (canceled)

12. A method, comprising:

determining a plurality of stages required to implement a custom software product, wherein the custom software product is comprised of a plurality of pre-written generic software modules;

calculating, based upon a cumulative estimated level of effort for selected ones of the stages, a duration value for each stage;

determining a duration value for each of a plurality of personnel types;

attributing one or more resources for each personnel type having a non-zero duration value;

scheduling the stages;

attributing a billable rate to each resource;

calculating a billable revenue value for implementation of the custom software product; and

providing for display of the billable revenue value.

13. The method recited in claim 12, further comprising:

determining a level of effort for each resource;

determining a duration for each resource; and

scheduling each resource.

14. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

calculating a billable revenue further comprises calculating expenses.

15. The method recited in claim 14, wherein:

calculating expenses further comprises determining expenses associated with each resource.

16. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

calculating a billable revenue further comprises calculating taxes.

17. The method recited in claim 12, further comprising

calculating billable revenue for one or more expert services reviews.

18. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

the cumulative estimated level of effort is based on a level of effort associated with each of one or more of the pre-written generic software modules.

19. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

the cumulative estimated level of effort is based on a level of effort associated with each of one or more configuration changes to one of the pre-written generic software modules.

20. The method recited in claim 19, wherein:

each of the one or more configuration changes is associated with one of a plurality of complexity levels, the plurality of complexity levels further including a low level and a high level.

21. The method recited in claim 19, wherein:

the plurality of complexity levels further includes a medium level.

22. The method recited in claim 12, wherein:

the estimated level of effort reflects a range having a lower end value and a higher end value.

23-26. -26. (canceled)

27. A computer system, comprising:

a processor;

means for determining a plurality of function points, wherein each of the function points represent work to be performed to implement a custom software product, wherein the custom software product is comprised of a plurality pre-written generic software modules;

means for determining an estimated value for each of the function points, wherein each estimated value is generated by applying objective metric data to one of said function points; and

means for performing a function point analysis to determine a cumulative estimated level of effort for the plurality of function points.

28. The computer system recited in claim 27, further comprising:

means for calculating a billable revenue value for implementation of the custom software product, based on the cumulative level of effort.

29. The computer system recited in claim 27, further comprising:

means for determining a plurality of stages required for the implementation;

means for calculating, based upon the cumulative estimated level of effort, a duration value for each stage;

means for determining a duration value for each of a plurality of personnel types;

means for attributing one or more resources for each personnel type having a non-zero duration value;

means for scheduling the stages; and

means for attributing a billable rate to each resource.

30. The computer system recited in claim 27, wherein:

the means for determining a plurality of function points further comprise means for identifying a desired configuration change to one of the plurality of pre-written generic software modules.

31. A computer program product comprising:

computer instructions comprising;

instructions to determine a plurality of function points, wherein each of the function points represent work to be performed to implement a custom software product, wherein the custom software product is comprised of a plurality pre-written generic software modules;

instructions to determine an estimated value for each of the function points, wherein each estimated value is generated by applying objective metric data to one of said function points; and

instructions to perform a function point analysis to determine a cumulative estimated level of effort for the plurality of function points; and

a computer-readable medium to store the computer instructions.

32. The computer program product recited in claim 31, wherein the computer instructions further comprise:

instructions to calculate a billable revenue value for implementation of the custom software product, based on the cumulative level of effort.

33. The computer program product recited in claim 31, wherein the computer instructions further comprise:

instructions to determine a plurality of stages required for the implementation;

instructions to calculate, based upon the cumulative estimated level of effort, a duration value for each stage;

instructions to determine a duration value for each of a plurality of personnel types;

instructions to attribute one or more resources for each personnel type having a non-zero duration value;

instructions to schedule the stages; and

instructions to attribute a billable rate to each resource.

34. The computer program product recited in claim 31, wherein:

instructions to determine a plurality of function points further comprise instructions to identify a desired configuration change to one of the plurality of pre-written generic software modules.

35. A system comprising:

means for determining a plurality of stages required to implement a custom software product, wherein the custom software product is comprised of a plurality of pre-written generic software modules;

means for calculating, based upon a cumulative estimated level of effort for selected ones of the stages, a duration value for each stage;

means for determining a duration value for each of a plurality of personnel types;

means for attributing one or more resources for each personnel type having a non-zero duration value;

means for scheduling the stages;

means for attributing a billable rate to each resource;

means for calculating a billable revenue value for implementation of the custom software product; and

means for providing for display of the billable revenue value.

36. The system recited in claim 35, further comprising:

means for determining a level of effort for each resource;

means for determining a duration for each resource; and

means for scheduling each resource.

37. The system recited in claim 35, wherein:

the means for calculating a billable revenue comprises means for calculating expenses.

38. The system recited in claim 37, wherein:

the means for calculating expenses comprises means for determining expenses associated with each resource.

39. The system recited in claim 35, wherein:

the means for calculating a billable revenue comprises means for calculating taxes.

40. The system recited in claim 35, further comprising

means for calculating billable revenue for one or more expert services reviews.

41. The system recited in claim 35, wherein:

the cumulative estimated level of effort is based on a level of effort associated with each of one or more of the pre-written generic software modules.

42. The system recited in claim 35, wherein:

the cumulative estimated level of effort is based on a level of effort associated with each of one or more configuration changes to one of the pre-written generic software modules.

43. The system recited in claim 42, wherein:

each of the one or more configuration changes is associated with one of a plurality of complexity levels, the plurality of complexity levels further including a low level and a high level.

44. The system recited in claim 42, wherein:

the plurality of complexity levels further includes a medium level.

45. The system recited in claim 35, wherein:

the estimated level of effort reflects a range having a lower end value and a higher end value.

46. A computer readable storage medium comprising program instructions executable on a processor to perform acts comprising:

determining a plurality of stages required to implement a custom software product, wherein the custom software product is comprised of a plurality of pre-written generic software modules;

calculating, based upon a cumulative estimated level of effort for selected ones of the stages, a duration value for each stage;

determining a duration value for each of a plurality of personnel types;

attributing one or more resources for each personnel type having a non-zero duration value;

scheduling the stages;

attributing a billable rate to each resource;

calculating a billable revenue value for implementation of the custom software product; and

providing for display of the billable revenue value.

47. The computer readable storage medium recited in claim 46, wherein the program instructions are further executable on a processor to perform acts comprising:

determining a level of effort for each resource;

determining a duration for each resource; and

scheduling each resource.

48. The computer readable storage medium recited in claim 46, wherein:

the cumulative estimated level of effort is based on a level of effort associated with each of one or more configuration changes to one of the pre-written generic software modules.

49. The computer readable storage medium recited in claim 48, wherein:

each of the one or more configuration changes is associated with one of a plurality of complexity levels, the plurality of complexity levels further including a low level and a high level.