Xia, W., Capretz, L.F., Ho, D., Ahmed, F. A New Calibration for Function Points Complexity Weights, Information and Software Technology, 2007
[Abstract]
Function Point (FP) is a useful software metric that was first proposed
25 years ago, since then, it has steadily evolved into a functional size
metric consolidated in the well-accepted Standardized International
Function Point Users Group (IFPUG) Counting Practices Manual – version
4.2. While software development industry has grown rapidly, the weight
values assigned to count standard FP still
remain same, which raise critical questions about the validity of the
weight values. In this paper, we discuss the concepts of calibrating
Function Point, whose aims are to estimate a more accurate software size
that fits for specific software application, to reflect software
industry trend, and to improve the cost estimation of software projects.
A FP calibration model called Neuro-Fuzzy Function Point Calibration
Model (NFFPCM) that integrates the learning ability from neural network
and the ability to capture human knowledge from fuzzy logic is proposed.
The empirical validation using International Software Benchmarking
Standards Group (ISBSG) data repository release 8 shows a 22% accuracy
improvement of mean magnitude relative error (MMRE) in software effort
estimation after calibration.
Please send request to info@nfa-estimation.com for the full paper.