New Course! - 'Use Case for Business Requirements'.

Audience | Objectives | Skills | Methods | Day 1 | Day2  

INNOVATIVE ESTIMATION AND CONTROL

Measuring and monitoring productivity and accurate project cost estimation are vital skills for today’s Manager.  Effective application of these skills can ensure success.  This up-to-date workshop provides the skills needed to estimate software development time accurately.  In addition, delegates will learn to measure consistently and accurately, the output of individuals or programming teams.

Both user management and development staff may apply the Function Point Analysis (FPA) method.  FPA can be applied to:
•       Estimate the size of software development projects (and sub-projects);
•       Monitor progress on projects;
•       Measure productivity of development and maintenance teams;
•       Conduct benchmark comparisons to assess the competitiveness of in-house and external software system providers.

FPA provides a measure of project size which is independent of language and which simplifies financial control compared with previous methods which tend to be highly variable and inaccurate.

A substantial part of this 2-day course is given over to the practical application of the method to a detailed case study.  Practical tips are provided to assess environmental factors affecting productivity.  Appropriate financial accounting methods are described. 

WHO WILL THE COURSE BENEFIT?

User Management, Business Analysts, IT Management, Tender evaluation review board members and all staff concerned with accurate software development estimates.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

To provide the delegate with the skills to consistently and accurately estimate the duration of software development and maintenance projects.

WHAT SKILLS WILL THE DELEGATE GAIN FROM THIS TRAINING?
This course will enable delegates to:

1. Be able to successfully apply FPA to software development plans.

2. Be able to cost enhancements to existing software consistently.

3. Be able to assemble individual estimates into a precedence plan.

4. Be aware of estimating packages and to have experience in the use of one.

WHAT METHODS ARE USED TO IMPART THESE SKILLS?

                                      COURSE STRUCTURE

DAY 1

Introduction:

Estimating methods.  History of Albrecht’s method.  Experience gained in using FPA.  Limitations and expected accuracy.  Continuing improvement.  

Function Point Analysis Methodology:

The BIS Function Index summary form.  Identifying and classifying business functions.  Implications for maintenance projects.  Complexity weights.  Unadjusted function point count.  The general application environment.  The fourteen applications characteristics.  Degrees of influence.  Calculating total raw FP count.  Class exercises.

DAY 2
  
Function Point Analysis Methodology (co.):

Case study work.  Enhancements to existing systems.  Net modification.

Methods of Calendar Estimating:

Phase ratios.  Historical data.  Precedence diagramming.

FPA and Total Project Cost:

Discounting the cash flow with time.  Net present value.

FPA as a Measurement of Productivity:

The productivity index.  Implications of language choice.

Software Products Supporting FPA:

Three products described.