Empirical validation of software development effort multipliers of intermediate COCOMO model

Abstract

Intermediate COCOMO Model computes effort as a function of program size and a set of cost drivers. Effort adjustment factor (EAF) is calculated using 15 cost drivers. EAF is an important significant factor in computing software development effort. We have taken one delivered development project of size of 479 function points and planned for 917 Person days of SEI CMM Level 5 "Excellent" Company as a case study to analyze the EAF. We have empirically validated the cost driver model for Intermediate COCOMMO using this projects data. Validation has been done by using other two development projects data of Excellent Company. From our analysis, we have found that cost drivers defined ratings need to be revisited for the projects of size less than 10 Person months. We have come out with ratings for some cost drivers where earlier it was not defined. This approach helps the project managers to anticipate and estimate the efforts for development projects preferably less than 10 Person months. We have achieved approximately 30% improvement in effort variance by following this approach. © 2008 Academy Publisher.