The software maintenance project effort estimation model based on function points

In this study, software maintenance size is discussed and the software maintenance project effort estimation model (SMPEEM) is proposed. The SMPEEM uses function points to calculate the volume of the maintenance function. Ten value adjustment factors (VAF) are considered and grouped into three categories of maintenance characteristics, that is the engineer's skill (people domain), its technical characteristics (product domain) and the maintenance environment (process domain). Finally, we suggest an exponential function model which can show the relationships among the maintenance efforts, maintenance environment factors, and function points of the software maintenance project. Regression analysis of some small maintenance projects demonstrates the significance of the SMPEEM model.

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