The Development of an Expert System for Software Cost Estimation

Abstract : Software development has become an integral part of new weapon system design as sophisticated computer operating control systems have proliferated. Concurrently, there has been an ever increasing requirement to accurately forecast system development cost. Experts use complicated software cost estimating tools which are difficult for novice analysts to use. Expert system technology appears to be able to bridge this gap. Policy makers have become intrigued by the potential offered by the development of expert systems in today's weapon systems for system support and development and operational utility. The primary objective of this thesis was to gather expert knowledge in software coast estimation and integrate it with a powerful analytical software cost estimation algorithm. A battery of questions where given to the experts to elicit responses relative to their knowledge in software cost estimation. Responses where integrated with algorithms with the detailed COCOMO cost estimation model. The expert system designed in this thesis provides software developers, program managers, and cost analysts an easy mechanism for determining software development costs. It provides an intelligent preprocessor, numeric algorithms and an intelligent post processor in one tool. The expert system can help the novice make accurate estimates and speed the process for experts.