An Examination of Some Software Development Effort and Productivity Determinants in ICASE Tool Projects.

Author List: Subramanian, Girish H.; Zarnich, George E.;

Journal of Management Information Systems, 1996, Volume 12, Issue 4, Page 143-160.

Integrated computer-aided software engineering (ICASE) tools and their effect on software development effort and productivity have gained interest in recent research. This research studies the applicability of function points and technical complexity factor as software development effort estimators for ICASE projects. In addition, the effect of three factors--ICASE tool type, systems development method, and ICASE tool experience--on software development productivity is studied. ICASE-based software projects from Texas Instruments and Electronic Data Systems were used in this empirical research. Function points accounted for 74 to 82 percent of the variance in software development effort. Technical complexity factor, however, had only a small indirect effect on software effort. While software productivity differences between the ICASE tool types could not be confirmed, productivity was significantly higher for the rapid application development method in comparison with the productivity associated with the traditional systems development life cycle method. Higher levels of ICASE tool experience were associated with significant increases in software productivity.

Keywords: function points; integrated CASE tools; rapid application development; software development effort estimation; systems development method.

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List of Topics

#261	0.585	software development maintenance case productivity application tools systems function tool engineering projects effort code developed applications analysis estimation methodology methods
#93	0.140	performance results study impact research influence effects data higher efficiency effect significantly findings impacts empirical significant suggest outcomes better positive
#90	0.097	development life cycle prototyping new stages routines stage design experiences traditional time sdlc suggested strategies rapid effort integrated needs techniques
#209	0.074	results study research information studies relationship size variables previous variable examining dependent increases empirical variance accounting independent demonstrate important addition
#4	0.071	characteristics experience systems study prior effective complexity deal reveals influenced companies type analyze having basis conducted determine complex comparative drive