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How can I start the FPA in my company ?  XML
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sergav



Joined: 28/02/2012 12:22:15
Messages: 2
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I have to say I have read about the FPA practice a lot but still have a problem to start the FP counting in my organization. The biggest fear is calculating initial FP of current system which is very big.

Some time ago, I started such disscussion on the previous IFPUG forums and seems we can not avoid this solid initial step. How to measure this step to ask for investment from our management?

I would appretiate if someone guide me on initial steps to start the FPA.

Thank you in advance.
glanza



Joined: 06/02/2012 17:49:54
Messages: 6
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It's a good question Sergav but the answer is a difficult one
In my company we're using fp since 1998 in some areas, but we have not been able to measure all the applications asset, that is very large (I'suppose more than 200000 fp).

IMHO the problem is not only to measure and how much time it deserves to but to introduce the culture of measure.
This have to be done at any levels, from the top managers to the developers.

First of all You have to know that metrics are a mean and not a solution of the problems.
Initially, many people can think that from a Function Point Measure you can obtain, with an automatic process, effort, cost, defects and so on.
It's not true!

Function Point is a product measure and is useful if you use it properly.
So the main advice that I can give you is, before measure, to introduce this concept and to use a set of metrics:
Function Point are a functional metric, they weight the functional requirements, but there are also the non functional requirements (you can see SNAP, released by IFPUG last September).

Furthermore you have to ask which is exactly your goal, why to measure?
Is it mandatory to count all the software you did?
If you want to measure to better estimate the developing effort you can start choosing some products.
To measure is a dirty job, you can measure and collect data, so after a while you will have your historical data, and this is better than using literature data.

The measure process has to involve in many people, and you have a better chance to win if you're not a teacher but a witness.

Only if all the people understand the culture of measuring the process of measure can be worthwhile.

I hope to have been a bit worthwhile.
Good luck and good counting!

Best regards
Gianfranco


sergav



Joined: 28/02/2012 12:22:15
Messages: 2
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Thank you, Gianfranco for your promt reply!

I was afraid to start my practice from so wide question as a culture. I already tried to explain the concept to several people in my organization and I was amazingly puzzled when my Development director said - "That is what we are doing today", meaning "counting" man hours for a set of functions to be delivered. Not saying that the method of counting is far from any method.

My first intention of FPA is to get abstract figures of new functions to be injected to current system and then I convert them to cost assotiated. I do not really want to use FP to count the project effort (probably later). The problem I face - we deal with a multi platform and multi application environment where one project is usually delivered by many different teams. Even we collect historical project data it becomes useless because Project Manager never knows what teams will deliver their project. What is more, a project can be delivered having different technical solutions. And I want to abstract from this fact. So Business wants to see cost of the coming deal first of all. Gradual estimates like Small, Medium, Big does not wrok here...
Another problem, even today every deal I have been working with has different system components involved and historical based effort method takes lots of time to compose final (and still high-level) estimate. Once people accustomed to FP I can apply the practice to other project related tasks and teams. And so on. That is my roadmap. So, my goal at the beginning is to provide abstract (from team, geographic, platform, experience) figures to assess the cost.

Apart of all intentions, I believe there is some information of implementation FPA practices in different organizations. What is "good" project to start with? Steps, maybe prerequisites? I do not believe it is more difficult than current outdated methods we use. I just need to find right way to start.

Or you want to say the old empirical counting is still more accurate and faster?

Thank you,
Serg.
glanza



Joined: 06/02/2012 17:49:54
Messages: 6
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Your world is quite complex but it is usual.

For a metric project I suggest:

To initiate step by step (you can count also using early estimate method, for example Early & Quick fp( http://www.dpo.it/eqfp/Downloads/2004-smef-conte-en.pdf), or to count one product and the other for analogy.

To correlate the cost to the FP you have to consider the different factors of the project. FP is a Product Measure, not a Project measure, so there are some activities in the project that are not correlated with FP, these activities have to be not correlated with the measure in FP but considered apart.

You can associate your project some distinct characteristic and to each characteritic associate a particular weight. One of this characteritic can be the Functional Measure (FP).
After all, according to the project weight you can divide them in categories of complexity.

It's not an easy task but this permits to involve in many people to collaborate.

Metrics help you but the best practice is, IMHO, the experience.

Best regards
sreejamudhiraj



Joined: 10/08/2017 07:36:32
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Location: hyd
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