Over 90% of the cost of software development is software maintenance (cite). This alarming trend was predicted as early as 1972. McKinsey suggests that CIOs should spend no more than 40-60% on maintenance. Gartner’s IT Spending and Demand Survey (2002) reports that CIOs are spending 80% of their budgets on maintenance (p12 of presentation). Agile development can help reverse this trend.
Agile / Product Management / ROI / Software development
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Product Life Cycle and the ROI of Agile Development
The product life cycle is a description of the presence or behavior of a product in the marketplace over time. The framework for description is a function of the sales volume of the product versus time. Over time, products are created and introduced, and sales grow, peak and decline. The product life cycle uses phases to describe these different periods in the life of a product. Understanding the product life cycle is also key to calculating the ROI of agile development.
Product Management / Software development / Usability / UX
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User Centered Design and Bridging The Canyon of Pain
There is such a thing as too much choice. For new users, too much choice (or control) is too much. For experienced users, too little choice is a problem. Ease of use usually comes from reduced control – but users don’t stay “new” for long. There’s a “canyon of pain” to quote Kathy Sierra in that transition from “new” to “experienced.” We call them “competent” users and we have to help them cross the canyon of pain.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Requirements / Requirements Models
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Business Requirements, Project Scope, and Coupling
Robin Goldsmith wrote an interesting article for RQNG about business requirements – what he calls “REAL” requirements. Gathering the right requirements demands more than just effective listening skills, you have to focus on the right problem. Robin brings up a theme we’ve discussed here in the past, and again in today’s article.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Use Cases
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Software Cost Estimation With Use Case Points – Free Excel Spreadsheet
We just completed a series of articles detailing how to use Use Case Points for software cost estimation. In this article we have a free MS Excel Spreadsheet for calculating use case points. Download it today to make it easier to do your project cost estimations.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Use Cases
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Software Cost Estimation With Use Case Points – Final Calculations
The final step in project cost estimation with use case points is to do the math. First you identify the technical and environmental factors that influence your environment and describe your team. Then you analyze the use cases and actors that describe the expectations of the software and who has them. Finally, you bring it all together to do the math.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Use Cases
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Software Cost Estimation With Use Case Points – Actor Analysis
Software project cost estimation using use case points takes the approach of estimating the amount of effort based upon what the software is being asked to do – not an analysis of how someone chooses to do it. We’ve looked at technical and environmental factors that influence our estimate. And we’ve done a use case analysis to quantify how much work the software is being asked to do. The last area of analysis focuses on the users of the software.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Use Cases
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Software Cost Estimation With Use Case Points – Use Case Analysis
Software cost estimation with use case points is primarily driven by use case analysis. You take into account environmental and technical factors, but they are ultimately only modifiers of the analysis done on the use cases. Each use case contributes to the project cost estimate, and use cases of varying complexity have a varying influence on the cost estimate.
Business Analysis / Product Management / Project Management / Requirements / Requirements Models / Use Cases
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Software Cost Estimation With Use Case Points – Technical Factors
The technical factors are the first thing you assess when doing a use case point analysis. Technical factors describe the expectations of the users for the delivered software. Generally, it is an assessment of non-functional requirements. There are 13 technical factors that you have to analyze. Read on to see how.