Fuzzy and Mathematical Effort Estimation Models for Web Applications

Abstract

This paper proposed an Effort Estimation Model for optimizing the deployment of Web Applications Based Fuzzy and Practical Models. Fuzzy logic approach is applied for estimating the development effort, which is compared with practical efforts model in the development process with interpreting the historical data available for the existing functionalities. This paper presented effort estimation model that involves two levels development and requirements for web applications built on three-tier architecture using Microsoft technologies. The first level estimates published by Project Managers and the second level estimates presented by Project Leaders or Developers for any new requirement or enhancements. The model considers the classification of each task as either Low or Medium or High complexity. These tasks pertain to the lowest level parts in bottom-up estimation. Efforts are estimated for designing, coding and unit testing of these tasks and the efforts are summed up to get the effort estimation for the higher level which is a feature to be implemented. The paper also discusses about the application of the effort estimation model by taking a new requirement as a case study. The first level estimates calculated using the effort estimation model has a variance of about 25% when compared with the actual effort. This variance is very much acceptable considering the fact that the first level estimates can be tolerable up to 35%. The proposed effort estimation model would help the project managers to efficiently control the project, manage the resources effectively, and improve the software development process and also trade off analyses among schedule, performance, quality and functionality. Fuzzy logic is used to verify the claims made in efforts estimation. It is proposed a new relation between the number of data and efforts value membership for actual data.