Standardization of Software Cost Estimation Process for Outsourcing in Pakistan, Using Appropriate COCOMO Estimation Models and Drivers

摘要

Under the supervision of our Pakistan Software Export Board (PSEB), companies are effectively attaining maturity levels for international recognition. This paper is highlighting the rationale for the standardization of cost estimation process imposed by PSEB specially for the companies providing outsourcing and offshore software solutions to guarantee equal standard for quoting price of man utilization, which is mostly based on "expert's judgment", "price to win" or "Analogy based". This research study would be employed as guidance for export bodies. The project under demonstration is a real life project that has been assigned by PSEB to a newly established company as a part of its "Industrial Automation Program" made for demolishing and newly established software houses to establish their existence in IT Industry. It highlights two aspects : first, how the "fixed assigned costs" should technically justify resource utilization for conducting development activity; and second, how to make the development possible for such very low profit margin projects using what approaches. International authentication is advised to be achieved by adopting different International cost estimation models such as COCOMO, which is evolving and open for adopting any software development approach including Waterfall, RAD, MBASE etc. It supports all possible effort multipliers for justifying software development effort cost under any organizational circumstances and also supports their calibration.