Methodology of calculating the function points

We need to understand a system first with respect to the function points. Consider an application model as below for measuring the function points. A PMP course and certification will help your career in project management reach higher levels.   

Now to calculate the function points we need to follow the following steps:
Measure the application boundary
The application boundary defines what is external to the application.
It is dependent on the users external business view of the application and not on the technical and/or implementation consideration

Identify the data functionalities (ILF and EIF)

User identifiable group of data; logically related and maintained with in the boundary of the application through one or more elementary process is know as ILF.
User identifiable group of data, logically related, referenced by the application but maintained with in the boundary of different application is known as EIF.

Terminologies of RET and DET

Few other terminologies of RET and DET are to be understood here as well to determine the function points.
A RET (record element type) is a user recognizable subgroup of data elements with as ILF or EIF
A DET (data element type) is a unique user recognizable, non-repeated field either maintained in an ILF or retrieved from an ILF or ELF.

Identify the transaction functionalities (EI, EO, EQ)

All the tree Transactional functionalities are “elementary processes”
An Elementary Process is the smallest unit of activity that is meaningful to the user(s).

The elementary process must be self-contained and leave the business of the application in a consistent state.

An EI (External Input) is an elementary process of the application which processes data that entersfrom outside the boundary of the application. Maintains one or more ILF.

An EO (External Output) is an elementary process that generates data that exits the boundary of the application (i.e. presents information to the user) through processing logic, retrieval of data through ILF or EIF. The processing logic contains mathematical calculations, derived data etc.

An EQ (External Query) is an elementary process that results in retrieval of data that is sent outsidethe application boundary (i.e. present information to the user) through retrieval of data from ILF or EIF. The processing logic should not contain any mathematical formula, derived data etc.

Using the above data we can calculate the UFP (Unadjusted Function Points)

After all the basic data & transactional functionalities of the system have been defined we can use the following set of tables below to calculate the total UFP.

Now for each type of Functionality determine the UFP’s based on the below table.
For EI’s, EO’s & EQ’s determine the FTR’s and DET’s and based on that determine the Complexity and hence the Number of UFP’s it contributes. We have to calculate this for all the EI’s, EO’s & EQ’s.

External Inputs (EI)

File Type Referenced (FTR)	Data Elements (DET)
	1-4	5-15	Greater than 15
Less than 2	Low(3)	Low(3)	Average(4)
2	Low (3)	Average (4)	High (6)
Greater than 2	Average (4)	High(6)	High (6)

External Outputs (EO)

File Type Referenced (FTR)	Data Elements (DET)
	1-5	6-19	Greater than 19
Less than 2	Low(4)	Low(4)	Average(5)
2 or 3	Low (4)	Average (5)	High (7)
Greater than 3	Hign(7)	High(7)	High (7)

External Inquiry (EQ)

File Type Referenced (FTR)	Data Elements (DET)
	1-5	6-19	Greater than 19
Less than 2	Low(3)	Low(3)	Average(4)
2 or 3	Low (3)	Average (4)	High (6)
Greater than 3	Average (4)	High(6)	High (6)

For ILF’s & EIF’s determine the RET’s and DET’s and based on that determine the Complexity and hence the Number of UFP’s it contributes. We have to calculate this for all the ILF’s & EIF’s.

Internal Logical File (ILF)

Record Element Types (RET)	Data Elements (DET)
	1-19	20-50	51 or more
1 RET	Low (7)	Low (7)	Average(10)
2 to 5 RET	Low (7)	Average (10)	High (15)
6 or more RET	Average (10)	High (15)	High (15)

 

External Interface File (EIF)

Record Element Types (RET)	Data Elements (DET)
	1-19	20-50	51 or more
1 RET	Low (5)	Low (5)	Average(7)
2 to 5 RET	Low (5)	Average (7)	High (10)
6 or more RET	Average (7)	High (10)	High (10)

Once we have the score of all the Functionalities we can get the UFP as

UFP = Sum of all the Complexities of all the EI’s, EO’s EQ’s, ILF’s and EIF’s

Further the calculation of VAF (Value added Factor) which is based on the TDI (Total Degree of Influence of the 14 General system characteristics)

TDI = Sum of (DI of 14 General System Characteristics) where DI stands for Degree of Influence.

These 14 GSC are

1. Data Communication

2. Distributed Data Processing

3. Performance

4. Heavily Used Configuration

5. Transaction Role

6. Online Data Entry

7. End-User Efficiency

8. Online Update

9. Complex Processing

10. Reusability

11. Installation Ease

12. Operational Ease

13. Multiple Sites

14. Facilitate Change

These GSC are on a scale of 0-5

Once the TDI is determined we can put it in the formula below to get the VAF.

VAF = 0.65 + (0.01 * TDI)

Finally the Adjusted Function Points or Function Points are

FP = UFP * VAF

Now these FP’s can be used to determine the Size of the Software, also can be used to quote the price of the software, get the time and effort required to complete the software.

Effort in Person Month = FP divided by no. of FP’s per month (Using your organizations or industry benchmark)
Schedule in Months = 3.0 * person-month^1/3
For e.g. for a 65 person month project

Optimal Schedule = 3.0 * 65^1/3 ~ 12 months
Optimal Team Size = 65 / 12 ~ 5 or 6 persons.

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