Function points:
Function points are a standard unit of measure that
represent the functional size of a software application. In the
same way that a house is measured by the square feet it
provides, the size of an application can be measured by the
number of function points it delivers to the users of the
application
Measured from the user's perspective
The size of the application being measured is based on
the user's view of the system, including the screens that
the user uses to enter input, and the reports the users
receive as output.
Technology-independent
Low cost
adding the process of counting FPs to your development
process results in a cost increase of only 1%.
The benefits of Function Point Analysis
The ability to accurately estimate:
1. project cost
2. project duration
3. project staffing size
An understanding of other important metrics, such as:
1. Project defect rate
2. Cost per FP
3. FP's per hour (what I refer to as ``velocity'')
4. The productivity benefits of using new or different tools
Steps
1. Determine the type of count.
2. Identify the scope and boundary of the count.
3. Determine the unadjusted FP count.
4. Determine the Value Adjustment Factor.
5. Calculate the Adjusted FP Count