Level 1: Detailed Linked and Flagged Count

Level 1 Count Description

A Detailed Linked and Flagged Count includes the following:

• application boundary is defined
• full functional decomposition to transaction level (transaction level is considered the lowest level function available to the business user)
• all files and transactions within scope are uniquely identified
• all files and transactions are classified according to type
• all files and transactions are accurately categorised according to complexity (actual numbers of DETs and FTRs are identified where possible and provided the necessary source information is available)
• all related files and transactions are linked (aids in assessing impact of change requests)
• explanatory notes are attached to files and transactions as necessary (aids in future maintenance of the counts)
• where possible a cross-reference between the physical files and the logical files is documented
• explanatory notes also link files and transactions to relevant documentation
• all agreed attributes are attached to relevant transactions (aids in selective count reporting for management purposes)
• count is recorded and reported using the SCOPE Project Sizing Software^® software repository tool

Level 1 Count Attributes

Detailed Linked and Flagged Count are:

• very detailed
• easily auditable
• accurate (within the limits of the FPA technique +/- 10%)
• very well documented
• easily maintained

Best suited for following count purposes:

• benchmarking projects (new development and enhancement)
• detailed estimates
• project tracking
• as detailed baseline model for future detailed enhancement project counting
• input into Metrics reporting for Strategic and Tactical Level reporting

Issues:

• very time intensive – counting rates up to 200 fps per day
• requires very skilled counters
• rarely cost effective for large, legacy application baseline counts

Pre-requisites:

• good to high quality system documentation
• data model
• full access to system experts

SCOPE and Level 1 Counts

Use the Enter Values Option and enter the number of DETs and FTR and RETs when determining the complexity of Processes and Data Groups in SCOPE and link Processes and Data Groups. More accurate Level 1 counting can be done by actually listing all the DETs used by a process on the data tree and linking to them. The complexity of the Data Group can be derived from these values.