Package Implementation Costing
Package (COTS) Implementation Overview
The project estimates for a package solution need to be refined for each implementation depending on the percentage of the project functionality which is:
- native to the package and implemented without change (vanilla)
- functionality within the package which needs to be customised for this installation
- functionality contained with the organisations existing applications which needs to be converted to adapt to the constraints of the package
- to be built as new functions in addition to the package functions
- to be built as new functions to enable interfacing to other in-house applications
- not to be delivered in this release
The productivity rates and cost per function point to deliver for each of these different development mechanisms (to implement, customise, enhance or build) are usually different. This complexity of assigning an appropriate productivity factor can be compounded when the package provides utilities which enable quick delivery based on changes to rule tables. Change requests, which can be implemented by changing values in rule-based tables, can be implemented very efficiently compared to a similar user change request, that requires source code modification. It is recommended that these different types of activities are identified and effort collected against them accordingly so that productivity rates and the cost effectiveness for the different activity types can by determined.
The functions can be flagged for their development mechanism and their relative contributions to the functional size calculated. This will enable fine-tuning of the project estimates.
Reporting Package Implementation Cost Estimates
To Report Earned Value:
- Collect your own organisations costs for delivering the different development mechanisms (Dollar cost to deliver a function point )
- Set up a
Numerical Attribute Category and name it 'Estimate Cost to Deliver'. (you can also use the Insert Category Template option)
- Edit the Category Details so it has the Variable set to (dollars /fp) and the Units set as Dollars as the output units for the report.
- Insert some
attributes, under the Category; one for each different development mechanisms you use (i.e. Vanilla, Configure, Customise). Then set a Value for the Dollar cost per fp for that development mechanism (i.e. $100, $500, $1000). Link each Attribute to the functionality in the Process Tree and Data Tree that is delivered via that technology for the project.
- SCOPE will multiply the function points to be delivered by the cost ($/fp) to calculate and report the Estimated Cost in Dollars for each mechanism.
- View the calculated Cost for both Processes and Data on the screen or run the Numerical Attribute - FP Size Report (Select
- then Attribute FP Size Profiles)
NOTE: If you want to customise the Package Cost Estimates Category and names and values for the Attributes, then make your changes and SCOPE Reporting will dynamically accept all changes. To transfer your 'customised' Package Cost Estimates Category to other counts either: