BY LOGAPPS LLC
A system software upgrade used to mean planning for some level of customization to accommodate end users and organizational objectives. As software development evolves, however, there has been a significant shift toward off-the-shelf components and low code platforms. Software methodologies are predominantly Agile, where requirements evolve throughout the lifecycle of the product – and because more software applications are hosted in the cloud, a wider variety of options are more accessible than when applications are hosted with on-premise servers.
As software evolves and trends change, software cost analysis adapts as well. Analysts have access to more data than ever before, and when you have the burn down charts and velocity from the last sprint at your fingertips you are better able to offer more productive and efficient upgrade plans. By estimating the project scope – like software size, lifecycle timelines, resources needed, etc – with data-driven information, analysts can take a program from high level operational concepting to detailed insights. This includes using cost estimating relationships from related technologies and focusing on software integration and test (I&T).
While there will always be a market for customized development programs, the progress made by off-the-shelf products is good news – organizations have better access to the software upgrades they need to meet mission requirements. Automated functional size measurement and simple function points have also demystified the process of software sizing, so analysts can present comprehensive plans that accurately estimate cost and other resource allocation. Combining automated size measure and data analytics will continue to have a greater role in software cost analysis as development and delivery methods enable easier access to full lifecycle support.
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