Efficiency factor and risk factor based user case point test effort estimation model compatible with agile software development

Abstract

In software outsourcing industry, to win a contract, outsourcing companies need to consider the price that they will introduce to customers. Therefore, estimation has played an important role in any type of software project and as well as for test projects. Particularly, the estimation of testing has been more critical and magnitude as companies need to present or bid their prices on the project to win the outsourcing contract. Wrong estimation can negatively affect the company sales in both ways. On the one side, the profit margin could be reduced or hurt when the bidding is less than that real effort. On the other side, the company could lose the project when the bidding is higher than that of competitors. Therefore, it is extremely necessary to apply economic and systematic estimation model or process to enhance the accuracy in estimation. The integration of highly skilled workforce and accurate test effort estimation software will provide significant benefits to companies. Up to now, there are various existing models of test effort estimation, yet use case point estimation is one of the most popular models in the agile software development industry. The present paper aims to investigate the use case point estimation model. Following the analysis, we have developed two important elements namely, efficiency and risk factor based on a new layer in the model developed by us. The benefit of the new model is to increase the performance and effectiveness of the use case point estimation model.