App Cost Estimation: Evaluating Agile Environments

Since the publication of the Agile Manifesto in 2001, the agile approach has had a vast influence on software development. Most agile methods break down a mobile application into small increments, which allow users to test single components and validate the value of an App. As a user satisfaction is mostly based on the validated values. However, implementing software replanning sessions for each increment allows an App to grow substantially. Over time, complexity such as in fighting bugs and fixing defects pile up, causing an increase in development costs. Since many cost estimation methods are not tailored for agile mobile development, only a few are partially applicable. With the current highly dynamic environment of Apps, this research identifies and evaluates the effectiveness of these methods to date. Key findings show a lack of appropriate and scientifically sound methods in app cost estimation. Therefore, this paper suggests new techniques in agile estimation. The main goal is to model a budgeting tool based on app decomposition, in both theoretical and practical approaches. The work aims to improve the accuracy in predicting development costs in mobile applications.