Optimized Fuzzy Logic Based Framework for Effort Estimation in Software Development
Software effort estimation at early stages of project development
holds great significance for the industry to meet the competitive
demands of today's world. Accuracy, reliability and precision in
the estimates of effort are quite desirable. The inherent
imprecision present in the inputs of the algorithmic models like
Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO) yields imprecision in the
output, resulting in erroneous effort estimation. Fuzzy logic
based cost estimation models are inherently suitable to address
the vagueness and imprecision in the inputs, to make reliable and
accurate estimates of effort. In this paper, we present an
optimized fuzzy logic based framework for software
development effort prediction. The said framework tolerates
imprecision, incorporates experts knowledge, explains prediction
rationale through rules, offers transparency in the prediction
system, and could adapt to changing environments with the
availability of new data. The traditional cost estimation model
COCOMO is extended in the proposed study by incorporating
the concept of fuzziness into the measurements of size, mode of
development for projects and the cost drivers contributing to the
overall development effort.
Keywords: Fuzzy Logic, Effort Estimation, Soft Computing, COCOMO
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