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2009-12-14

Estimation using Fuction Point Analysis-GSC(Part 4)


Now that we have covered five Fundamental of FPA-EI,EO,EQ,EIF,ILF.
Lets move ahead General System Characteristics(GSC) and adjusted function point.On the top of those five things we will apply GSC.
I am providing a GSC template where you have to put the value first in place of "1" in this case and calculate GSC.















GSC factorDefinitionsValue
Data CommunicationsHow many communication facilities are there to aid in the transfer or exchange of information with the application or system?
Data Communications describes the degree to which the application communicates directly with the processor.
Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. Application is pure batch processing or a stand-alone PC.
1. Application is batch but has remote data entry or remote printing.
2. Application is batch but has remote data entry and remote printing.
3. Application includes online data collection or TP (teleprocessing) front
end to a batch process or query system.
4. Application is more than a front-end, but supports only one type of TP
communications protocol.
5. Application is more than a front-end, and supports more than one type
of TP communications protocol.
1
Distributed Data Processing


How are distributed data and processing functions handled?
Distributed Data Processing describes the degree to which the application
transfers data among components of the application.
Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence
0. Application does not aid the transfer of data or processing functions
between components of the system.
1. Application prepares data for user processing on another component of
the system such as PC spreadsheets and PC DBMS.
2. Data is prepared for transfer, then is transferred and processed on
another component of the system (not for end-user processing).
3. Distributed processing and data transfer are online and in one direction only.
4. Distributed processing and data transfer are online and in both
directions.
5. Processing functions are dynamically performed on the most appropriate
component of the system.
1
Performance

Did the user require response time or throughput?
Performance describes the degree to which response time and throughput
performance considerations influenced the application development.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No special performance requirements were stated by the user.
1. Performance and design requirements were stated and reviewed but no special actions
were required.
2. Response time or throughput is critical during peak hours. No special design for
CPU utilization was required. Processing deadline is for the next business day.
3. Response time or throughput is critical during all business hours. No special design for
CPU utilization was required. Processing deadline requirements with interfacing systems
are constraining.
4. In addition, stated user performance requirements are stringent enough to
require performance analysis tasks in the design phase.
5. In addition, performance analysis tools were used in the design, development,
and/or implementation phases to meet the stated user performance requirements.
1
Heavily Used Configuration

How heavily used is the current hardware platform where the application will be executed?
Heavily Used Configuration describes the degree to which computer resource
restrictions influenced the development of the application.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No explicit or implicit operational restrictions are included.
1. Operational restrictions do exist, but are less restrictive than a typical application.
No special effort is needed to meet the restrictions.
2. Some security or timing considerations are included.
3. Specific processor requirements for a specific piece of the application are included.
4. Stated operation restrictions require special constraints on the application in the
central processor or a dedicated processor.
5. In addition, there are special constraints on the application in the
distributed components of the system.
1
Transaction Rate

How frequently are transactions executed; daily, weekly, monthly, etc.?
Transaction Rate describes the degree to which the rate of business
transactions influenced the development of the application.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No peak transaction period is anticipated.
1. Peak transaction period (e.g., monthly, quarterly, seasonally, annually) is anticipated.
2. Weekly peak transaction period is anticipated.
3. Daily peak transaction period is anticipated.
4. High transaction rate(s) stated by the user in the application requirements or service
level agreements are high enough to require performance analysis tasks in the
design phase.
5. High transaction rate(s) stated by the user in the application requirements or service
level agreements are high enough to require performance analysis tasks and, in
addition, require the use of performance analysis tools in the design, development,
and/or installation phases.
1
On-line Data Entry

What percentage of the information is entered On-Line?
Online Update describes the degree to which internal logical files are updated
online.

Online Data Entry describes the degree to which data is entered through
interactive transactions.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. All transactions are processed in batch mode.
1. 1% to 7% of transactions are interactive data entry.
2. 8% to 15% of transactions are interactive data entry.
3. 16% to 23% of transactions are interactive data entry.
4. 24% to 30% of transactions are interactive data entry.
5. More than 30% of transactions are interactive data entry.
1
End-user Efficiency

Was the application designed for end-user efficiency?
End-User Efficiency describes the degree of consideration for human factors
and ease of use for the user of the application measured.

The online functions provided emphasize a design for end-user efficiency. The
design includes:
· Navigational aids (for example, function keys, jumps, dynamically generated menus)
· Menus
· Online help and documents
· Automated cursor movement
· Scrolling
· Remote printing via online transactions
· Pre-assigned function keys
· Batch jobs submitted from online transactions
· Cursor selection of screen data
· Heavy use of reverse video, highlighting, colors underlining, and other indicators
· Hard copy user documentation of online transactions
· Mouse interface
· Pop-up windows
· As few screens as possible to accomplish a business function
· Bilingual support (supports two languages; count as four items)
· Multilingual support (supports more than two languages; count as six items)

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence
0. None of the above.
1. One to three of the above.
2. Four to five of the above.
3. Six or more of the above, but there are no specific user requirements related to efficiency.
4. Six or more of the above, and stated requirements for end-user efficiency are strong
enough to require design tasks for human factors to be included (for example, minimize
key strokes, maximize defaults, use of templates).
5. Six or more of the above, and stated requirements for end-user efficiency are strong
enough to require use of special tools and processes to demonstrate that the objectives
have been achieved.
1
On-line Updates

How many ILF’s are updated by On-Line transaction?
Online Update describes the degree to which internal logical files are updated
online.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. None.
1. Online update of one to three control files is included. Volume of updating is low
and recovery is easy.
2. Online update of four or more control files is included. Volume of updating is low
and recovery easy.
3. Online update of major internal logical files is included.
4. In addition, protection against data lost is essential and has been specially designed
and programmed in the system.
5. In addition, high volumes bring cost considerations into the recovery process.
Highly automated recovery procedures with minimum operator intervention are included.
1
Complex ProcessingDoes the application have extensive logical or mathematical processing?
Complex processing describes the degree to which processing logic influenced
the development of the application.

The following components are present:
· Sensitive control (for example, special audit processing) and/or application
specific security processing
· Extensive logical processing
· Extensive mathematical processing
· Much exception processing resulting in incomplete transactions that must be
processed again (for example, incomplete ATM transactions caused by TP
interruption, missing data values, or failed validations)
· Complex processing to handle multiple input/output possibilities (for example,
multimedia, or device independence)

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. None of the above.
1. Any one of the above.
2. Any two of the above.
3. Any three of the above.
4. Any four of the above.
5. All five of the above.
1
Reusability

Was the application developed to meet one or many user’s needs?
Reusability describes the degree to which the application and the code in the application
have been specifically designed, developed, and supported to be usable in other applications.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No reusable code.
1. Reusable code is used within the application.
2. Less than 10% of the application considered more than one user's needs.
3. Ten percent (10%) or more of the application considered more than one user's needs.
4. The application was specifically packaged and/or documented to ease re-use, and
the application is customized by the user at source code level.
5. The application was specifically packaged and/or documented to ease re-use, and
the application is customized for use by means of user parameter maintenance.
1
Installation Ease

How difficult is conversion and installation?
Installation Ease describes the degree to which conversion from previous environments influenced the development of the application.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No special considerations were stated by the user, and no special setup is required
for installation.
1. No special considerations were stated by the user but special setup is required for
installation.
2. Conversion and installation requirements were stated by the user, and conversion
and installation guides were provided and tested. The impact of conversion on the project
is not considered to be important.
3. Conversion and installation requirements were stated by the user, and conversion
and installation guides were provided and tested. The impact of conversion on the project
is considered to be important.
4. In addition to 2 above, automated conversion and installation tools were provided and
tested.
5. In addition to 3 above, automated conversion and installation tools were provided and
tested.
1
Operational Ease

How effective and/or automated are start-up, back up, and recovery procedures?
Operational Ease describes the degree to which the application attends to
operational aspects, such as start-up, back-up, and recovery processes.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. No special operational considerations other than the normal back-up procedures
were stated by the user.
1 - 4 One, some, or all of the following items apply to the application. Select
all that apply. Each item has a point value of one, except as noted otherwise.
· Effective start-up, back-up, and recovery processes were provided,
but operator intervention is required.
· Effective start-up, back-up, and recovery processes were provided,
but no operator intervention is required (count as two items).
· The application minimizes the need for tape mounts.
· The application minimizes the need for paper handling.
5. The application is designed for unattended operation. Unattended operation means
no operator intervention is required to operate the system other than to start up or
shut down the application. Automatic error recovery is a feature of the application.
1
Multiple Sites

Was the application specifically designed, developed, and supported to be installed at multiple sites for multiple organizations?
Multiple Sites describes the degree to which the application has been
developed for multiple locations and user organizations.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. User requirements do not require considering the needs of more than one user/installation site.
1. Needs of multiple sites were considered in the design, and the application is designed to
operate only under identical hardware and software environments.
2. Needs of multiple sites were considered in the design, and the application is designed to
operate only under similar hardware and/or software environments.
3. Needs of multiple sites were considered in the design, and the application is designed to
operate under different hardware and/or software environments.
4. Documentation and support plan are provided and tested to support the application at
multiple sites and the application is as described by 1 or 2.
5. Documentation and support plan are provided and tested to support the application at
multiple sites and the application is as described by 3.
1
Facilitate Changes

Was the application specifically designed, developed, and supported to facilitate change?
Facilitate Change describes the degree to which the application has been developed for easy modification of processing logic or data structure.

The following characteristics can apply for the application:
· Flexible query and report facility is provided that can handle simple requests;
for example, and/or logic applied to only one internal logical file.
· Flexible query and report facility is provided that can handle requests of average complexity,
for example, and/or logic applied to more than one internal logical file.
· Flexible query and report facility is provided that can handle complex requests,
for example, and/or logic combinations on one or more internal logical files.
· Business control data is kept in tables that are maintained by the user with online interactive processes, but
changes take effect only on the next business day.
· Business control data is kept in tables that are maintained by the user with online interactive processes, and
the changes take effect immediately.

Score As Descriptions To Determine Degree of Influence:
0. None of the above.
1. A total of one item from above.
2. A total of two items from above.
3. A total of three items from above.
4. A total of four items from above.
5. A total of five items from above.


1


Now using the GSC we can calculate VAF and then we can achive Adjusted FP

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