Development of Cost Estimation Tool

Abstract

Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a standardized general-purpose modeling language in the field of software engineering. The Unified Modeling Language includes a set of graphic notation techniques to create visual models of object-oriented software-intensive systems. In software engineering, a class diagram in the UML is a type of static structure diagram that describes the structure of a system by showing the system's classes, their attributes, operations (or methods), and the relationships among the classes. The aim of my project is to develop a tool to estimate the cost of a software using UML class diagram. This is achieved by converting UML class diagram to XML (Extensible Markup Language) representation. XML is a markup language that defines a set of rules for encoding documents in a format that is both human-readable and machine-readable. By using the concept of class point approach, it calculates the total number of adjusted class point by parsing the XML file. First step for development of cost estimation tool requires understanding the concept of UML and XMI (XML Metadata Interchange). XMI is an Object Management Group (OMG) standard for exchanging metadata information via Extensible Markup Language (XML). The most common use of XMI is as an interchange format for UML models, although it can also be used for serialization of models of other languages. Conversion of UML class Diagram to XML representation using Magic Draw for parsing. Creating a XMI parser to find the NEM (Number of External Methods), NSR (Number of Service Requested) and NOA (Number of Attributes) and the type of classes. Using class point object oriented approach, calculate the effort required to develop a software system by NEM, NSR and NOA. Information procession size estimation includes identification and classification of classes, evaluation of complexity level of each class using 24 different type of drivers, estimation of the Total Unadjusted Class Point.