A quality-based cost estimation model for the product line life cycle

Abstract

In reusing common organizational assets, the software product line (SPL) provides substantial business opportunities for reducing the unit cost of similar products, improving productivity, reducing time to market, and promoting customer satisfaction [4]. By adopting effective product line practices, return on investment (ROI) becomes increasingly critical in the decision-making process. The majority of SPL cost estimation and ROI models [5-9] confine themselves to software development costs and savings. However, if software quality cost is considered in the spectrum of the SPL < life cycle, product lines can result in considerably larger payoffs, compared to non-product lines. This article proposes a quality-based product line life cycle cost estimation model, called qCOPLIMO, and investigates the effect of software quality cost on the ROI ofSPL. qCOPLIMO is derived from two COCOMO suite models: COPLIMO and COQUALMO, as presented in Figure 1. COPLIMO [2] provides a baseline cost estimation model of the product line life cycle, and COQUALMO [3] estimates the number of residual defects. These models are used to estimate software quality cost. Both models are an extension of COCOMO II [1].