Function Points for March 2014

MEETING is postponed from January to March 18th due to the snow

Topic is Function Points (for both Beginners and Advanced Coders)

Thomas Cagley of David Consulting will be speaking to us on what Function Point Analysis is, and why we should or should not be using it.

First, “Quantitative sizing” is where multiple decomposition techniques used in Function Point Analysis can create objective, quantifiable data for the business and for our functional requirements which ultimately becomes software source code.

The ability to accurately size software is a critical aspect of managing a successful project delivery. Employing an accurate sizing mechanism has a direct impact on how you utilize resources and manage budgets.  It offers retrospective information about past performance, as well as providing insight into future performance. Additionally, accurate sizing allows you to effectively manage requirements definition and scope.

The use of software size has been a lightning rod in Agile, Waterfall, Iterative or even Water Fountain practices.  And this has become an area where hybridization has always occurred.

Organizations adjust techniques to fit governance structures, culture and risk profiles. There is no one-size-fits-all solution.

This presentation will provide and an overview of IFPUG Function Points and will provide a path for incorporating the use of function points into agile and lean frameworks. Thomas Cagley will suggest that functional metrics provides a path for incorporating the best practices of robust software sizing along with collaborative techniques which increases standardization without ignoring the principles of the Agile Manifesto.

The term “Agile” has come to mean many things to many people. The definitions and connotations range from how work is organized within a project - to a description of the speed at which work is completed – and even to radical rethinking of organizational culture.

Regardless of how you define Agile, we must all agree that agile methods are now maturing. Part of the process of maturing is to incorporate best practices from other methods and frameworks when creating our useful hybrids.

So now those on the fringe are influencing the center and the center is influencing the fringe. The hybrid approach is at once better than any of the absolutes - - and threatening to those who believe in absolutes.

 -================================- 

Meeting will be at eBay Enterprise (formerly GSI Commerce)  in King of Prussia

For directions, see the page Events > Directions to Meetings