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SEER-SEM FAQ

1. 16 Q14 How does the Minimum Time vs Optimal Effort parameter WOrKk ccccseseeeeseeeeesees 17 Q15 What is the Function Implementation Mechanism FIM parameter and how does it affect my estimate Caen eee ees a ane ee a 17 Q16 Why can t I see the Estimate to Complete parameters cccccecssesescssssseeessssseseeeesees 17 Q17 Does SEER SEM provide Earned Value analysis cccccesscccssesseecsssssssesssssessseessssesasersaees 18 Q18 How should I use the Programs Included in Size and the Programs Concurrently Integrating A ACS goose sep raat eccam yas vnc ttc zestecavnsc abe dee acc pacers tegen cavvnaoactan tes ecepesaeecateeesteiavins 18 Q19 Does SEER allow me to account for cultural political or geographical differences within my development team Multi cultural team cccccscccssesssccscssssesecscsessseessesesseeessesesaeeessesesaeees 18 Q20 How to link a parameter s between MS Excel and SEER SEM cccccccscssesecseeeeeeees 18 Q21 Is there a way to adjust the level of documentation required for a project 19 PGMS and CNIS cece coset caect cca cocecgie csc ceazaceae iae sence aaa a a A meet Ea 20 Q1 What reports are available in SEER SEM cccccssssssssscsssssssseessssesscecseesessssssessessesssarseneas 20 Q2 What charts are available in SEER SEM csscscssssssscsesssessseesessnsesessessesesseseesessesssassesesas 20 Q3 How do I select which reports
2. ce cceeseeecesseeeessesesseeeeeees 28 Q16 How can I tell SEER to exclude System Integration activities from my estimate 28 Q17 How can I estimate a program with incremental builds releases cceeeseeeeesees 29 Q18 Why can t I open a file that was created in a different version of SEER SEM 30 Q19 How should I model a language Conversion Project ceeeeeeseeeeeeseeeteeceseteeeeeeeeseeeeeeetees 30 Q20 How should I model Commercial Off the Shelf COTS Software ccccssesesseseeeeeeees 31 Q21 How does SEER SEM convert Function Points to SLOC s sssnsnnnnensnseseseseenesosesesesesnenenenee 33 Q22 Can I use SEER SEM to estimate firmware development cc cceeeeececssetseesseseeseeessees 33 SEER G A LORATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 5 Q23 How SEER SEM estimates compare to COCOMO II 0 ccccceseeceeescseeeecseeeesesaeeeseeserenees 34 Q24 What is included in the Project Manager labor category in SEER SEM cceeeeee 34 Q25 How can I model a Spiral develOPMeENt 0 ee cesseeseeecsseseseeecsessseeeecsessssesessesaeeeseesasaeeesaees 34 Q26 How should I model a development using a code generator eects eeeteteeeeeeees 35 Q27 The Monte Carlo Rollup reports show two columns Jndependent and Dependent What are those and which one Should I use oo eeceeeeceeceesceeeceseseeeeeeeceeseeeeaeaceeeeceseeseeenaeaeeeeseeeeeeeeanaes 35
3. application where you want to copy the Chart and Paste it Some applications will have different commands to paste data but most of them are compatible with the Ctrl V command Q10 Why is there a difference between the Productivity Lines Person Month in the Quick Estimate report and a simple calculation dividing Total Lines Development Effort Months A10 The reported productivity in the Quick Estimate report does not include the effort for all activities See definition below from the help Productivity The number of lines of code estimated to be developed per person month of effort Lines Person during the design through Program testing activities also known as the FSI or Full Month Scale Implementation activity This productivity excludes any software requirements activities When you are looking at productivity in SEER SEM it is best to use the Software Metrics report At the bottom of the report you will see a table of productivity measures for the different combinations of activities and labor categories included in the calculation Look for the metric that says All under the Activity column and this metric should match the simple calculation Q11 Why can t I see the notes in my Flexible Export report A11 This is likely to be caused by an option not being set in the Options tab of the Flexible Export dialog In the Options tab check the Output By selection Notes can only be exported if the Output By option is set to Rows and t
4. Options Q7 I changed the probability parameter but the risk chart didn t change why is that A7 The risk chart represents the probability distribution for a given output Cost schedule or defects depending on the rick chart Changing the probability parameter will not result in a change to the curve but instead it will select a different point on the curve representing the probability or confidence level of the current estimate When changing the probability parameters the risk curve will not change but the blue dot 6 will move to reflect the confidence level of the current estimate Q8 Can I export a Report A8 Yes you can Right click anywhere on the Reports window and select the option Export Report In the Export Report window you can change the following settings Select to export data for the Current WBS Element only Current WBS Element and Subordinates or for the Entire Project SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 22 Select the Reports you want to export Preview the report before it is exported After you have entered your settings click the Choose Format button Select the format and the destination for the report and then click the OK button In the window that appears select location where you want the report to be saved and click the Save button Q9 Can I export a Chart A9 Yes you can Right click anywhere on the Charts window and select the option Copy Go to the
5. Performance Indices PMC Schedule Accomplishments Project Gantt Schedule Comparison Schedule Risk Schedule Sensitivity Size Allocation Staff Level vs Reference Staffing Plan Technology Assessment Top 10 Effort Impacts Q3 How do I select which reports charts appear in the window SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 21 A3 Right click anywhere on the Report Chart window and select the option Choose Active Reports Charts In the window that appears you can define which reports will appear in the Reports Charts window Q4 How should the risk chart be used A4 The risk chart presents the probability of successfully attaining various outcomes of cost and schedule through line charts The percentages along the x axis of the chart are the probabilities of the project succeeding at the estimated figures For example if the probability is 30 there is a 30 chance that the actual project would be under the estimated schedule and cost figures Q5 How do get the risk analysis charts at a rollup element or project level AS First go to the menu Options and ensure that the Enable Rollup Risk Calculation option is selected Then Press F9 or push the Calculate Now button Q6 How can change what details are shown in the quick estimate report A6 Go to the Estimate menu and select the option Quick Estimate Options Similarly you can right click the report windows and select Quick Estimate
6. Q28 Is there a way to specify a partial correlation for the Monte Carlo Analysis 36 Q29 Are indirect labor and expenses included in My estimate cece ese esecseeeeeeseeteeeees 36 Q30 How do I account for effort associated with functionality to be deleted eee 36 SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 6 Knowledge Bases KBases Q1 What are Knowledge Bases A1 A Knowledge Base is a set of parameter values based on actual project requirement and environment data similar to your estimating scenario which can be used to initialize values in your WBS elements Knowledge bases can be customized to reflect your organization s development history environment and requirements Q2 Why should use Knowledge Bases A2 Knowledge bases allow you to create rough order of magnitude ROM estimates with only a few high level inputs The Knowledge Bases were created from statistics gathered from a wide variety of industries companies and government databases therefore they allow you to create an estimate based on the best known industry standards and metrics In addition Knowledge Bases e Represent a dramatic time decrease in estimate generation e Improve accuracy if models are properly validated e Provide a mechanism to tune the models e Provide greater credibility in front of customers management e Allow more time to focus on engineering effort Q3 What t
7. can be useful if you wish to compare two separate elements Q8 Some parameters are bolded or in different colors what do these mean A8 By default parameters are shown in blue However certain settings can make a parameter show in a different color e Bolded Parameter has been changed from the Knowledge Base default by the user SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 16 e lt lt Green gt gt Parameter value is linked It is being set indirectly from another source such as another WBS Element or an external source such as an Excel file NOTE Default color for the parameters and links can be changed in the Font and Linked Parameter Color options respectively under the View menu Q9 What is meant by Least Likely Most in a parameter A9 When estimating software it is often not possible to predict an exact value unless the project is finished and you have access to the actual values The Least Likely and Most fields in a parameter allow the user to express risk in the estimate by allocating uncertainty ranges SEER SEM converts Least Likely Most inputs into probability distributions which it uses to produce estimates with ranges of possible outcomes Least corresponds to the lowest value that is expected Likely is the most probable expected value and Most the highest expected value for a parameter Q10 put in values in a Least Likely Most parameter and SEER rearranged them W
8. charts appear in the window cssseceesseeeesseseeseeeesees 20 Q4 How should the risk Chart be used csccscssssssscsssssssssssessssesessessesesesecseesesesscsessessesssansesneas 21 Q5 How do I get the risk analysis charts at a rollup element or project level ceeeee 21 Q6 How can I change what details are shown in the quick estimate report cece 21 Q7 I changed the probability parameter but the risk chart didn t change why is thaty 21 SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 4 Q8 Can I xp rt a Report senii E R E eee aendaaien 21 Q9 Can BSN CHAC diissii nna i a a a ees ees 22 Q10 Why is there a difference between the Productivity Lines Person Month in the Quick Estimate report and a simple calculation dividing 7ota Lines Development Effort Months 22 Q11 Why can t I see the notes in my Flexible Export report cc cceccsseseescscsseeeessssesseeessees 22 Q12 Why can t I see the Least Likely Most values in my Flexible Export report 06 22 Q13 Why dont I see all parameters listed in the Jnputs repOrt 0 0 ccc cccceecsscsecseeecsesseeeeeees 23 Q14 How can I tell the effect a parameter has on my estimate cc eeeccscssetseeeseseeseeeeeees 23 General ese ue casas cect ks ico E ave was ease te at essa eat a Ge 24 Q1 What s the Database and how does it differ from just saving my files to a directory 24
9. code for the new build The start date for the new build will be the day after the completion date for the previous build All other parameters will be unchanged The user will have to enter any new code to be developed for each build For the subsequent builds excluding the initial development the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base can be changed to Subsequent Incremental Build using the Load Individual Knowledge Base option from the Estimate menu This Knowledge Base will assume no requirements effort is needed after baseline and also that maintenance estimates of subsequent builds are only for the portion of software being added and modified in this build Maintenance Size parameter will be set to Effective Size IMPORTANT It will be required to rate the amount of rework needed to integrate code from the previous build into the new build Guidance to set the rework percentages for incremental builds can be found in the SEER SEM Detailed Reference pdf located in the Tools folder inside the installation directory To create subsequent builds copy the most recent build and follow steps 3 and 4 If you model incremental builds as shown above each increment should represent a delivered operational program with its own development cycle If the increments are non deliverables such as SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 30 internal milestones progress demonstrations or concept prototypes they shoul
10. field and click the OK button Q10 Why can t I insert a COTS Element in my estimate A10 This can be caused by two possible reasons 1 COTS components are sub components to a Program WBS element First create an element of type Program and then insert the COTS element underneath it Note If the Program WBS element already contains a size value then the application will prompt you to first insert a Component WBS element to hold the sizing information and then you will be allowed to enter a COTS element Once a Program Item has one sub component all size values must be allocated to the sub components NOTE If the Volume Inputs option of the Project Rollup WBS Element has been set to Lines only then any added COTS elements will be ignored their costs and schedule will not be considered in the total estimate To correct this select the Project level WBS element and double click on it In the Create Modify WBS Element window click the button Change located in the lower right corner Select either Both or Functions for the Volume Inputs option and click OK SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 13 Parameters Q1 What are SEER SEM Parameters A1 As the name implies a Parametric Model consists of a set of parameter settings that reflect things such as Technology People Process Program schedule and staffing constraints etc Parameters are the inputs for the SEER SEM parametric estimation model P
11. of parameter settings can be specified in SEER SEM ccccccseseeesseseeeeeees 13 Q3 Which parameters carry the most weight for estimates ce eeecsseeeeeseseeseeessesesaeeeseees 13 SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 3 Q4 What WS Proxy SIZING ce eee tee ei as Gere i eee ae ace eee 14 Q5 How do I edit parameters nsec 5 caescusvsazeessancgseG pasieecbasessoes Sender seveiends pearwiveseeeS adentaeae onees 15 Q6 Can I change parameters over multiple elements ee eeeeceseeeteeeeeeeeeeteeeeeeseeeeeteeseeeeeeatees 15 Q7 Is there a way to observe the effects of parameter changes in an element to see how costs will change without modifying the CleMent 0 2 cece eecetseeeseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaeaeeeeetesseeeeeates 15 Q8 Some parameters are bolded or in different colors what do these MeaN c ceee 15 Q9 What is meant by Least Likely Most in a parameter cc cccsseeeeescssesseeescseesseessesesaeeeseees 16 Q10 I put in values in a Least Likely Most parameter and SEER rearranged them What happe ed riiscia eiieeii aitai eise eta ue aie eens 16 Q11 Why do I see different parameters for different WBS Elements c ccceseseeseeeeesees 16 Q12 No parameters are shown when I select a Rollup or Project WBS Element Why is this Fie 2 Zier anenee aaen a a beck a AE aaea aE E eit Dan a EE nae 16 Q13 Can I Copy and Paste parameter values from one WBS Element to another one
12. unit of software only once Q9 How can export data to use in other applications A9 SEER SEM offers a wide variety of output charts and reports that can be exported in the most common types of formats Refer to questions Q8 and Q9 within Reports and Charts In addition to this SEER SEM also offers the Flexible Export feature This feature is the most versatile method of exporting data from SEER SEM it lets you create customized reports that can be exported as text files copied onto the Windows clipboard or displayed in the Reports window You can also format SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 26 information for other applications including project management tools and spreadsheets You can create templates that capture any combination of SEER for Software outputs or inputs e Display the outputs by rows or by columns e Display outputs for a single unit a unit and its subordinate elements or the entire project e Select a delimiter for your output tab comma etc Several templates are included in SEER for Software you can use them as starting points when you create your own To use the Flexible Export feature go to the Tools menu and select the Flexible Export option In addition to the above described exporting features SEER SEM is compatible with Microsoft s Component Object Model COM interface This allows SEER SEM results to be exported to any other COM applications such as Micr
13. BS Element E Demotes a WBS Or you can select the options under Arrange WBS Element Commands in the Edit Menu Q7 How do I change the outline number for an element A7 You can do so by re arranging the WBS Element See Q6 under WBS Elements The base outline number may be modified by selecting the option Set Project Parameters from the Options menu Enter the desired base outline number in the Project Outline Start Number field and click the OK button Q8 How do I place an element into a rollup A8 This is done similarly to arranging WBS Elements Q6 under WBS Elements Use the Move WBS Element Up Down buttons to position the element under the rollup Then click the Demote WBS button to move the element into the rollup To move an element out of a rollup click E Element the Promote WBS Element button You can also click and drag an element into a rollup SEER G A LORATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 12 Q9 How do perform risk analysis at a rollup element or project level A9 First you must click Enable Rollup Risk Calculation under the Options menu Then select the desired Rollup element or the Project Rollup and just press F9 or click the Calculate Now id button on the toolbar The total number of Monte Carlo iterations may be modified by selecting the option Set Project Parameters from the Options menu Enter the desired number of iterations in the Rollup Risk Iterations
14. Q11 How are Knowledge Bases maintained by Galorath 0 0 cecseeeseesessescseeseseeeceseseeeeeseeaes 9 WBS SEMIN AS ac asrcac cea tees cos s EEEE EE E EEEE E E A Eea EE 10 Q1 What are WBS Elements cci iscccsccessesstessccee20hnesnscessedsatedsensaesicadeaieiseasesesssnsadebaesentenssdsetebsvcsntenses 10 Q2 What types of WBS Elements are provided in SEER SEM ccccccsseseeseeseeseessssesseeeseees 10 Q3 Can I change the element type for an existing WBS eleMent ccccesesseteeeeeseeeeeeaees 10 Q4 How can I make copies of individual or multiple WBS elements cccceeeeeeseeeeeeees 10 Q5 How do I exclude an element from the rollup costs without removing it eee 11 Q6 How do I arrange WBS Elements sas csrassescatazcacnstsnssanialyarsateanteasnarsbsscsauieecereemnehuadmareaen 11 Q7 How do I change the outline number for an element 0 ee eeeceeeeeeeeeeeteeeeeeteeeeeteeeeteeeeatees 11 Q8 How do I place an element into a rollup cccssssssscsesssesscscssssesscecssesesseessessessesesarseneas 11 Q9 How do I perform risk analysis at a rollup element or project level oo eeeeeteeeeeees 12 Q10 Why can t I insert a COTS Element in my estimate ccc cceseceeesseseeecessesseeessesesaeeeeeees 12 Parameters iii ern aeaee a tc EEEE EEEE eats ete ree eee 13 Q1 What are SEER SEM Parameters cscs isccscavnssaacssnincteinstecsssueten unsnddestecnctee Uncatedeeiecbacthnetcesbusets 13 Q2 What type
15. Q2 Why are there multiple files in my project GireCtOry 0 cccsseeeeescsseseeececseeseeessesesseeeseees 24 Q3 Where can I find the User s manual and other documents that relate to SEER SEM 24 Q4 How do I get all the windows back after maximizing or resizing a chart report window 24 Q5 What are Labor Category Allocations iicic ccscccccctsceccesscesescssesce cosect oscdcnsecesisersancascuestadcsoeseasece 24 Q6 Does SEER SEM consider Inflation in my estimates ce eccsseeseescsseseeeesssessseessesesaseeseees 25 Q7 Can I change the default Labor Rates used to compute labor costs cccecescseeeeeeees 25 Q8 What is Pre existing functionality in SEER SEM ccsssssssssssssessssseesessssssessessessserseeneas 25 Q9 How can I export data to use in other applications 0 0 ec csseseeeesesseseeececseeseeessesesseeesaees 25 Q10 What is Effective Size oa 5 ccciasstesccehsnaxehassidessennsenecernirstunsseetansaieateasndieeaspiarsucbs texeotnndesonneteeaniee 26 Q11 How can I tell SEER to exclude all effort related to Requirements from my estimate 26 Q12 How should I count my SLOC ciate cinder dhcseins casacdeckeueieierelicteneih aed ees alec 26 Q13 Is there a way to collect data for an estimate without having a SEER License 27 Q14 How do you create a Maintenance Only estimate in SEER SEM ec eeeseeeeesseseeeesees 27 Q15 How do you create a Testing Only estimate in SEER SEM
16. SEER SEM It is possible to export the commands for a Rollup WBS and its subordinates and then run those commands to reproduce an exact copy To do this follow these steps 1 Select the Rollup WBS Element you want to copy 2 Under the menu Tools select the option Export Commands 3 Inthe Export Commands window select Current WBS Element Plus Subordinates Output to clipboard and then mark the KBase and Parameters boxes 4 Click the Export button SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 11 5 To paste the copied elements under the menu Tools select the option Run Commands from Clipboard NOTE The approach described above can be used to copy WBS Elements across multiple instances of SEER SEM It may also be used to copy an entire project and replicate it in another instance of SEER SEM Q5 How do exclude an element from the rollup costs without removing it A5 This can be accomplished by the either right clicking the element and selecting Exclude Element From Rollups Totals selecting the element and clicking Exclude Element From Rollups Totals under the menu Estimate or by highlighting the element and clicking the Exclude Element From Rollups Totals button on the toolbar Q6 How do I arrange WBS Elements A6 First select the WBS Element you want to arrange E Es Element Move WBS Element Up and Move WBS Element Down Then you can use the buttons in the tool bar Promotes a W
17. SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 1 SEER for Software Frequently Asked Questions Galorath Incorporated GAtORA TH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 2 Contents Knowledge Bases KBases ssscssssssssssssssssssesssssseceessssesecsessesesesesseeseseessseeseseeassanseseeseeanseseesesaesetessaes 6 Qi What are Knowledge Bases ccnnccinnenennciamsnnn ane nmanaenien 6 Q2 Why should I use Knowledge BaSeS cccccssessssescssssesecsssesseeesessesseeessesesseeeseesasaeeecsasaseesessasaes 6 Q3 What types of Knowledge Bases are provided in SEER SEM ccesssecssssseessssesseeeeeeeees 6 Q4 How do I apply Knowledge BaSes ssccsssssssssssssesessessssesessessssssessesssauseseesesaeseseesesaesesessees 7 Q5 How do I change Knowledge Bases on an existing WBS Element ccecesseeeeeeneeees 7 Q6 What is the effect of adding multiple Knowledge Bases to a WBS Element e 7 Q7 How do I know what parameters are being affected by a Knowledge Base 000 8 Q8 My Knowledge Bases lists are empty cc cccesescecssesseecscsesseeeceesesseeecsesesseeesseesaeeesaesaseesesaeeaes 8 Q9 How can I perform Trade off analysis with multiple Knowledge BaSeS ccseseeeeeees 8 Q10 Why can t I change the Platform Knowledge Base using the Load Individual Knowledge BASE OOS sorties vaeaierance eoairs eens a a ea ican EEE tad edo anha dan ams a conten bones 9
18. acy Program Stand Alone Application Test Rigor Correspond to the Development Standard of traditionally developed software except that COTS elements are not developed only tested In fact the Knowledge Bases in this category have the same names and definitions as Development Standard Knowledge Bases since they describe the same quality control levels Q4 How do I apply Knowledge Bases A4 Knowledge Bases are applied when the WBS Element is first created in the Create Modify WBS Element window Q5 How do I change Knowledge Bases on an existing WBS Element A5 There are two ways of changing Knowledge Bases for an element 1 Double click on the element which will open up the Create Modify WBS Element window Click on the Change button near the lower right corner This will allow you to then change the Knowledge Bases NOTE By changing Knowledge Bases in this manner all Knowledge bases will be re loaded for the selected WBS Element You will lose any parameter settings you have entered Select the WBS Element by clicking on it in the Project WBS window Go to menu Estimate and select Load Individual Knowledge Base option This will allow you to change one Knowledge Base at a time without re loading all of them Also this method allows you to not overwrite parameter values the user has put in Q6 What is the effect of adding multiple Knowledge Bases to a WBS Element A6 Each Knowledge Base is a collection of predefined v
19. alues for the parameters in SEER Knowledge Bases are applied in the order they appear in the Create Modify WBS Element window Each applied SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 8 Knowledge Base takes precedence over the one applied previously therefore it may override some parameter values e g Platform Knowledge Bases are loaded first so they have the lowest precedence Class Knowledge Bases are loaded last so they have the highest precedence and may override values set by previous Knowledge Bases A Knowledge Base may not have values specified for a particular parameter in which case the parameter will not be overwritten Q7 How do know what parameters are being affected by a Knowledge Base A7 Knowledge Bases contain data to initialize your parameter values based on historical and best industry metrics It is often useful to determine what parameters are being affected by a Knowledge base To do this two approaches can be used e Open the SEER SEM help and type in Knowledge Base Allocation Table This will bring a table that shows how the parameters are affected by each Knowledge Base category e Turn onthe Knowledge Base Audit Trial option inside the Tools menu This option keeps a detailed log of which parameters are set by Knowledge Bases When it is on checked it creates a detailed log file named Kbase Audit Trail txt in the default project file directory which records the paramete
20. and selecting the Knowledge Bases that better reflect the environment and the system For the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base select Code Generator For the Development Method Knowledge Base select Code Generation This set of Knowledge Bases will set the rework percentages assuming that no implementation effort manual coding will be needed but that a high level of testing and some design will be required These are the typical needs of automated code generation 2 Estimate the size of the code to be produced using one of the available sizing methods Lines of Code Functions or Proxies When using a code generator it may be difficult to predict lines of code therefore sizing by Functions or Proxies might be more appropriate IMPORTANT The size must be entered in one of the pre existing fields either designed for reuse or not designed for reuse Adjust the rework percentages as needed to reflect the level of redesign reimplementation and retest required For example the Knowledge Bases assume that no manual coding will be needed but based on previous experiences with a particular code generator it may be required to hack the generated code to make adjustments In this case the Reimplementation Required parameter needs to be increased Also if the code generator is a qualified tool the required level of testing can be dicreased by lowering the value of the Retest required parameter The SEER SEM Rework Percentages xls spreadshee
21. ange to a multi program icon aF The Programs Concurrently Integrating parameter corresponds to the number of other stand alone computer programs that need to be integrated with the program that you are analyzing If all three inputs are set to 0 then no software to software integration is included in your estimate Q19 Does SEER allow me to account for cultural political or geographical differences within my development team Multi cultural team A19 The Multiple Site Development parameter can be used for this purpose The parameter can be used to rate the organizational and site diversity among the personnel developing the software This separation can be due to physical location political boundaries or even security Consider anything that would isolate one part of the development team from another SEER SEM help for this parameter offers additional guidelines Q20 How to link a parameter s between MS Excel and SEER SEM A20 To link a parameter between MS Excel and SEER SEM follow these steps To paste data from SEER SEM as a link to Excel 1 In SEER SEM select the parameter s right click and select Copy This will copy the parameter s with the correct syntax and format for the link 2 Inthe Excel spreadsheet select the cell where you want to place the source of the link and paste the data using the Paste Special option Paste Link SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 19 To create a l
22. arameters are processed using Cost Estimation Relationships CERs in order to generate software estimates Q2 What type of parameter settings can be specified in SEER SEM A2 SEER SEM allows you to specify the parameter settings for the following groups of parameters Sizing Parameters Used to size the software being estimated Three sizing methods are available in SEER SEM Source Lines of Code Functions and Proxies Technology and Environment Parameters Define aspects that influence the estimate such as personnel experience and capabilities technology complexity resource availability environment limitations etc COTS Parameters Standard parameters that apply to Commercial Off The Shelf COTS elements Other Parameters Other parameters not related neither to size nor technology and environment e g schedule confidence levels economic factors Q3 Which parameters carry the most weight for estimates A3 Size parameters carry the most weight in the estimate No matter what your sizing method is Source Lines of Code Functions and Proxies the effort required to create the software varies proportionally with its size Technology and Environment Parameters also have different weights on the estimate as illustrated in the following figure SEER GaAtORA TH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 14 Process Volst Ry PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT REQUIREMENTS Requirements Volatility Change Specif
23. commended to model such project using SEER H If using SEER SEM to estimate firmware these are some things to consider Language Is it a high level language or assembler being used Make sure to set the Function Implementation Mechanism and Language Type Complexity parameters appropriately Target System the embedded device and the system that will host the firmware Rate its complexity volatility and the familiarity of the development team Hardware Integration Level how difficult will be to integrate the firmware in the hardware Is the hardware being concurrently developed Make sure to set the Hardware Integration Level parameter Memory Timing and throughput constraints typical of embedded systems Assess the parameters under TARGET ENVIRONMENT to better reflect the environment Q23 How SEER SEM estimates compare to COCOMO II A23 Estimates prepared in both tools can differ due to several reasons Before comparing an estimate done in COCOMO with an estimate done in SEER it is necessary to ensure they are the same estimate i e apples to apples comparison It would not be enough to just confirm that the same software same functions same size is being estimated but also to ensure that the equivalent parameters in both tools have been set consistently For example even though the same size is being estimated it would not be valid to compare both estimates if the developer capabilities and experience have been assumed
24. d be modeled as a single development and not broken out into individual Program WBS elements Q18 Why can t I open a file that was created in a different version of SEER SEM A18 This can be a consequence of some known compatibility issues between different versions of SEER SEM This issue can be worked around using the Export Commands option To do this follow the next steps In the Original SEER SEM Project 1 Under the menu Tools select the option Export Commands 2 Inthe Export Commands window select Entire Project Output to File and then mark the KBase and Parameters boxes 3 Click the Export button and save the generated commands file In the Destination SEER SEM Project 1 Under the menu Tools select the option Run Commands File 2 Locate the commands file and select it The project will be regenerated 3 Save your project file Note If going from Version 8 0 to 7 3 of SEER SEM it will be required to use the SEER SEM Backward Converter xls spreadsheet which can be provided upon request Q19 How should model a language conversion project A19 SEER SEM allows modeling a conversion from one language to another The conversion is assumed to be a migration only effort with none or very minimum redesign effort 1 Start by creating a new Program WBS Element and select the Knowledge Bases that better reflect the environment and the system For the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base SEER offers two
25. do this by going to the Edit menu and clicking on Change Parameters in Multiple WBS Elements This will open up a window with the list of parameters Find and double click on the desired parameter to open the editing window and then edit the parameter values Do this for each parameter you want to change in multiple WBS elements Once you have finished editing the desired parameters click on the Next gt button In the screen that appears select the WBS elements where you want the changes to be applied Finally click on the Finish button Q7 Is there a way to observe the effects of parameter changes in an element to see how costs will change without modifying the element A7 Yes Select the element you wish to look at and go to the menu Estimate and select Set Reference J report to display the original referenced estimate the changed estimate and a percentage of difference You can also click the Set Reference button on the tool bar This will expand the Quick Estimate between these two When you are finished changing parameters you can select one of the following options from the Edit menu e Set Reference to commit the changes and set a new reference Note You will not be able to revert the changes e Revert to Reference to undo the changes back to the reference values e Clear Reference to remove the reference and keep the modified values NOTE The reference column stays in place for any element s Quick Estimate window This
26. e Tools folder The documents can also be found by navigating in the Windows Start Menu until you find the SEER For Software folder then click on Tools Q4 How do I get all the windows back after maximizing or resizing a chart report window A4 Go to the Window menu and select Arrange All from there Q5 What are Labor Category Allocations A5 Labor Category Allocations are inputs that let you define the percentage of work to be performed by each Labor Category or role For each lifecycle activity Requirements Analysis Preliminary Design Code amp Unit Test etc SEER SEM lets you customize the amount of work performed by each labor SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 25 category or role Labor category allocations can be changed in the Labor Category Allocation tab in the Inputs window Q6 Does SEER SEM consider Inflation in my estimates A6 Yes it does You can set a cost escalation factor used for inflation if you go to the menu Options and select Project Parameters Enter the factor in the field Cost Escalation Factor Note By default SEER SEM will provide a value for the parameter and then Click the OK button In the reports SEER SEM will provide two values Base Year Cost which will be the unadjusted not considering inflation and Then Year Cost which will consider the inflation factor You can see Then Year Costs in the Cost By Fiscal Year Report Refer to Q3 in Reports and Charts f
27. e Work Breakdown structure of the estimate being generated The total project effort is calculated by adding the effort of each of its WBS Elements Q2 What types of WBS Elements are provided in SEER SEM A2 SEER SEM provides the following types of WBS Elements Rollup represents an aggregate summary of its subordinate WBS elements Rollups are typically used to organize and quantify meaningful subsets or parts of the project Application An aggregation of computer software which satisfies an end use function and is designated for configuration management Component A component of a program a Component represents an effective size subset of its parent Program Unit A Unit represents an effective size subset of its parent Component COTS A Commercial Off The Shelf COTS Element is an element that represents an already developed collection of software Q3 Can I change the element type for an existing WBS element A3 No you cannot You may remove the existing WBS Element and create it again Q4 How can I make copies of individual or multiple WBS elements A4 To copy an individual WBS element highlight the desired element and either right click and select copy go to Menu Edit gt Copy or Ctrl C to copy To add the element to a project you would then use the Insert Paste command from either the Edit menu or from right clicking on the Project WBS window NOTE Copying multiple WBS elements is currently not supported in
28. e element you just created enter the size of the application to be maintained This can be done using either Lines of Code or Functions What is important is that the sizing values are entered in the Pre existing fields either Designed for reuse or not designed for reuse 4 Specify any other parameters needed to better model the environment and the system to be maintained 5 Specify the Maintenance parameters under the SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE Heading to better fit your maintenance needs The parameters in this section will drive the calculation of the maintenance effort Make sure to select Maintenance Size Total Size NOTE There were significant changes to the maintenance model in SEER SEM 8 0 release please refer to page 30 of the SEER SEM 8 0 Release Notes pdf for more information The PDF can be found inside the Tools folder in the SEER SEM installation directory SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 28 6 Observe the results of the Maintenance Only estimate in the Quick Estimate report The following reports provide additional details about the maintenance effort Maintenance effort by year Software Metrics displays total and latent defects The following charts display information about the maintenance effort Maintenance by Fiscal Year Maintenance Allocation Annual Expenditure and Maintenance Cost Risk Q15 How do you create a Testing Only estimate in SEER SEM A15 In general the cost
29. effort will be higher in C When estimating using Lines of Code the parameter is used to adjust the effort some low level languages such as Assembly will require more effort to deliver the same functionality and also to estimate defect prediction If you enter a number of lines of code and then change the FIM you will be asked if you want to convert the entered size based on what is known about how languages map in terms of volume against one another If you click Change you will be asking SEER SEM to migrate the original size and express it in SLOC for the new language selected If you just want to change the language and keep the same SLOC size e g you selected an incorrect language then click No This parameter is closely related to the Language Type parameter If either of these two parameters is changed the other should be checked to ensure that they are consistent For example if the Function Implementation Mechanism is changed from SQL to C Language Type should also be changed from Low to Nominal since SQL is a 4GL and Cis a 3GL Q16 Why can t I see the Estimate to Complete parameters A16 Estimate to Complete ETC parameters are used to project completion based on how much progress has been made expressed as how much is yet to be completed If the Project Monitor amp Control PMC option is turned on it replaces the ETC capability by allowing the user to track project completion using traditional Performance Management Met
30. elation for the Monte Carlo Analysis A28 It is often difficult to determine correlation levels partial correlation between project elements Because of this SEER SEM only provides full correlation Dependent and no correlation Independent If exploring with partial correlations is required a possible approach is to linearly interpolate between the independent and dependent extremes For example if the independent no correlation and dependent full correlation outcomes for a certain probability are 10 000 and 12 000 respectively the 50 correlation outcome would be 11 000 A 70 correlation outcome would be linearly closer to the dependent value thus resulting in 11 400 Q29 Are indirect labor and expenses included in my estimate A29 No Costs associated with indirect activities such as executive corporate management proposal and preparation and administrative clerical G amp A work are not included in an estimate However they can be indirectly factored in by adjusting the labor rates to include a higher level of burden The labor rates can be adjusted in the Parameters tab of the Inputs window under the ECONOMIC FACTORS heading There is a parameter to specify the rate of each individual labor category Also a common rate can be applied to all labor categories using the heading parameter AVERAGE MONTHLY LABOR RATE Q30 How do account for effort associated with functionality to be deleted A30 SEER SEM allows specifying t
31. ersion model relies on setting the correct rework percentages Adjust the percentages as needed to reflect the level of redesign reimplementation and retest required The SEER SEM Rework Percentages xls spreadsheet can be used to perform a mode detailed calculation of the parameters 3 Adjust any other parameters required to better reproduce the environment technology resources economic factors etc For example changes in the SYSTEM INTEGRATION parameters may be required to account for difficulties integrating the new software in the target Q20 How should model Commercial Off the Shelf COTS software A20 SEER SEM allows estimating the costs associated with the use of COTS The term Off the shelf can refer to a wide variety of development items and as a result the approaches used for estimation are equally diverse It is important to spend enough time up front understanding and classifying the COTS element before it can be modeled in SEER SEM 1 Understanding and classifying the COTS element COTS Non Embedded embedded Adapted Component Tools COTS element will typically follow in one of the classifications shown above The first distinction that must be done is whether the COTS will be part of the end application or not Examples of embedded COTS include libraries object classes self contained applications and re used code Examples of non embedded COTS include compilers code generators integrated devel
32. hat happened A10 If this is happening it is because there is an inconsistency with the values you have entered As a general rule Least lt Likely lt Most SEER will automatically assign the lowest value to the Least field and the highest value to the Most field Q11 Why do I see different parameters for different WBS Elements A11 Different parameters will be available depending on the type of WBS element you are selecting SEER SEM will only display the parameters applicable to the WBS Element being selected For example a COTS element has a separate set of parameters than does a Component element Q12 No parameters are shown when I select a Rollup or Project WBS Element Why is this happening A12 SEER SEM allows setting unique parameters to the different WBS elements under the Rollup e g two programs under the same Rollup may be developed by different teams and have different technologies therefore needing different parameter settings When working with Rollup WBS elements parameters should be set at the lower level WBS Element and therefore they are not available at the Rollup level Q13 Can I Copy and Paste parameter values from one WBS Element to another one A13 Yes you can Select the WBS Element where you want the values to be copied from Highlight the parameter s you want to copy Hold the Ctrl key to select several parameters or the Shift key to select SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questio
33. he Include Parameter Notes option is checked When the format is set to Columns you will notice the Include Parameter Notes option is grayed out because it is not supported NOTE If you want to export the WBS Element notes be sure to include WBS Element Description in the Selected Choices list of data to export WBS Element Notes are associated with this item Q12 Why can t I see the Least Likely Most values in my Flexible Export report A12 If the report was generated by columns it will only show the Likely values In order to see the Least Likely Most values the report must be generated by rows To do this In the Options tab of the Flexible Export window select the radio button Columns in the Output By options Then click the Export button and the report should now include the Least Likely Most values SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 23 Q13 Why don t I see all parameters listed in the Inputs report A13 The report will only display the parameters that are visible in the Parameters tab of the Inputs window Any hidden or collapsed parameters will not be shown To display the parameter in the report expand the section where the parameter is in the Parameters tab It may be required to press F9 or select Calculate Now from the Estimate menu to update the report Some parameters may be hidden and will only show when a specific feature or mode is enabled e g The ADJUSTMENT FACTORS parameters will on
34. he amount of functionality lines of code or functions that is going to be deleted from the pre existing code However no effort is associated with the deleted functionality The amount of lines is just discarded before any calculation for pre existing functionality is done A possible workaround to include some effort associated with deletion of functionality is to adjust the Redesign required parameter It is recommended to set a reference by pressing the Set reference button J or selecting the option Set Reference from the Estimate menu This will allow checking the impact of the changes in the Redesign required parameter until they match the desired effort for the deletion SEER G A LORATH
35. hods Both features cannot be used concurrently so SEER SEM disables one method when the other one is enabled The ETC Parameters and SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 18 the Estimate to Complete report are disabled when the PMC mode is enabled To enable ETC disable PMC by unselecting the option Project Monitor amp Control under the menu Project Monitor amp Control Q17 Does SEER SEM provide Earned Value analysis A17 Yes SEER SEM offers the Project Monitor amp Control PMC feature to measure project completion and forecasting using the standard Earned Value method Project Monitor amp Control is a unique tool in that in addition to tracking progress to date it also tracks defect discovery and removal and artifact completion Q18 How should I use the Programs Included in Size and the Programs Concurrently Integrating parameters A18 The Programs Included in Size parameter corresponds to the number of complete stand alone programs which make up a WBS element For Agile projects this can represent a sprint The default setting is always 1 The parameter can be used to estimate an entire project as a single WBS element For example if you wanted to estimate 3 Programs as a single WBS element enter the total functions or lines of code for all 3 Programs in a single WBS element and set this parameter to 3 When the parameter is over 1 the Program WBS element icon in the Project WBS window will ch
36. ication Level Reliability Test Level Quality Assurance Level Rehost from Development to Target PRODUCT REUSABILITY REQUIREMENTS Reusability Level Required Software Impacted by Reuse DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT COMPLEXITY Language Type complexity Host Development System Complexity Applicaton Class Complexity Process Improvement TARGET ENVIRONMENT Special Display Requirements Memory Constraints 0 20 40 60 980 100 120 140 160 180 200 Q4 What is Proxy Sizing A4 Proxies are customized systems of measure for software size you can create your own proxies or use SEER SEM s built in proxies A proxy can be based on anything which can be counted and which roughly corresponds to your project s development effort and schedule SEER SEM converts proxy input to standard units using established conversion factors For example if you know that an application s SEER GAt GORA TH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 15 size corresponds to the number of screens you can create a proxy named Screens which will convert the screen count into function points Q5 How do edit parameters A5 Parameters can be edited by selecting them in the Inputs window and double clicking A window will appear that will let you change the value of the parameter Typically you will be able to edit the Least Likely and Most values for each parameter Q6 Can I change parameters over multiple elements A6 Yes You can
37. ink from Excel to SEER SEM 1 Inthe Excel spreadsheet ensure all data is selected and copy it This can be done by pressing Ctrl C or selecting the Copy option from the menu 2 In SEER SEM select the WBS element where you want to paste the linked object go to the menu Edit and select the option Paste Special 3 Inthe Paste Special window select the option Paste Link and click the OK button The linked parameter should change to green and enclosed in lt lt gt gt The SEER SEM help provides additional documentation on Linking Objects Type in the keyword link to retrieve the information Q21 Is there a way to adjust the level of documentation required for a project A21 Yes this can be done by adjusting the Specification Level Reliability parameter This parameter reflects the level of specification documentation needed which is also an indicator of the level of reliability required for the project The parameter allows choosing the documentation level from no documentation at all parameter set to Very Low to Highest Reliability which implies a high level of documentation and formality and assumes that all documentation is delivered to the customer parameter set to Very High NOTE SEER SEM also allows adjusting the level of Testing V amp V and Quality Assurance using the parameters Test Level and Quality Assurance Level respectively SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Report
38. irements Effort After Baseline parameter to NO Q12 How should I count my SLOC A12 SEER calculations assume that the SLOC count is of logical lines only Extensive documentation can be obtained from the SEER SEM help just search for the keyword Lines of code which will bring a SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 27 table with additional guidelines for counting logical lines of code Additionally a link to download a qualified SLOC Counting tool is available at Galorath s web site Q13 Is there a way to collect data for an estimate without having a SEER License A13 Yes The SEER SEM Input worksheet xls located in the SEER SEM installation Tools directory can be used to collect data required for an estimate without having to run the SEER SEM software The spreadsheet has fields to specify all parameters Knowledge Bases size information and all other inputs required to generate an estimate in SEER SEM A typical use for the worksheet is to collect data from the Developers or Subject Matter Experts SMEs to develop an estimate in SEER They do not need to have a license of SEER to provide their inputs if they use the worksheet The data from the worksheet can then be easily imported in SEER SEM using Server Mode and the Run Commands From Clipboard option in the Tools Menu NOTE More documentation on how to import the data from the worksheet into SEM is available in the actual worksheet or by
39. loyed by SEER the Historical Database HD and the Enterprise Database Enterprise DB SEER HD is a database which serves as a repository central data storage location for common reference data of completed estimates SEER Enterprise DB allows projects to be maintained and shared across a workgroup or enterprise supporting multi user access as well as security archiving and version control Q2 Why are there multiple files in my project directory A2 SEER SEM uses three different files when saving a project They are as follows 1 PRJ Initial save or the currently saved version of the project 2 PRL Linking file for the project This file saves the notes and links you have entered in your project If this file is not present the notes and links will not be available 3 BAK Backup of the previous save The HBK file will only be created if two saves on the project have occurred This allows a user to go back to a previous revision of a project if the HAR file has been corrupted or it is desired to revert to an earlier modification To use the HBK file delete the existing HAR file and then change the extension of the HBK to HAL Q3 Where can I find the User s manual and other documents that relate to SEER SEM A3 The manual and other documents can be found in the main SEER SEM installation directory typically C Program Files SEER SEER SEM 8 0 Once in the SEER SEM folder open the Documents folder and then open th
40. ly show when in calibration mode All the input reports with the exception of the Inputs vs Reference and the FBS Inputs vs Reference share this same behavior Q14 How can tell the effect a parameter has on my estimate A14 This can be done using the Sensitivity Charts SEER SEM offers three types of sensitivity charts Effort Schedule and Defects The charts can be selected by clicking on the Charts window and selecting the option Choose Active Charts Select each chart my marking the corresponding checkbox The sensitivity chart is updated every time you select a different parameter in the Parameters tab in the Inputs window The arrow button J located in the lower left corner will switch between the complete range of values for the parameter or just the selected Least Likely Most values and the Mean It is possible to click on the bars of the sensitivity charts to see the resulting estimate for each value of the parameter In general all charts will show the resulting cost and schedule The Defects Sensitivity chart will show in addition the amount of predicted defects SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 24 General Q1 What s the Database and how does it differ from just saving my files to a directory A1 Using the databases allow for more functionality and reduce the chances of confusion when multiple users are accessing a SEER SEM estimate There are two different types of databases emp
41. ment to represent the initial development Select Knowledge Bases and enter parameters as necessary to better model the initial development NOTE For modeling an incremental effort there are two possible Development Method Knowledge Bases that can be applicable Incremental and Spiral Both Knowledge Bases assume a life cycle where the Requirements Design Code Integration sequence is repeated several times i e for each build or increment The difference is that the Incremental Knowledge Base assumes each iteration will yield a deliverable to the customer whereas the Spiral Knowledge Base assumes each repetition will result in an executable subset that is suitable for demonstration and testing but that with the exception of the final build is not intended for delivery to the customer 2 Inthe Project WBS window select the created WBS element and choose Copy from either the Edit menu or the right click context menu It is also possible to press Ctrl C 3 Create anew Program WBS Element Make sure to highlight this element by clicking on it 4 From the Edit menu select the option Paste Special Then select Paste Build and click the OK button NOTE In the Paste Special window it is also possible to select the option Insert New WBS and Paste Build in which case it would not be necessary to create a new Program WBS Element to hold the next increment New and pre existing lines of code from the previous build become pre existing lines of
42. ng the functionality to be used and some other attributes of the COTS Two Knowledge Bases categories are exclusive for COTS The Component Type Knowledge Base which describes the COTS component and the Test Rigor Knowledge Base which describes the level of formality that will be applied when testing the COTS Component This category is the analog of the Development Standard Knowledge Base for Program WBS Elements Additionally three sizing options are available for COTS Quick Sizing Approximates size by analogy with well known commercial libraries Feature Sizing Simplified version of the function points approach Model functions from the developer s perspective Object Sizing For object oriented COTS Adapted from IFPUG s object oriented function point specification Models functions from the user s perspective Once the COTS WBS Element is created adjust any parameters needed to model the COTS component Make sure to enter any costs recursive and non recursive under the COSTS parameters Interfacing the Component COTS with the rest of the application usually requires the creation of some Glue Code Such code should be modeled in SEER SEM as a new development using a separate WBS element Component Program or Unit WBS Elements can be used and selecting the appropriate Knowledge Bases and parameter settings Tools COTS Tools COTS do not require a WBS element They should be considered when rating the technology and envir
43. ns Page 17 a range then go to the Edit Menu and select Copy you can also press Ctrl C Now select the destination WBS Element where you want the values to be copied and go to the Edit Menu and select Paste or click Ctrl V Q14 How does the Minimum Time vs Optimal Effort parameter work A14 This parameter is used to choose between optimizing the schedule or optimizing the effort in the estimate Optimizing for schedule minimum time assumes the development will be finished as quickly as possible Staff will be added as quickly as possible but larger teams will reduce efficiency and although the project will be completed sooner it will cost more Optimizing for effort assumes the software will be developed in as economical a fashion as possible but will take longer to complete Staffing will be lower and thus smaller more efficient teams will realize a cost savings Q15 What is the Function Implementation Mechanism FIM parameter and how does it affect my estimate A15 This parameter is the language or implementation mechanism such as a code generator or screen generator that will be used to build the current piece of software This parameter is of particular interest when estimating using Function Based Sizing The parameter affects the equivalent size or amount of effort required to implement a function e g it is not the same building 100 screens in C than building the same 100 screens using a screen generator The amount of
44. onment parameters To consider the use of such tools in the estimate look at the ratings for such parameters as Automated Tool Use Requirements Definition Formality Function Implementation Mechanism and others that relate to the development environment and processes The following figure shows an example WBS for an embedded system using COTS SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 33 Main Program modeled as a new development Adapted COTS modeled as re 1 1 1 Flight Deck Con j 1 1 1 Scheduler n used code 1 1 2 CAN Driver Re used 1 1 3 Graphics Interface Off the Shelf graphic library 1 1 4 Glue Code modeled as a COTS component Interface Glue Code modeled as anew development NOTE Additional guidelines for modeling COTS can be found in Chapter 9 of the SEER for Software Detailed Reference This document can be found in the Tools folder of the SEER SEM installation directory Q21 How does SEER SEM convert Function Points to SLOC A21 SEER SEM converts data entered as Functions Lines of Code or Proxies into internal units called Effort Units The amount of work required to deliver one effort unit is equivalent to the amount of work required to deliver one source line of code in a typical 3 generation language Such as C When estimating using Functions the Software Metrics report shows an estimated amount of Effort Units which can be app
45. opment environments IDEs automatic testers requirements tools configuration management tools etc Embedded COTS are further divided into Adapted and Component elements Adapted COTS is typically a component developed for other purposes but that can be adjusted to be used in the application This type of COTS is usually available as source code but requires modification e g redesign redesign and code changes in interfaces etc Component COTS are integrated directly in the application This type is usually intended for reuse and its source code is often not available Some examples are Libraries object classes applications frameworks and graphic packages 2 Modeling the COTS in SEER SEM SEER GAt OQRA TH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 32 Adapted COTS This type of COTS should be modeled in SEER SEM as reused functionality It can be modeled using a Program Component or Unit WBS Element selecting the appropriate Knowledge Bases and parameters Do not use the COTS WBS element to model this type of COTS Estimation of adapted software involves a consideration of existing software reuse lines or functions with a description of the rework required described in terms of redesign reimplementation and retest The SEER SEM Rework Percentages xls worksheet can be used to aid in the calculation of the rework percentages Component COTS Components are modeled in SEER SEM using the COTS WBS element describi
46. options that can be used for modeling a language conversion Language Conversion Manual and Language Conversion Automated As the name implies the former is to be used when the conversion is to be done manually while the latter assumes that there is some sort of translation tool to perform the conversion automatically Both Knowledge Bases assume no change in the software design beyond what is dictated by the language change i e the original functionality will remain intact The main difference between these two Knowledge Bases is in the Reimplementation required parameter which is set to 100 for the manual conversion but is assumed to be very low for the automated case Also the Retest required parameter is slightly higher for the manual case since the code is manually generated it is assumed to be a little more error prone 2 Enter the size of the original application to be converted using one of the available sizing methods Lines of Code Functions or Proxies IMPORTANT The size must be entered in one of the pre existing fields either designed for reuse or not designed for reuse This should be SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 31 decided based on an assessment of the origin code E g if the code was developed in house it is considered to be understandable and it has a good level of documentation then it can be modeled as designed for reuse Whatever the choice is the key to an accurate conv
47. or instructions on selecting reports Q7 Can I change the default Labor Rates used to compute labor costs A7 Yes you can Select the WBS Element for which you want to change the default labor rates In the Parameters window look for the heading ECONOMIC FACTORS and expand it Then expand the heading AVERAGE MONTHLY LABOR RATE Here you will be able to change the default labor rates for all development labor NOTE All rates can be changed here except by the Maintenance labor rate The labor rate for maintenance is located under the heading SOFTWARE MAINTENANCE Q8 What is Pre existing functionality in SEER SEM A8 SEER SEM size categories include new functionality either lines of code or functions and two types of pre existing functionality New functionality is to be built from scratch pre existing functionality already exists and will be reused with some degree of modification The pre existing categories may also be used for estimating special circumstances such as generated code and test only activities There are two categories of pre existing functionality designed for reuse and not designed for reuse The former generally requires significantly less rework than the latter SEER SEM allows you to specify the percentages of redesign reimplementation and retest for pre existing functionality Click on the next to a category s name to see its parameter list You can use more than one size metric but be careful to count each
48. osoft Office by establishing persistent links which allow SEER to share information with virtually any other type of program including spreadsheet slideshow project planning and word processing applications Q10 What is Effective Size A10 Effective Size in SEER SEM equals the new lines of code which would be generated by the amount of effort required by the project For a project with all new code effective size equals new size When the project includes preexisting code the full formula is Total Effective Size New Preexisting Effective Size The Pre existing effective size is calculated based on the actual size of the pre existing code and the rework percentages Redesign Reimplementation and Retest Overall Effective Size is thus a hybrid normalized measure of the total amount of software to be developed It includes all new and preexisting functions lines of code COTS functionality to be integrated and proxy size each adjusted for effort If a project uses any preexisting code Effective Size always will be less than or equal to total size Q11 How can tell SEER to exclude all effort related to Requirements from my estimate A11 There are two equivalent approaches to remove all Requirements effort from the estimate 1 Setting the Requirements Definition Formality parameter to VLo Very Low No requirements analysis included in this estimate 2 Setting the Requirements Complete at Start parameter to Hi and the Requ
49. r changes with new entries appended to the end Q8 My Knowledge Bases lists are empty A8 SEER SEM will look for the Knowledge Bases in the directory specified in the Set Paths option under the Options menu By default the path is set to the Knowledge Bases folder in the SEER installation directory If you are creating a new WBS element and the dropdown menus for the Knowledge Bases are empty make sure to check the path to ensure it is set correctly Also notice that if you have created you own Knowledge Bases these will not show unless they are saved in the directory specified in the Set Paths option Q9 How can perform Trade off analysis with multiple Knowledge Bases A9 To perform a Trade off analysis of the results obtained with two different Knowledge Bases start by selecting the WBS Element that will be subject to the analysis Set a reference by selecting the option Set Reference under the menu Estimate This will set a reference of the estimate with the currently loaded Knowledge Bases Now change the Knowledge Base using the Load Individual Knowledge Base option from the Estimate menu Refer to Q5 inside Knowledge Bases Observe the differences in the estimate in the Quick Estimate report Also the Inputs vs Reference report will show a detailed list of the parameters that changed when the new Knowledge Base was loaded After the analysis it is possible to go back to the original estimate by selecting the option Revert
50. roximated to the amount of source lines of code estimated for the application With regards to the conversion factor from Function Points to SLOC there are many sources in the literature and in the web however no standard has been defined and there is a lot of variability SEER SEM utilizes Galorath s proprietary conversion factors which are obtained from historical data and best industry standards to translate function points into lines of code The following parameters affect the conversion Function Implementation Mechanism Used to select the conversion factor to be applied each language has a different factor Software Phase at Estimate More effort units are estimated when the software is in the earlier phases Application Class Complexity More effort units are estimated for higher complexity applications Q22 Can I use SEER SEM to estimate firmware development A22 Yes it is possible However depending on the formality and rigorousness of the process being followed it could be more suitable to model such development in SEER H If the firmware is being developed documented managed and configuration controlled as usually done in a software development project then it can be modeled in SEER SEM However if the firmware development is a SEER GAt ORA TH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 34 small portion within a hardware development probably not following any particular standards then it is re
51. s and Charts Q1 What reports are available in SEER SEM A1 SEER SEM provides the following reports PMC Report Activity Report Basic Estimate Report Calibration Summary Report Cost by Fiscal Year Report Cost By Labor Category Report Cost By Month Report Cover Sheet Report Detailed Staffing Profile Report Estimate To Complete Report FBS Inputs Report FBS Inputs vs Reference Report FBS Inputs with Notes Report Inputs Report Q2 What charts are available in SEER SEM A2 SEER SEM provides the following charts Activity Allocation Annual Expenditure Benchmark vs Kbase Risk Cost Risk Defect Profile Defects Risk Defects Sensitivity Effort Comparison Effort Risk Effort Sensitivity Effort Schedule Trade Off Estimate Assessment Estimate vs Kbase Goals Confidence Level Labor Category Allocation Maintenance Allocation Page 20 Inputs vs Knowledge Base Report Inputs vs Reference Report Inputs with Notes Report Labor Category Allocation Report Maintenance Effort by Year Report Person Hours By Labor Category Report Person Months By Labor Category Report Rollup Development Risk Report Rollup Schedule Risk Report Quick Estimate Report Risk Analysis Report Software Metrics Report Time Phased Defects Report Maintenance by Fiscal Year Maintenance Cost Risk Chart PMC Benchmark PMC Defects Tracking PMC Health amp Status Indicator PMC
52. s associated with testing are embedded within the development costs However SEER allows the user to create a testing only estimate To do this follow these instructions 1 2 3 4 5 6 Start by creating a project in SEER SEM Select the Knowledge Bases that better fit the environment of the system to be tested IMPORTANT For the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base make sure to select Integrate As Is as the Knowledge Base Create a new WBS Element of type Program This element will be used for the testing only estimate Select the Knowledge Bases that better fit the environment of the system to be maintained IMPORTANT For the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base make sure to select Integrate As Is as the Knowledge Base In the element you just created enter the size of the application to be tested This can be done using either Lines of Code or Functions What is important is that the sizing values are entered in the Pre existing fields either Designed for reuse or not designed for reuse Make sure to set the Requirements Complete at Start parameter to High to eliminate from the estimate any effort associated with requirements activities Specify any other parameters needed to better model the environment and the system to be tested The Integrate As Is Knowledge Base sets the Redesign and Reimplementation percentages to 0 01 to tell SEER not to include any effort for design or coding and the Retest percentages to certain
53. t can be used to perform a more detailed calculation of these parameters 3 Adjust any other parameters required to better reproduce the environment technology resources economic factors etc For example changes in the SYSTEM INTEGRATION parameters may be required to account for difficulties integrating the auto generated software in the target Q27 The Monte Carlo Rollup reports show two columns Independent and Dependent What are those and which one should I use A27 These two columns report the different correlation levels used by the Monte Carlo Sampling The fully uncorrelated estimate is labeled Independent on the risk report It implies that the WBS elements in your project are essentially independent of one another and the outcome of one program will not impact the outcome of another program The fully correlated estimate is Dependent It implies that the WBS elements in your project are very closely interrelated and the cost and schedule outcomes of all programs will be high if any one is high and low if any one is low The Monte Carlo analysis is a statistical approach used to accumulate risk at the Rollup level Predicting the correlation is usually very difficult so SEER SEM provides the two extremes full correlation and no correlation The actual outcome will probably lie somewhere between this range SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 36 Q28 Is there a way to specify a partial corr
54. to Reference from the menu Estimate SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 9 Q10 Why can t I change the Platform Knowledge Base using the Load Individual Knowledge Base option A10 The Platform Knowledge Base contains settings for all parameters As a result if a Platform Knowledge Base is loaded individually it will overwrite the settings done by all the other Knowledge Bases The result would be a WBS element that only contains parameter settings for the selected platform Knowledge Base even though it has more Knowledge Bases associated to it To avoid this from happening the loading of an individual platform Knowledge Base has been disabled in the Load Individual Knowledge Base option The only way to change the Platform Knowledge Base is from the Create Modify WBS Element window However this method will load all Knowledge Bases and overwrite any parameter settings done by the user Q11 How are Knowledge Bases maintained by Galorath A11 Knowledge Bases are kept under continuous maintenance and improvement at Galorath New Knowledge Bases are created and existing ones are updated based on Industry trends When new or updated Knowledge Bases become available they are included with the next major release of SEER SEM SEER GaAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 10 WBS Elements Q1 What are WBS Elements A1 A WBS Element is each of the single entities that constitute th
55. to be high in SEER SEM but were rated low in COCOMO Galorath Incorporated has done extensive research on mapping the parameters in SEER SEM to the equivalent parameters in COCOMO making possible the conversion from one tool to the other one with similar results The outcome of such research has been consolidated in a paper that can be provided by Galorath upon request Q24 What is included in the Project Manager labor category in SEER SEM A24 The Project Manager labor category includes all personnel involved with direct labor software management It does not include hardware management or highest level program management Direct software management refers to the people who manage development work on a day to day basis so called Level 1 management Higher levels of management are managers who manage managers program managers are an example of management that is not included For all intents and purposes these people are not the direct developers Q25 How can model a Spiral development A25 Modeling a Spiral development is similar to modeling Incremental Builds Releases Refer to Q17 in the General section SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 35 Q26 How should model a development using a code generator A26 SEER SEM allows modeling a development using a code generator The coding is assumed to be fully automated No manual coding is required 1 Start by creating a new Program WBS Element
56. typing the keyword Server Mode in the SEER SEM help Q14 How do you create a Maintenance Only estimate in SEER SEM A14 SEER SEM allows the users to estimate the maintenance costs for their projects In general the maintenance costs are calculated along with the development costs and SEER provides separate cost and schedule estimates for each However SEER also allows the user to create a maintenance only estimate To do this follow these instructions 1 Start by creating a project in SEER SEM Select the Knowledge Bases that better fit the environment of the system to be maintained IMPORTANT For the Acquisition Method Knowledge Base make sure to select one of the Maintenance Only Knowledge Bases Full Effort Sustaining for Mature System New System In the Create Modify WBS Element window you can click on the label Acquisition Method to display additional information to help you choose your Knowledge Base 2 Create a new WBS Element of type Program This element will be used for the maintenance only estimate Select the Knowledge Bases that better fit the environment of the system to be maintained IMPORTANT For the Acquisition Method KnowledgeBase make sure to select one of the Maintenance Only Knowledge Bases Full Effort Sustaining for Mature System New System In the Create Modify WBS Element window you can click on the label Acquisition Method to display additional information to help you choose your Knowledge Base 3 Inth
57. values If the Retest percentages do not represent the effort required you can adjust them using one of the following approaches a Set the percentages using your best engineering judgment b Use the SEER SEM Rework Percentages xls file found under the Tools folder in the SEER Installation directory to determine the percentages and then copy the percentages into the SEER SEM estimate Observe the results of the Testing Only estimate in the Quick Estimate report NOTE The resulting estimate will not include any effort for Unit Testing since this is assumed to be part of the Coding activity In case Unit Testing effort needs to be included the user should use the SEER SEM Rework Percentages xls file to calculate the Reimplementation percentage including Unit Testing and then copy the percentage into the SEM estimate Q16 How can I tell SEER to exclude System Integration activities from my estimate A16 To disable the System Integration set the Programs Concurrently Integrating parameter to 0 Nominal No software to software integration and also the Hardware Integration Level parameter to VLo Very Low No Hardware Integration SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 29 Q17 How can estimate a program with incremental builds releases A17 SEER SEM allows modeling a program with incremental builds or releases To accomplish this follow these steps 1 Create a Program WBS ele
58. ypes of Knowledge Bases are provided in SEER SEM A3 SEM provides different Knowledge Bases depending on the type of WBS element being estimated The following Knowledge Bases are provided For Program Component and Unit WBS Elements Platform Describe the primary mission or operating environment of the software under estimation e g Business Client Server ERP Development Application Describe the primary function of the software e g Communications Data Mining Acquisition Method Describe the scope and type of project being developed or maintained These Knowledge Bases generally apply to rework of preexisting functions or source lines of code and are used to estimate the effort associated with the various scenarios described e g New Development Requirements Only System Testing Only Development Method Describe the method to be used for the development of the software e g Agile RUP Waterfall SEER GAtOR ATH SEER SEM Frequently Asked Questions Page 7 Development Standard Describe the standards to be followed during development These Knowledge Bases generally include values for the specification level test level and quality assurance level parameters e g Commercial IEEE DO 178B Class User customized Knowledge Bases For Commercial Off The Shelf COTS WBS Elements Platform Same as above Application Same as above Component Type Describe the type of COTS component e g Database Leg

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