Domain-Oriented Estimation Using the SEER CostIQ System Lee Fischman Galorath Incorporated

Imagine Obtaining Cost Directly From Limited Requirements

Case Based Reasoning (CBR) “Domain” (Tanks) “Cases” Case-based reasoning (CBR) is the process of solving new problems based on the solutions of similar past problems.

A Change In Perspective Focus shifts from specifying modeling parameters… …to specifying system requirements. This approach is enabled through case based reasoning.

CBR ‘Process’ RETRIEVE the most similar case or cases. REUSE the information and knowledge in that case to solve the problem. REVISE the proposed solution. RETAIN the parts of this experience likely to be useful for future problem solving.

Advantages of Merging CBR With Parametric Estimating Faster Project Workups Embedding of Expert Knowledge More Uniformity In Estimating Practice Better-Specified Projects Complete Projects From Very Basic Requirements

Required: Intelligent Merging of Past Cases How do case get combined?

Basic Operation

Design Risks “Requirements are insufficient for detailed costing” MITIGATION: Create cases as very detailed cost modeling projects. Let the user fine tune the resulting parametric modeling project. “Too many systems are needed to train for new domains” MITIGATION: Domain-dependant. Some domains require as few as a half dozen cases. “New systems don’t look like past ones” MITIGATION: Give the user ample opportunity to rate past cases’ relevance and include/exclude WBS elements based on which best reflect the configuration of a proposed system. “Users must be expert in SEER” MITIGATION: For ROM estimates, users need not access SEER. “Domains rely on past cases, which may not exist” MITIGATION: Partial. The most common domains have been created, and cases specified for these from publicly available information.

Select A Domain

Specify Primary Requirements

Review and Update Derived Requirements

Evaluate Relevance of Previous Cases

Edit the Derived Work Breakdown Structure

Determine How Parameters Should Be Set

Create SEER Project

Optional: Edit SEER Project

A Tool for Creating New Domains Intended for the subject matter expert.

Summary of CostIQ CostIQ accepts SEER projects (“cases”) within a particular subject area (“domain”) and stores these for later synthesis of new, unique projects that represent a composite of the most relevant prior cases. New SEER projects are created based on the requirements for a new system, rather than on detailed technical information. CostIQ integrates with all SEER models. Synthesized projects can, once laid out, be further refined.

Thanks www.galorath.com 20