COCOMO-SCORM: Cost Estimation for SCORM Course Development Roger Smith & Kelly Ward SPARTA Inc. and Anteon Inc. rsmith@sparta.com and kward@anteon.com 07 March 2006

What is COCOMO? The Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO I) was first published in 1981 by Barry Boehm. Its ability to estimate software projects led to its almost universal adoption and continued research that led to the creation of COCOMO II in 1998. Since 1981, the COCOMO estimation method has been adapted to serve a number of different types of projects, e.g. Systems Engineering (COSYSMO) COTS Acquisition (COCOTS) Cost, Schedule, Quality Balance (COQUALMO) Rapid Application Development (CORADMO) Productivity Improvement (COPROMO) Lifecycle Costs (COPSEMO)

What is SCORM? Sharable Content Object Reference Model (SCORM) A standard for web-based E-learning. It defines how the individual instruction elements are combined on a technical level and sets conditions for the software needed for using the content. The standard uses XML and it is based on the results of work done by AICC, IMS, IEEE, and Ariadne. SCORM is a suite of technical standards that enable web-based learning systems to find, import, share, reuse, and export learning content in a standardized way. 

Project Description Create an interactive project estimation tool for ISD/SCORM content Algorithmic foundation for the tool is the COCOMO II algorithm developed for software projects by the research team at the University of Southern California and led by Barry Boehm ISD methodology estimated will be the ADDIE model developed at Florida State University and adopted by the U.S. Armed Services Resulting algorithm and tools will estimate the person-months required to create a SCORM conformant learning product Dollar costs can be derived outside of the model by applying industry standard or specific company labor rates

Current Estimation Methods Historical Bottom-up Top-down Industry standards For example, audience completes the top survey question Problems introduced: Conditions change – i.e. SCORM, new technologies

Different Approach Enumerate SCORM products and processes that contribute to the staffing and duration of a project Identify mathematic and logical relationships between these items Quantify the level of contribution of each item to project cost Define a bounded set of conditions under which the algorithm can be relied upon Validate the algorithm for various sets of data within the bounded conditions

Why Change? Consistent, objective, and reliable estimation tool for SCORM content and projects First step in formalizing an estimation method in the ADL community Create a tool that other projects can apply, modify, and mature COCOMO II has been evolving for 25 years. COCOMO-SCORM tool from this project will be the first step in the long evolution and improvement of a tool for this community

COCOMO II Tool Example User’s Perspective Quantitative Qualitative

COCOMO-SCORM Drivers (27 Input Variables) Size Source Lines of Code (SLOC) Design Modification (DM) Code Modification (CM) Integration (IM) Assessment (AA) Understanding (SU) Unfamiliarity (UNFAM) Scale Drivers Development Flexibility (FLEX) Process Maturity (PMAT) Precedentedness (PREC) Arch/Risk Resolution (RESL) Team Cohesion (TEAM) Product Effort Multipliers (EM) Required Reliability (RELY) Product Complexity (CPLX) Required Reuse (RUSE) Documentation (DOCU) Platform EM Platform Volatility (PVOL) Bandwidth (BAND) Personnel EM Senior Capability (SCAP) Developer Capability (DCAP) Personnel Continuity (PCON) Applications Experience (APEX) Platform Experience (PLEX) Development Tools Experience (DTEX) Project EM Lifecycle Tools (LIFE) Multisite Development (SITE) Required Development Schedule (SCED)

EM Effect on Project 15 Effort Multipliers Set to Nominal Extra High Nominal Very Low Course Hours Project Cost Project Cost = A * Course Hours (Person Months) (Constant) (Student Hours)

Answers Effect Project Cost 15 Effort Multipliers Other Than Nominal Project Cost Course Hours Nominal Cost Project Cost = A * EMi * Course Hours (Person Months) (Constant) (Modifiers) (Student Hours)

Range of Cost Variation Max = X 115 ? Course Hours Project Cost Flex From: X times larger to Y times smaller Min = Y 0.05 ?

COSCOMO Model Algorithm PM = A*(Size)E * PEMi 15 i=1 5 E = B + .01*PSFj j=1 Where: PM = effort in Person Months A = calibration constant derived from historical project data Size = Adjust Source Lines of Code E = represents diseconomy of scale (composed of 5 scale factors) EMi = effort multiplier for the ith cost driver. The geometric product results in an overall effort adjustment factor to the nominal effort. B = calibration constant derived from historical project data SFj = scale factor for the jth cost driver. Provides organization specific adjustments to the size of the project.

Join the Team Take the Survey (Provide Anteon Web Site for Survey) Contact us Roger.Smith@sparta.com or Kward@anteon.com Contact Joint ADL CoLab Bill.Pike@us.army.mil Leave Your Business Card Visit our Demo in the USDLA Pavilion (Time and Location for COSCOMO demo)