A Framework for Top-Down Cost Estimation of Software Development

The Function Point Method, estimation by analogy, and algorithmic modeling are three of the most commonly applied methods used to estimate the costs and worker hours needed for a software development project. These methods, however, require a deep and wide expertise in particular areas and may still result in unacceptable discrepancies between the estimated costs and the actual costs. This paper presents a framework for a top-down cost estimation method (TCE). The method is based on the assumption that different types of software have different intrinsic complexities. We expect that this method will produce easier, faster, and more accurate estimations in the early stages of a software project.