Function Points

[Richard Gaskin]

While working on some code base analysis tools, I began to wonder about 
the up-front side of the equation, estimating.

Although there are many useful measurements for code base analysis, I've 
found few methods for measuring the scope of a project before the code 
is written.

Perhaps the most popular is counting function points, but as I've looked 
into this it seems that even the best methods for counting function 
points have a strong subjective element (when is a particular input 
considered "complex"?).  So while I can see the value for large shops 
where the same teams might derive function point counts across a great 
many projects, I haven't yet come across a method of measuring project 
scope in a way that allows different smaller shops to compare their 
findings in any meaningful way.

Do any of you use function point analysis?  What other methods of 
quantitatively scoping a project have you found useful? What constitutes 
a function point in Rev, and how does one weight it?

And perhaps more to the point:  Am I looking for a Holy Grail in trying 
to find an objective measurement for projects which don't have any code yet?

-- 
  Richard Gaskin
  Fourth World Media Corporation
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