Appeal No. 2001-1087
Application 08/660,616
The disclosed invention relates to a method for
determining a cost for maintaining a software application, and to
a method for determining a total cost for an enhancement to a
software application portfolio.
Claim 1 is illustrative of the claimed invention, and
it reads as follows:
1. A method for determining a cost for maintaining a
software application, comprising the steps of:
receiving and storing functional metrics data of the
software application in a computer readable storage medium
wherein the functional metrics data includes software size in
function points, number of users, and number of sites;
determining a composite index of the software applica-
tion from the functional metrics data;
receiving and storing maintenance information for the
software application in the computer readable storage medium;
determining a maintainability index of the software
application from the maintenance information, the maintainability
index providing an indication of the availability and quality of
documentation for the software application;
receiving and storing an average cost per full-time
equivalent in the computer readable storage medium;
determining a maintenance unit cost of the software
application from the composite index, the maintainability index,
and the average cost per full-time equivalent;
determining a total maintenance cost of the software
application from the maintenance unit cost and the size in
2
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