Multimedia courseware: Never mind the quality how much will it cost to develop?

This paper evaluates multimedia courseware costing techniques such as the US Airforce Interactive Courseware Method (Golas, 1993), CBT Analyst (Kearsley, 1985), CEAC (Schooley, 1988) and MEEM (Marshall, Samson, Dugard, & Scott, 1994) against the data from ten multimedia courseware developments. The Relative Error and Mean Absolute Relative Error (MARE) are calculated to allow comparison of the different methods

A systematic review of software development cost estimation studies

This paper aims to provide a basis for the improvement of software estimation research through a systematic review of previous work. The review identifies 304 software cost estimation papers in 76 journals and classifies the papers according to research topic, estimation approach, research approach, study context and data set. A web-based library of these cost estimation papers is provided to ease the identification of relevant estimation research results. The review results combined with other knowledge provide support for recommendations for future software cost estimation research, including: 1) Increase the breadth of the search for relevant studies, 2) Search manually for relevant papers within a carefully selected set of journals when completeness is essential, 3) Conduct more studies on estimation methods commonly used by the software industry, and, 4) Increase the awareness of how properties of the data sets impact the results when evaluating estimation methods

A total quality management (TQM) strategic measurement perspective with specific reference to the software industry

The dissertation aims to obtain an integrated and comprehensive perspective on measurement issues that play a strategic role in organisations that aim at continuous quality improvement through TQM. The multidimensional definition of quality is proposed to view quality holistically. The definition is dynamic, thus dimensions are subject to evolution. Measurement of the quality dimensions is investigated. The relationship between quality and cost, productivity and profitability respectively is examined. The product quality dimensions are redefined for processes. Measurement is a strategic component ofTQM. Integration of financial measures with supplier-; customer-; performance- and internal process measurement is essential for synergism. Measurement of quality management is an additional strategic quality dimension. Applicable research was integrated. Quantitative structures used successfully in industry to achieve quality improvement is important, thus the quality management maturity grid, cleanroom software engineering, software factories, quality function deployment, benchmarking and the ISO 9000 standards are briefly described. Software Metrics Programs are considered to be an application of a holistic measurement approach to quality. Two practical approaches are identified. A framework for initiating implementation is proposed. Two strategic software measurement issues are reliability and cost estimation. Software reliability measurement and modelling are introduced. A strategic approach to software cost estimation is suggested. The critical role of data collection is emphasized. Different approaches to implement software cost estimation in organisations are proposed. A total installed cost template as the ultimate goal is envisaged. An overview of selected software cost estimation models is provided. Potential research areas are identified. The linearity/nonlinearity nature of the software production function is analysed. The synergy between software cost estimation models and project management techniques is investigated. The quantification aspects of uncertainty in activity durations, pertaining to project scheduling, are discussed. Statistical distributions for activity durations are reviewed and compared. A structural view of criteria determining activity duration distribution selection is provided. Estimation issues are reviewed. The integration of knowledge from dispersed fields leads to new dimensions of interaction. Research and practical experience regarding software metrics and software metrics programs can be successfully applied to address the measurement of strategic indicators in other industries.Business ManagementD. Phil. (Operations Research

Use of multimedia in engineering education

Learning (CAL) by the computing industry, there remained a shortage of suitable titles insome subject areas, including engineering.Investigation revealed that the most significant barrier to the exploitation ofmultimedia technology concerned justification and payback for the substantial amount ofdevelopment effort required to produce software of this kind. It was found that the size ofthe potential audience for a programme was all too easily limited by the exorbitantcomputer system requirements and limited flexibility which tended to be built into thesoftware by default. It was aimed to investigate whether the elements of a multimediaprogramme which contributed greatly to its computer system requirements, cost andinflexibility were so closely linked to its educational effectiveness.The research was experimental in nature. It involved the creation of several pieces ofmultimedia software, this being an experiment in itself since it allowed measurement ofthe amount of effort required to incorporate the various media into an educationalprogramme. Two particularly significant pieces of software are described in detail in thethesis; an advisory system meant to promote design for testability among electronicengineers, and a CAL system offering an introduction to process planning. Both of thesefeatured, in places, a highly interactive style, involving the dynamic generation of imagesand animations in response to users’ input. This represented a radical departure from theconventional approach to multimedia, which was normally based upon the sequentialplayback of prerecorded material.The process planning software was used with groups of students; their commentswere invited and their performance was measured in a test which used a novel method toidentify any students who had prior knowledge of the subject. (Correct answers from suchpeople could not reasonably be claimed to indicate that learning had taken place, but theresults of the remaining students provided a more accurate sample.) Knowing how wellstudents had performed on each question, when taught in a variety of different styles, itwas possible to compare the educational effectiveness of each approach. Since the amountof time spent adding each feature and medium to the software was known, it was thenpossible to identify which media had been the most efficient.It was found that interactivity is the most vital single ingredient in CAL software.Experimental results clearly showed that learning was most likely to occur when thesubjects were required to play an active role. Attractive, informative media such as photographs and diagrams did generally help to facilitate learning, but the effect of thesewas comparatively minor.The author theorises that effective computer-based education does not necessarilyinvolve extensive use of high quality digital video and the like; rather that the means toeffective computer-based learning predate the multimedia era

Early experiences in measuring multimedia systems development effort

The development of multimedia information systems must be managed and controlled just as it is for other generic system types. This paper proposes an approach for assessing multimedia component and system characteristics with a view to ultimately using these features to estimate the associated development effort. Given the different nature of multimedia systems, existing metrics do not appear to be entirely useful in this domain; however, some general principles can still be applied in analysis. Some basic assertions concerning the influential characteristics of multimedia systems are made and a small preliminary set of data is evaluated.UnpublishedAlbrecht, A.J. (1979), “Measuring application development productivity”, in Proceedings IBM Application Development Symposium, Monterey CA, 83-92. Beautement, P. (1991), “Review of interactive video systems and their possible application to training in the 90’s”, Interactive Learning International, 7, 45-54. Boehm, B. (1981), Software Engineering Economics, Englewood Cliffs NJ, Prentice Hall. England, E. and Finney, A. (1996), Managing Multimedia, Harlow, Addison-Wesley. Gao, X. and Lo, B. (1996), “A modified function point method for CAL systems with respect to software cost estimation”, in Proceedings of the Software Engineering Conference SE:E&P’96, Dunedin, New Zealand, 125-132. Jeffery, D.R. and Low, G. (1990), “Calibrating estimation tools for software development”, Software Engineering Journal, 5(4), 215-221. Gruskin, L. (1994), “Multimedia consulting”, in Keyes, J. (ed), The McGraw-Hill Multimedia Handbook, New York, McGraw-Hill, 24.1-24.11. Marshall, I.M., Samson, W.B. and Dugard, P.I. (1994), “A proposed framework for predicting the development effort of multimedia courseware”, in Kappe, F. and Herzner, W. (eds) Multimedia/Hypermedia in Open Distributed Environments, Springer-Verlag, 161-180. Merrill, M.D., Li, Z. and Jones, M.K. (1991), “Limitations of first generation instructional design”, Educational Technology, 30(1), 7-11

Early experiences in measuring multimedia systems development effort

The development of multimedia information systems must be managed and controlled just as it is for other generic system types. This paper proposes an approach for assessing multimedia component and system characteristics with a view to ultimately using these features to estimate the associated development effort. Given the different nature of multimedia systems, existing metrics do not appear to be entirely useful in this domain; however, some general principles can still be applied in analysis. Some basic assertions concerning the influential characteristics of multimedia systems are made and a small preliminary set of data is evaluated.UnpublishedAlbrecht, A.J. (1979), “Measuring application development productivity”, in Proceedings IBM Application Development Symposium, Monterey CA, 83-92. Beautement, P. (1991), “Review of interactive video systems and their possible application to training in the 90’s”, Interactive Learning International, 7, 45-54. Boehm, B. (1981), Software Engineering Economics, Englewood Cliffs NJ, Prentice Hall. England, E. and Finney, A. (1996), Managing Multimedia, Harlow, Addison-Wesley. Gao, X. and Lo, B. (1996), “A modified function point method for CAL systems with respect to software cost estimation”, in Proceedings of the Software Engineering Conference SE:E&P’96, Dunedin, New Zealand, 125-132. Jeffery, D.R. and Low, G. (1990), “Calibrating estimation tools for software development”, Software Engineering Journal, 5(4), 215-221. Gruskin, L. (1994), “Multimedia consulting”, in Keyes, J. (ed), The McGraw-Hill Multimedia Handbook, New York, McGraw-Hill, 24.1-24.11. Marshall, I.M., Samson, W.B. and Dugard, P.I. (1994), “A proposed framework for predicting the development effort of multimedia courseware”, in Kappe, F. and Herzner, W. (eds) Multimedia/Hypermedia in Open Distributed Environments, Springer-Verlag, 161-180. Merrill, M.D., Li, Z. and Jones, M.K. (1991), “Limitations of first generation instructional design”, Educational Technology, 30(1), 7-11

Industry practices in project management for multimedia information systems

This paper describes ongoing research directed at formulating a set of appropriate measures for assessing and ultimately predicting effort requirements for multimedia systems development. Whilst significant advances have been made in the determination of measures for both transaction-based and process-intensive systems, very little work has been undertaken in relation to measures for multimedia systems. A small preliminary empirical study is reviewed as a precursor to a more exploratory investigation of the factors that are considered by industry to be influential in determining development effort. This work incorporates the development and use of a goal-based framework to assist the measure selection process from a literature basis, followed by an industry questionnaire. The results provide a number of preliminary but nevertheless useful insights into contemporary project management practices with respect to multimedia systems.Unpublished1. B. Boehm, Software Engineering Economics, Prentice Hall, 1981. 2. A. J. Albrecht and J. E. Gaffney Jr, “Software function, source lines of code, and development effort prediction: a software science validation”, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 9(6) (1983) 639-648. 3. E. England and A. Finney, Managing Multimedia, Addison-Wesley, 1996. 4. I. M. Marshall, W. B. Samson. and P. I. Dugard, “A proposed framework for predicting the development effort of multimedia courseware”, in Multimedia/Hypermedia in Open Distributed Environments, Eds. F. Kappe and W. Herzner, Springer-Verlag, 1994, pp. 161-180. 5. X. Gao and B. Lo, “A modified function point method for CAL systems with respect to software cost estimation”, Proceedings of the Software Engineering Conference SE:E&P'96, 1996, pp. 125-132. 6. M. D. Merrill, Z. Li and M. K. Jones, “Limitations of first generation instructional design”, Educational Technology 30(1) (1991) 7-11. 7. P. Beautement, “Review of interactive video systems and their possible application to training in the 90's”, Interactive Learning International 7 (1991) 45-54. 8. I. M. Marshall, W. B. Samson, P. I. Dugard and G. R. Lund, “The mythical courseware development to delivery time ratio”, Computers in Education 25(3) (1995) 113-122. 9. C. Fraser, The Production Assistant’s Survival Guide, BBC Television Training, 1994. 10. R. Bretz, Handbook for Producing Educational and Public-Access Programs for Cable Television, Rand Corporation, 1976. 11. T. Fletcher, S. G. MacDonell and W. B. L. Wong, “Early experiences in measuring multimedia systems development effort”, in Multimedia Technology and Applications (Proc. ICMTM '96), Ed. V. W. S. Chow, Springer, 1997, pp. 211-220. 12. V. R. Basili and H. D. Rombach, “The TAME Project: towards improvement-oriented software environments”, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 14(6) (1988) 758-773

Industry practices in project management for multimedia information systems

This paper describes ongoing research directed at formulating a set of appropriate measures for assessing and ultimately predicting effort requirements for multimedia systems development. Whilst significant advances have been made in the determination of measures for both transaction-based and process-intensive systems, very little work has been undertaken in relation to measures for multimedia systems. A small preliminary empirical study is reviewed as a precursor to a more exploratory investigation of the factors that are considered by industry to be influential in determining development effort. This work incorporates the development and use of a goal-based framework to assist the measure selection process from a literature basis, followed by an industry questionnaire. The results provide a number of preliminary but nevertheless useful insights into contemporary project management practices with respect to multimedia systems.Unpublished1. B. Boehm, Software Engineering Economics, Prentice Hall, 1981. 2. A. J. Albrecht and J. E. Gaffney Jr, “Software function, source lines of code, and development effort prediction: a software science validation”, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 9(6) (1983) 639-648. 3. E. England and A. Finney, Managing Multimedia, Addison-Wesley, 1996. 4. I. M. Marshall, W. B. Samson. and P. I. Dugard, “A proposed framework for predicting the development effort of multimedia courseware”, in Multimedia/Hypermedia in Open Distributed Environments, Eds. F. Kappe and W. Herzner, Springer-Verlag, 1994, pp. 161-180. 5. X. Gao and B. Lo, “A modified function point method for CAL systems with respect to software cost estimation”, Proceedings of the Software Engineering Conference SE:E&P'96, 1996, pp. 125-132. 6. M. D. Merrill, Z. Li and M. K. Jones, “Limitations of first generation instructional design”, Educational Technology 30(1) (1991) 7-11. 7. P. Beautement, “Review of interactive video systems and their possible application to training in the 90's”, Interactive Learning International 7 (1991) 45-54. 8. I. M. Marshall, W. B. Samson, P. I. Dugard and G. R. Lund, “The mythical courseware development to delivery time ratio”, Computers in Education 25(3) (1995) 113-122. 9. C. Fraser, The Production Assistant’s Survival Guide, BBC Television Training, 1994. 10. R. Bretz, Handbook for Producing Educational and Public-Access Programs for Cable Television, Rand Corporation, 1976. 11. T. Fletcher, S. G. MacDonell and W. B. L. Wong, “Early experiences in measuring multimedia systems development effort”, in Multimedia Technology and Applications (Proc. ICMTM '96), Ed. V. W. S. Chow, Springer, 1997, pp. 211-220. 12. V. R. Basili and H. D. Rombach, “The TAME Project: towards improvement-oriented software environments”, IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering 14(6) (1988) 758-773