UML-BASED DESIGN PATTERNS SIZE ESTIMATION USING COSMIC- FFP

Estimating different software parameters such as size and cost during different phases of software development is required to manage the resources effectively. COSMIC Function points measure can be used as an input to estimate these characteristics of software. The Traditional Function Point Counting Procedure cannot he used to measure the functionality? of software systems accurately and automatically, because it requires the involvement of an expert in order to be used. This paper suggests an estimation procedure to measure the functionality of design patterns based, on COSMIC Function points method,. It is a promising way for automating of software functional size measurement process. The evaluation analysis for two creational and two structural design patterns, namely the Abstract Factory, Builder, Fagade, and the Bridge design patterns is given in details. The design patterns size can be measured using the COSMIC-FFP from the UML Actor-Object sequence diagrams. The number of messages exchanged corresponds to the number of function points according to the COSMIC-FFP method. The estimated design pattern is analyzed, the generalized actor-object sequence diagram of the design pattern is drawn, and then the COSMIC functional size unit of the pattern is calculated.