System, method and program to estimate cost of a product and/or service

A computer program product for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• first program instructions to identify one or more first components with no cost dependencies;
• second program instructions to determine one or more second components whose costs depend on the cost of said one or more first components;
• third program instructions to determine one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components;
• fourth program instructions to determine one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components;
• for each of said second, third and fourth components, fifth program instructions to determine an initial weight based on and greater than a weight of the respective first, second or third component from which the cost of said second, third and fourth component depends;
• for each of said third components which is one of said second components, sixth program instructions to increase the weight of said each third component based on the weight of the second component from which the cost of said each third component depends;
• and
• for each of said fourth components which is one of said third components, seventh program instructions to increase the weight of said each fourth component based on the weight of the third component from which the cost of said each fourth component depends;
• and wherein
• said first, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh program instructions are recorded on said medium.

A method for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said method comprising the steps of:

• identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to a first tier;
• determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to a second tier;
• determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to a third tier;
• determining if any of said one or more third components were assigned to said second tier, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said second tier;
• determining one or more fourth components whose costs depend on said one or more third components, and assigning said one or more fourth components to a fourth tier;
• and
• determining if any of said one or more fourth components were assigned to said third tier, and if so, removing said any of said one or more fourth components from said third tier.

A method for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said method comprising the steps of:

• identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “n” is an integer;
• determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;
• determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation;
• and
• determining if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment.

A computer program product for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said computer program product comprising:

• a computer readable medium;
• first program instructions to identify one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assign said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “n” is an integer;
• second program instructions to determine one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assign said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;
• third program instructions to determine one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assign said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation;
• and
• fourth program instructions to determine if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, remove said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment;
• and wherein
• said first, second, third and fourth program instructions are recorded on said medium.

A system for estimating the cost of a product and/or service, said product and/or service comprising a multiplicity of components, said system comprising:

• means for identifying one or more first components with no cost dependencies, and assigning said one or more first components to an nth priority in order of cost calculation, where “n” is an integer;
• means for determining one or more second components whose costs depend on the costs of said one or more first components, and assigning said one or more second components to an n+1 priority in order of cost calculation;
• means for determining one or more third components whose costs depend on said one or more second components, and assigning said one or more third components to an n+2 priority in order of cost calculation;
• means for determining if any of said one or more third components were previously assigned to said n+1 priority, and if so, removing said any of said one or more third components from said n+1 priority assignment;
• and
• means for determining an order to calculate costs of said components based on the cost calculation priority to which they are assigned, the lower the priority the earlier in said order.