Automatic sizing of software functionality

A computer implemented system for assessing a functional size of a software application or project, wherein the system receives a software requirements specification as input and includes:

• a lexicon stored in a computer file, the lexicon including keywords and a function type and complexity for each keyword;
• computer instruction code for analysing the software requirements specification to associate each requirement with zero or more requirement keywords;
• computer instruction code for cross-referencing the requirement keywords with the lexicon to obtain a corresponding function type and complexity from the lexicon by matching requirement keywords with lexicon keywords;
• computer instruction code for computing a number of function points associated with each function type and complexity using the rules of a sizing standard;
• and
• computer instruction code for combining the function points to obtain a functional size of the software application or project.

In a networked computing system including a client and a server both of which are operably connected to a communications network, a method for assessing a functional size of a software application or project including the steps of:

• the client transmitting a software requirements specification to the server over the communications network;
• and
• the client receiving a fuctional size of the software application or project from the server over the communications network,
• wherein the server executes the steps of:
• analysing a software requirements specification and determining zero or more keywords for each requirement of the specification;
• cross-referencing the keywords with a lexicon stored in a computer file, said lexicon also including a function type and complexity for each keyword;
• associating each keyword with an entry in the lexicon, thus obtaining a function type and complexity for each keyword;
• using a functional sizing standard to deduce a number of function points for the function type and complexity of each keyword;
• and
• combining the function points to obtain a functional size of the software application or project.

A computer program product for assessing a functional size of a software application or project including computer instruction code embodied in a computer readable medium for:

• analysing a software requirements specification and determining zero or more keywords for each requirement of the specification;
• cross-referencing the keywords with a lexicon stored in a computer file, said lexicon also including a function type and complexity for each keyword;
• associating each keyword with an entry in the lexicon, thus obtaining a function type and complexity for each keyword;
• using a functional sizing standard to deduce a number of function points for the function type and complexity of each keyword;
• and
• combining the function points to obtain a functional size of the software application or project.