EcoPost - Cost Estimation Methodology for Process-oriented Software Technologies and Process-aware Information Systems

Introducing process-aware information systems (PAISs) is usually associated with high costs. It is therefore crucial to understand those factors that determine or influence these costs. Though software cost estimation has received considerable attention during the last decades, it is difficult to apply existing approaches to PAISs. This difficulty particularly stems from the inability of these methods to deal with the dynamic interactions of the many technological, organizational and projectdriven cost factors which specifically arise in the context of PAISs.

Picking up this problem, in the EcoPOST project we are developing a framework to investigate the complex cost structures of PAIS engineering projects through qualitative cost evaluation models. In this context we introduce cost evaluation models as well as rules and guidelines for their design. Respective evaluation models also reflect on results we gathered through empirical and experimental research. Altogether our EcoPOST framework provides an important tool supporting PAIS engineers in gaining a better understanding of the critical factors determining the costs of PAIS engineering projects.