Optimizing Software Effort Estimation Models Using Firefly Algorithm

Nazeeh Ghatasheh¹, Hossam Faris², Ibrahim Aljarah², Rizik M. H. Al-Sayyed²

¹Department of Business Information Technology, The University of Jordan, Aqaba, Jordan.
²Department of Business Information Technology, The University of Jordan, Amman, Jordan.

DOI: 10.4236/jsea.2015.83014                

Abstract

Software development effort estimation is considered a fundamental task for software development life cycle as well as for managing project cost, time and quality. Therefore, accurate estimation is a substantial factor in projects success and reducing the risks. In recent years, software effort estimation has received a considerable amount of attention from researchers and became a challenge for software industry. In the last two decades, many researchers and practitioners proposed statistical and machine learning-based models for software effort estimation. In this work, Firefly Algorithm is proposed as a metaheuristic optimization method for optimizing the parameters of three COCOMO-based models. These models include the basic COCOMO model and other two models proposed in the literature as extensions of the basic COCOMO model. The developed estimation models are evaluated using different evaluation metrics. Experimental results show high accuracy and significant error minimization of Firefly Algorithm over other metaheuristic optimization algorithms including Genetic Algorithms and Particle Swarm Optimization.

Keywords

Software Quality, Effort Estimation, Metaheuristic Optimization, Firefly Algorithm

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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