Which Factors Affect Software Projects Maintenance Cost More?

Abstract

Introduction: The software industry has had significant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. Methods: In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Results and discussion: Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this field, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at first, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the maintenance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classified in six groups. "Project" was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software.

Which Factors Affect Software Projects Maintenance Cost More?

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ACTA INFORM MED. 2013 Mar; 21(1): 63-66 doi: 10.5455/aim.2012.21.63-66

Received: 25 October 2012 Accepted: 10 February 2013

AVICENA 2013

WHICH FACTORS AFFECT SOFTWARE PROJECTS MAINTENANCE COST MORE?

Sayed Mehdi Hejazi Dehaghani, Naseh HajrahimiDepartment of Medical Informatics. Faculty of Health Services Management and Medical Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran

Corresponding author: Naseh Hajrahimi. Department of Medical Informatics. Faculty of Health Services Management and Medical Information Sciences, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran. E-mail: [email protected]

Original paperABSTRACTIntroduction: The software industry has had signicant progress in recent years. The entire life of software includes two phases: production and maintenance. Software maintenance cost is increasingly growing and estimates showed that about 90% of software life cost is related to its maintenance phase. Extraction and considering the factors affecting the software maintenance cost help to estimate the cost and reduce it by controlling the factors. Methods: In this study, the factors affecting software maintenance cost were determined then were

ranked based on their priority and after that effective ways to reduce the maintenance costs were presented. This paper is a research study. 15 software related to health care centers information systems in Isfahan University of Medical Sciences and hospitals function were studied in the years 2010 to 2011. Results and discussion: Among Medical software maintenance team members, 40 were selected as sample. After interviews with experts in this eld, factors affecting maintenance cost were determined. In order to prioritize the factors derived by AHP, at rst, measurement criteria (factors found) were appointed by members of the mainte-

nance team and eventually were prioritized with the help of EC software. Based on the results of this study, 32 factors were obtained which were classied in six groups. Project was ranked the most effective feature in maintenance cost with the highest priority. By taking into account some major elements like careful feasibility of IT projects, full documentation and accompany the designers in the maintenance phase good results can be achieved to reduce maintenance costs and increase longevity of the software. Key words: Health information systems, Cost, Effective factors, Software maintenance, AHP model.

1. INTRODUCTION

Soware production and maintenance issues, costs estimation, project schedule and knowledge of the process have always been complicated cases in soware engineering (1-8). Cost depends on the creation and maintenance of the soware. Thus, continuous monitoring and control of maintenance costs, and soware optimization, are really important. Taking into account this statistic, also leads to careful so-ware maintenance to reduce costs. Soware maintenance costs are rising and based on the estimations about 90% of the cost related to the soware life is in the maintenance phase. The estimations show 50 percent increase over the past two decades (5, 6). This increase is shown in the Figure 1.

In another study, the relative costs of maintenance and soware development management were estimated more than 90% of the total

cost of the soware life (9, 10).

Floris and Harald, in their study introduced incomplete documentation and low maintenance as the factor to increase the cost. Therefore the defect makes it difficult for the maintenance team to expand or rebuild the product. Because the production team members may have le the company, be retired or replaced by another person who are unaware of the production process (2).

Since quality improvement and

reduced soware lifecycle time are among rapid application development techniques, the use of common-sense approach in the production shows that using individual techniques is not a threat to high availability, acceptable performance and quality of projects (4).

In a study researchers introduced support and maintenance soware to estimate the maintenance effort. In these researchers point of view support and maintenance so-

Software production and maintenance issues, costs estimation, project schedule and knowledge of the process have always been complicated cases in software engineering. Cost depends on the creation and maintenance of the software continuous monitoring and control of maintenance costs, and software optimization, are really important. Taking into account this statistic, also leads to careful software maintenance to reduce costs. Software maintenance costs are rising and based on the estimations about 90% of the cost related to the software life is in maintenance phase. The estimations show 50 percent increase over the past two decades [Koskinen, 2012]. This increase is shown in the following Figure.

Figure 1. Development of Software maintenance costs as percentage of total cost [Floris and Harald, 2010]

In another study, the relative costs of maintenance and software development

Figure 1. Development of Software maintenance costs as percentage of total cost [Floris and Harald, 2010]

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Which Factors Affect Software Projects Maintenance Cost More?

Row Indexes Related to the Information of Cost

Factors1 Product Characteristics2 Required Software Reliability3 Database Size4 Complexity Product5 Computer Characteristics6 Execution Time Constraint7 Main Storage Constraint8 Virtual Machine Volatility9 Computer Turnaround Time10 Personnel Characteristics11 Annalist Capability12 Application Experience13 Programmer Capability14 Virtual Machine Experience15 Programming Language Experience16 Project Characteristics17 Modern Programming Practices18 Use of Software Tools19 Schedule Project Constraint20 Factors of Project maintenance21 Software Experience22 Application Understanding

23 Software Development reference Access

to Technical24 Document Quality25 Software Old26 Group Capability27 Environment Dependency28 Structure Independency29 Costs of Computer Networks30 Security31 Back up Data32 Computers Virus

Table 1. List the factors affecting the cost of software maintenance

ware were a set of activities to support IT. Magne Jorgensen came to this conclusion that 43 to 44% of the estimations are mentally done by the experts and using such models results in the estimations complexity (10).

Therefore in this research a so-

ware is introduced that due to the simplicity and ease of use is a replacement for the estimation models and experts mental estimations.

Because the design and implementation of medical soware is growing in Iran, and today most medical centers and health centers like to set up this system, it seems to be a growing and eective trend in automation of hospitals and medical and healthcare centers.

Mr. Boehm studied the various cost factors in the simple or complex public systems (1). The results

of his research are published in details in the book (Soware Architectures: Critical Success Factors and Cost Drivers) (14). Many researchers focused on models and dierent methods of cost estimation. But what is important is to update and review each model factors. These models include analog models such as the Delphi method or estimations based on professional experience, models such as analysis of performance indicators and models of machine learning algorithms including neural networks, genetic programming, fuzzy logic, and many other models (11, 12, 13).

Henry Raymond (2007) in a study used the estimation techniques along with the knowledge of the project team, project manager and the president to design a predictive model for estimating the soware. This model suggests that the maintenance plays an important role in the success of IT projects. Though the eective use of technology for estimating the time and cost is necessary but is not sufficient. To predict the exact time and cost, the management needs the knowledge, knowledge integration and sharing it.

2. HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE TO THE STUDIES WITH AIM OF ESTIMATING THE EFFORT

A thesis of the University of California, with the aim of improving the volume and eort estimation models for soware maintenance (12).

A study by Magne Jrgensen con

sidering results of Simula Research Laboratory with an overview of studies in estimating soware development eort (3).

Studies evaluation of Jyvaskyla Research Institute and University by Jussi Koskinena et al to estimate the costs of soware, support modernization, repair and maintenance (5). Vclav Macinka thesis from the University of Brno, with the aim to provide methods for determining the cost of soware projects (8).

Taking into account the importance of soware maintenance costs, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, is pursuing the following objectives in this paper:

Identify the factors aecting the cost of soware maintenance. Prioritize each of the factors affecting the cost of soware maintenance.

Provide solutions to reduce the maintenance costs of medical soware

3. METHODOLOGY

The scope of this study is all the soware produced in the years 2010 to 2011. 15 maintenance team members were kept as a community in this study. Aer sampling 40 members were selected randomly. In this study, a checklist- designed based on soware engineering standards, researchers experiences and experts conrmation- was used for data collection. SPSS soware and Expert Choice soware were used for data analysis.

4. RESULTS

Environments to run 14 soware were Windows and 1 other one was DOS. System operational dates were from 2000 until 2011 and the operational period has been variable from 20 months to 102 months. Current status of all systems was active, and only one of them had been disabled.

The results of the rst research objectives are as follow:

* Based on studies from reputable books and literature in the eld of soware engineering, well-known sites and interviews with informatics experts, 32 eective factors were obtained and examined in the soware maintenance cost estimations.

Cost factors were classied in 6 groups, which are as follow:

In line with the second goal (to prioritize each of the factors affecting the cost of medical soware maintenance) the following results were obtained:

* For prioritization of the factors, at rst and before modeling, the measurement criteria are needed to be identied. Then six found characteristics and their measurement criteria should be estimated and nally entered into the EC application.

To achieve this goal, the rst measurement criteria (32 factors) were determined based on the importance in the soware maintenance.

ORIGINAL PAPER / ACTA INFORM MED. 2013 MAR; 21(1): 63-66

After naming and ordering the information, the information was entered in the software. The list of measurement criteria and results after the interview are presented.

Table 2. The list of measurement criteria and results after the interview

Very Little Normal Much Very Much Little

Which Factors Affect Software Projects Maintenance Cost More?

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Indexes Related to the Information of Cost Factors

Product Characteristics

Required Software Reliability Database Size

Product Complexity

7.5 7.5 57.5 27.5 0

40 30 20 10 0

0 2.5 10 40 47.5

Computer Characteristics

Execution Time Constraint Main Storage Constraint Virtual Machine Volatility Computer Turnaround Time

0 0 2.5 30 67.5

17.5 80 2.5 0 0

5 15 42.5 35 2.5

10 45 35 10 0

Personnel CharacteristicsAnnalist Capability

Application Experience

Programmer Capability

Virtual Machine Experience Programming Language Experience

0 0 0 40 60

0 5 15 32.5 45

0 2.5 42.5 40 20

47.5 35 17.5 0 0

15 27.5 42.5 15 0

Project Characteristics

Modern Programming Practices Use of Software Tools

47.5 37.5 15 0 0

0 15 15 42.5 52.5

0 20 27.5 35 42.5

Schedule Project Constraint

Factors of Project maintenance

Software Experience

Application Understanding

Software Development reference Access to Technical

Document Quality Software Old

Group Capability Environment Dependency Structure Independency

Schedule Project Constraint

0 0 7.5 27.5 65

0 0 5 35 60

0 0 15 40 45

0 5 0 25 70

7.5 27.5 60 5 0

0 0 27.5 15 57.5

45 35 20 0 0

5 27.5 67.5 0 0

47.5 37.5 15 0 0

Factors of Project maintenance

Software Experience

Application Understanding

Software Development reference Access to Technical

Document Quality Software Old

Group Capability Environment Dependency Structure Independency

0 0 7.5 27.5 65

0 0 5 35 60

0 0 15 40 45

0 5 0 25 70

7.5 27.5 60 5 0

0 0 27.5 15 57.5

45 35 20 0 0

5 27.5 67.5 0 0

0 0 0 10 90

0 0 42.5 35 22.5

0 2.5 5 35 57.5

Table 2. The list of measurement criteria and results after the interview

This questionnaire was prepared for a ve-degree Likert scale and distributed among specialists in this eld. Aer naming and ordering the information, the information was entered in the soware. The list of measurement criteria and results aer the interview are presented. Ranking of the inuencing factors are displayed in Table 4 with the help of EC soware.

The following results obtained regarding the third objective of the study:

* Based on the results of the current study and decits in production and maintenance process, it seems that by following the guidelines that have been mentioned, one can reduce the cost of soware maintenance to achieve desired results found in increasing productivity as well as making benet of limited nancial resources and manpower available in the country.

Costs of Computer Networks

Security

Back up Data

Computer's Virus

Rankings of the influencing factors are displayed in Table 4 with the help of EC software.

Table 3. Prioritized strategies

5 factors influencing maintenance costs

Rank

Abbreviated

Project

1

A1Maintenance Project

2

A2Personnel

3

A3Product

6

A4Computer

5

A5Computer Networks

3

A6

The following results obtained regarding the third objective of the study:

Based on the results of the current study and deficits in production and maintenance process, it seems that by following the guidelines that have been mentioned, one can reduce the cost of software maintenance to achieve desired results found in increasing productivity as well as making benefit of limited financial resources and manpower available in the country.

1) Providing an eective tool for Soware Maintenance:

* Use appropriate language for system maintenance (especially in developing application systems) and develop tools to use these languages.

* Optimal use of system implementation such as CASE tools.

* The use of programming standards and protocols.

* The use of the principles, methods and modern programming techniques.2) Using proper techniques in soware development:

* Designing on the basis of independent modules.

* Designing and programming using methods consistent with the eective soware engineering principles in soware development.

* Prototyping before making the full system.3) Having the right people for the soware maintenance:

Select professionals familiar with the project language and programming language.

* Enough familiarity of project group with the host machine and the target machine.

* Having experienced group to oset the eect of the product increasing complexity on development and maintenance costs.

* Selecting individuals with the ability to adequately analyze the project and coordinate teamwork.

* Having individuals with experience in the similar work like this project and the host machine.

* Having individuals aware of the application and familiar with the expectations of the system.4) Considering future

* Consider the program structure and acceptability of changes.

* Careful analysis of the needs based on the present situation and future trends for soware maintenance.

* Doing changes in environment regarding soware conditions, the efficiency increase rate and maintenance costs.

When the COCOMO model was accurately described the use of structured programming was not like today and soware tools were not much available. Nowadays use of tools, has increased and structured techniques are common. Therefore, the factors that may have initially been dened are not important anymore. So some of the factors identi-

Costs of Computer Networks

Security

Back up Data

Computer's Virus

Rankings of the influencing factors are displayed in Table 4 with the help of EC software.

Table 3. Prioritized strategies

5 factors influencing maintenance costs

Rank

Abbreviated

Project

1

A1

Maintenance Project

2

A2

Personnel

3

A3

Product

6

A4

Computer

5

A5

Computer Networks

3

A6

The following results obtained regarding the third objective of the study:

Based on the results of the current study and deficits in production and maintenance process, it seems that by following the guidelines that have been mentioned, one can reduce the cost of software maintenance to achieve desired results found in

Table 3. Prioritized strategies

0 0 0 10 90

0 0 42.5 35 22.5

0 2.5 5 35 57.5

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Which Factors Affect Software Projects Maintenance Cost More?

ed by Mr. Boehm (1) (such as computer memory limitations factor) are outdated, but the overall coefcients of the product categories, computer, personnel and project are still t. Given that all HIS systems are linked in a network, computer network factor has been added. Bohemia took these factors into consideration at his time, but today with such the technology, no scholar has examined and updated these factors. In this study we updated factors extracted by Boehm. According to the results, the validity of all these factors were conrmed and importance of the factors related to project and computer network was higher than other attributes, this means that project managers must estimate the cost of maintenance soware, taking into account these two characteristics.

5. CONCLUSION

Based on interviews, 32 factors were identied in the cost estimation of medical soware maintenance and were approved by informatics specialists. Using AHP model parameters, 6 groups were ranked. Since in each research a problem is stated and examined and at the end solutions are proposed, in this study, we also provide solutions to reduce maintenance costs. What the Informatics experts agree on for reducing maintenance costs, is that with respect to some important factors such as accuracy in HIS projects feasibility, along with complete documentation and helping the design and implementation mechanisms in the maintenance phase ,favorable results can be achieved in reducing the cost.

Generally we can conclude that for an accurate assessment and reduce the cost of soware maintenance, soware maintenance factors determining is essential. This

will lead to the longer life of so-ware. Evaluation of these factors and their inuence on each of the maintenance costs, help the project manager in making decisions and planning, and is essential in the success of soware maintenance. Project managers must consider these factors for success in their projects and decisions:

* HIS software is generally in a network and for giving a better service to applicants, data collection is done on the central server. As a result, soware should be developed in a network and maintainers should give their service in a network. In other words, if the soware is Single that costs less, but for network applications, computer network costs are added to the costs. So in designing this soware these costs should also be noted.

* To reduce maintenance costs and increase the longevity of HIS soware determining the cost estimation factors is necessary, this can help to increase productivity and provide a native model to estimate the system maintenance cost. It will make the project manager able to estimate the real cost

at any time in

the system.

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