Review By: Britt E. Cluff
10/10/2011This guide is valuable for anyone involved in the management of application development projects, whether you're interested in becoming certified or not. It provides an overview of function point analysis (FPA), the processes involved in determining function points, and steps for preparing for the exam. It is well written and easy to follow, even if you have little to no experience with FPA. It will be more beneficial if you have practical experience and are planning on sitting for the exam.

For those unfamiliar with FPA, a function point is a unit of measure for functional size that is consistent across development languages and planned or existing applications. Function points provide a precise measurement of software size designed to remove ambiguity from consideration of the software being examined. They enable the consistent estimation of cost and resources required for software development and maintenance regardless of nonfunctional constraints. Many other useful metrics can be determined using FPA, such as productivity, quality, financial, maintenance, and support activities. They can be very useful in measuring value delivered by answering common questions like: How much will the project cost? How long will it take? If a different team is used, will it cut cost or shorten delivery time?

The function point counting procedure consists of the following steps:

• Gather the available documentation.
• Determine the counting scope and boundary, and identify functional user requirements.
• Measure data functions.
• Measure transactional functions.
• Calculate the functional size.
• Document and report.

All of the steps are detailed in the book. At the end of each chapter are sample questions that are applicable to the exam and in implementing FPA within your organization. These chapters and sample questions are a great method of learning. In order to gain more expertise, you need practical experience and the Function Point Counting Practices Manual available from the IFPUG website.

The final sections of the book are practice exams that are excellent examples of what real-world certification encompasses. If you are going to get certified, spend a significant amount of time thoroughly reviewing the questions, answers, and case studies provided.