Should users (clients or customers) count function points?
The early GUIDE counting manual mentions that senior level users can also be trained to count function points. There is no doubt about that. Function point counting is much like accounting. An accountant must apply a body of rules, for example, from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), to measure the financial well being of their firms. These rules have some theoretical underpinnings, but are often the result of compromise and politicking by special interests. This sounds a lot like applying IFPUG rules to applications. Why would users want to count function points? Developing complex systems has become a core competency of virtually every business. At the same time, certain outsourcing agreements have often placed system development in the hands of people who do not have a stake in the well being of the firm. Users must be ready to negotiate with these developers to insure that they are getting the required degree of functionality in their systems.
The early GUIDE counting manual mentions that senior level users can also be trained to count function points. There is no doubt about that. Function point counting is much like accounting. An accountant must apply a body of rules, for example, from the Financial Accounting Standards Board (FASB), to measure the financial well being of their firms. These rules have some theoretical underpinnings, but are often the result of compromise and politicking by special interests. This sounds a lot like applying IFPUG rules to applications. Why would users want to count function points? Developing complex systems has become a core competency of virtually every business. At the same time, certain outsourcing agreements have often placed system development in the hands of people who do not have a stake in the well being of the firm. Users must be ready to negotiate with these developers to insure that they are getting the required degree of functionality in their systems. This is an arrangement t
