science

IFPUG

IFPUG is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand IFPUG rather than just read about it. In short: The International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG) is a US-based organization with worldwide chapters of function point analysis metric software users. It is a non-profit, member-governed organization founded in 1986.

Key takeaways

IFPUG belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect IFPUG to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of IFPUG from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG) is a US-based organization with worldwide chapters of function point analysis metric software users. It is a non-profit, member-governed organization founded in 1986. IFPUG owns Function Point Analysis (FPA) as defined in ISO 20296 which specifies the definitions, rules and steps for applying the IFPUG's functional size measurement (FSM) method. FPA can be traced to the work of Allan Albrecht of IBM who pioneered functional sizing in 1979 which derived a functional size of product value distinct and disassociated from lines of code, technology, or software language.

Functions IFPUG maintains the Function Point Counting Practices Manual (CPM), and the SNAP Assessment Practices Manual, the recognized industry standards for functional and non-functional sizing. IFPUG provides testing and certification for the Certified Function Point Specialist (CFPS), the Certified Function Point Practitioner (CFPP), and the Certified SNAP Practitioner (CSP). Generally, certification is for three years although the CFPS has a certification extension program. IFPUG offers individual, corporate, countrywide, worldwide, and academic memberships spanning six continents. The annual International Software Measurement & Analysis (ISMA) conferences, access to standards documents, certification support, white papers, the semi-annually produced MetricViews, and educational events represent some of the membership benefits. FPA allows organizations to understand the functional size of an application prior to its development. As a result, Requests for quotations can be evaluated based on the "richness" of the functionality in addition to its cost and schedule parameters. Several national governments have adopted the use of functional sizing as a prerequisite for bidding on their contracts. Functional sizing can also contribute to determining the level of effort warranted once an application is deployed. The IFPUG membership, functional and non-functional assets and certifications, and IFPUG partners assist in fulfilling IFPUG's mission: to be the recognized leader in promoting and encouraging the effective management of application software development and maintenance activities through the use of software product and process metrics.

See also The Simple Function Point method SNAP Points COSMIC

References

External links Official IFPUG website What is the IFPUG CFPS (Certified Function Point Specialist) certification? IFPUG-in-a-Box Archived 2021-01-21 at the Wayback Machine SNAP-in-a-Box Archived 2021-01-20 at the Wayback Machine 40 Years of Function Points: Past, Present, Future IFPUG method to size non-functional requirements (SNAP) is now an IEEE worldwide standard: IEEE 2430-2019

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with IFPUG

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what IFPUG claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to IFPUG before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about IFPUG ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of IFPUG

In research: IFPUG appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses IFPUG in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: IFPUG is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Information technology management, User groups, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for IFPUG outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study IFPUG in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what IFPUG means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain IFPUG out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is IFPUG in simple terms?

Why does IFPUG matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study IFPUG?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on IFPUG.