Software Engineering

Table 4.3 
Functional Collaboration Dependency Complexity Measure Descriptions
Name
Description
Measure
Functional collaboration
The overall challenge imposed by the arrangement of functional elements in term of 
dependencies and interfaces.
Parameters
Extensive (EX)
The number of functional dependencies or interfaces among a functional element (functional 
component or unit) exceeds 6.
Excessive (E)
The number of functional dependencies or interfaces among a functional element (functional 
component or unit) is for 4 or more.
Significant (S)
The number of functional dependencies or interfaces among a functional element (functional 
component or unit) is 2 or more.
Moderate (M)
The number of functional dependencies or interfaces among a functional element (functional 
component or unit) is less than 2.
Example
Method of calculation
Each functional element evaluated by subject matter experts and categorized based on the 
number of functional elements that impose a dependency or interface requirement on the 
function. The number in each category is multiplied by its complexity rating (10 for extensive;  
7 for excessive; 4 for significant; 1 for moderate) and the overall collaboration complexity 
rating is computed by summing the rating for each category. The collaboration complexity 
rating is then divided by the total number of functional elements to arrive at a functional 
collaboration measure of complexity.
Formula
(
( ))
10
7
4
(EX)
(E)
(S)
M
Total no. of  functional   elements
/
For this example problem, assume that the software structural configuration involves the 
following parametrics involving structural component integration:
EX 
=
 1 functional element involves more than 6 functional dependencies or interfaces.
 
E 
=
 4 functional elements which involve more than 4 functional dependencies or interfaces.
 
S 
=
 7 functional elements which involve 2 or more functional dependencies or interfaces.
 
M 
=
 38 functional elements which involve less than 2 functional dependencies or interfaces.
This example of functional collaboration identifies a 
moderately
 complex functional solution.
Complexity levels
Extremely complex: 
>
 5
Very complex: between 4 and 4.999
Highly complex: between 3 and 3.999
Moderately complex: between 2 and 2.999
Routine complexity: between 1 and 1.999
(
)
(
)
(
)
(
)
10
1
7
4
7
38
104
4
Total no. of  functional  elementss
 
 
1 4
7
38
50
104
50
2 08
/
.

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