Significant Factors in Agile Software Development of Effort Estimation

Abstract

The Agile effort estimation involves project-related and people-related factors. This research objective is to find the factors that influence Agile effort estimation significantly through path analysis using a structural equation model. This research built an agile effort estimation path coefficient model from six constructs from theories and previous studies. Project-related factors represent by requirement and design implementation constructs. People-related factors are measured by the construct of experience, knowledge, and technical ability. The last construct is the effort itself. SmartPLS is employed for the confirmatory composite analysis and the structural model assessment. The confirmatory composite analysis indicated that all constructs are reliable and valid. Furthermore, the structural model assessment found that all factors of project-related constructs have a positive relationship and significant influence, showing a coefficient path value of 59.1% between requirement and design implementation constructs. All constructs represent people-related factors indicated by the coefficient path value of 67% between experience and knowledge, 42.6% between experience and technical ability, and 54.4% between knowledge and technical ability. In addition, all constructs proved influential simultaneously to effort by 31.1%. Positively contribute provided by requirement, experience, and technology’s ability. Significantly influenced provided by constructs of the developer’s knowledge and technical ability. The largest effect is given by technical ability, knowledge, and experience on medium and small scales. Contrarily, both constructs from project-related effects can be negligible because there was no influence. Based on the result, this study concludes that the significant factors in Agile effort estimation are technical ability, knowledge, and experience.