Authors:
Manal El Bajta
1
;
Ali Idri
1
;
José Luis Fernández-Alemán
2
;
Joaquin Nicolas Ros
2
and
Ambrosio Toval
2
Affiliations:
1
Mohammed V University, Morocco
;
2
University of Murcia, Spain
Keyword(s):
Systematic Mapping Study, Software Cost Estimation, Global Software Development.
Abstract:
Software cost estimation plays a central role in the success of software project management in the context of
global software development (GSD). The importance of mastering software cost estimation may appear to be
obvious. However, as regards the issue of customer satisfaction, end-users are often unsatisfied with software
project management results. In this paper, a systematic mapping study (SMS) is carried out with the aim of
summarising software cost estimation in the context of GSD research by answering nine mapping questions.
A total, of 16 articles were selected and classified according to nine criteria: publication source, publication
year, research type, research approach, contribution type, software cost estimation techniques, software cost
estimation activity, cost drivers and cost estimation performances for GSD projects. The results show that the
interest in estimating software cost for GSD projects has increased in recent years and reveal that conferences
are the most f
requently targeted publications. Most software cost estimation for GSD research has focused on
theory. The dominant contribution type of software cost estimation for GSD research is that of models, while
the predominant activity was identified as being software development cost. Identifying empirical solutions to
address software cost estimation for GSD is a promising direction for researchers.
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