An Influence Diagram-Based Approach for Estimating Staff Training in Software Industry

TL;DR

This paper introduces an influence diagram-based system to estimate staff training needs in software projects, helping project managers manage risk factors and optimize training costs at project start.

Contribution

It presents a novel influence diagram model for predicting staff training requirements considering multiple risk factors in software development.

Findings

Effective estimation of training needs reduces project delays.

The system considers multiple risk factors influencing training requirements.

Provides a decision support tool for project managers.

Abstract

The successful completion of a software development process depends on the analytical capability and foresightedness of the project manager. For the project manager, the main intriguing task is to manage the risk factors as they adversely influence the completion deadline. One such key risk factor is staff training. The risk of this factor can be avoided by pre-judging the amount of training required by the staff. So, a procedure is required to help the project manager make this decision. This paper presents a system that uses influence diagrams to implement the risk model to aid decision making. The system also considers the cost of conducting the training, based on various risk factors such as, (i) Lack of experience with project software; (ii) Newly appointed staff; (iii) Staff not well versed with the required quality standards; and (iv) Lack of experience with project environment. The system provides estimated requirement details for staff training at the beginning of a software development project.