Using "Backfiring" to Accurately Size Software

Functional Size Measurement is a fairly recent concept to be embraced by the information technology industry. But increasingly the method of Function Points Analysis (FPs), as maintained by the International Function Point Users Group (IFPUG), is establishing a position as the gold standard of software measurement.

To make the transition between souce lines of code (SLOC) and function points (FP) easier, a method called "Backfiring" was developed to calculate function points by taking the SLOC count and multiplying it by a static factor based on the dominant software programming language. This article presents the basis for the two measures: Function Points and source lines of code, highlighting their differences and distinct advantages. 

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