In my last post, I discussed a model for sizing and estimating effort for building software applications.  This model worked reasonably well based on some assumptions.  One assumption was that customers actually saw the need and value in spending the time documenting use cases and going through an estimating process.  That in itself is a hard thing to do.  Another assumption was that this was not a net new, never been done before, application by the development team or using brand new technology to build the application.  It also assumes a development team that has worked together on more than dozen projects.  Just like any team sport, it takes several times playing together for the team to gel.

 

So what does this have to do with on-demand applications?  Everything!  Because the reality is that most customers dont understand the need for software sizing and estimation.  Also, the application being developed, indeed is somewhat net new and maybe with new technologies and the fact that most software teams are nothing more than assembled bodies, thrown together to get a project done in the shortest time possible based on who is available at the time.  The irony is that the project will likely cost (much) more and take (much) more time because the customer and the thrown together team fail to follow a sound engineering process for properly sizing the software and estimating the effort required to build the application.

 

Enter on-demand application generation.  After Googling the