QSM Announces SLIM for Windows Release 4.0; Controls Software Project Costs, Increases Reliability; Software Lifecycle Management Tool Improves Project Estimation By Simulating Impact of Changing Variables, in Realtime.

PITTSFIELD, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 16, 1996--A new simulation and modeling tool that estimates software development project cost, schedule, and reliability was introduced today by QSM Associates.

In addition to gauging the cost and duration of development projects, SLIM for Windows Release 4.0 provides dynamic risk analysis and what-if analysis capabilities.

Users of SLIM for Windows Release 4.0 can instantly view the impact of staffing decisions, function creep, complexity, or other variables on the cost or schedule for a software project. These variables, and their impact, can be adjusted and the results viewed in realtime, using a new graphical capability in the software lifecycle management (SLIM) product.

New functionality in SLIM 4.0 includes a merging of the former QSM Size Planner tool into the SLIM for Windows architecture. Five sizing techniques help managers estimate project size in units that include number of Objects/Classes, Programs, Entities, Modules, Function Points (IFPUG 4.0 Standard), Source Lines of Code, and several other sizing units.

Estimation algorithms also have been enhanced for Release Engineering/Development, to account for software project complexity when dealing with legacy code or packaged "off the shelf" software and regression testing.

SLIM for Windows 4.0 is the only project simulation tool for managers and executives that lets an organization calibrate the model to their own unique development environment. It does this by allowing an organization to enter historical information on recently-completed projects into its History Subsystem. The model produces tuning parameters. When SLIM is then used to estimate new projects, data has shown resultant forecasting accuracy to be better than 90%.

In the absence of historical project information, SLIM contains built-in calibration parameters which can be extracted, based on user-defined profiles, from QSM's Industry Database. This 4,000-project database is unique, in that industry benchmark trends are constantly updated to reflect modern development practices.

SLIM 4.0 operates under Windows 3.1 and Windows 95. Site licensing terms provide typical per-seat prices of $3,000-$6,000 per seat. Single User Standalone or Network Licenses are available.

All terms include automatic upgrades and engineering technical support durin the term of the license. -0-

NOTE to editors: Screen snaps of SLIM 4.0 are available in most graphics formats; contact QSM.

SLIM is a registered trademark of Quantitative Software Management, Inc.

CONTACT: Michael C. Mah, QSM Associates, Inc.

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http://www.qsm.com