Functional Size Measurement

Why Size Matters – But Only If It’s Objective

In software development, effort, complexity, and value are often guessed using subjective proxies like story points or lines of code. These metrics vary wildly between teams, technologies, and even days of the week—making planning, benchmarking, and ROI analysis unreliable. Functional Size Measurement (FSM) changes that. It delivers an objective, standardized, technology-independent measure of software functionality—expressed in ISO/IEC-certified units like Nesma Function Points or COSMIC Function Points (CFP).

Functional size = the amount of business functionality delivered to the user, regardless the technical implementation.
Not how long it took. Not how many lines were written. Just what the user gets.

AgileBenchmark specializes in providing FSM for organizations that recognize the power of objective metrics but lack the in-house expertise or availability of certified specialists. As a certified provider in both Nesma and COSMIC standards, we bring enterprise-grade accuracy without the overhead of building your own team. However, AgileBenchmark can also help build your own Centre of Excellence and provides training for Functional Size Measurement, Software Cost Estimation, Benchmarking, etc.

Why Functional Size Is a Superior Proxy for Value

How AgileBenchmark Delivers Functional Size Measurement

We eliminate the barriers to FSM by providing certified expertise on demand—no need for your organization to hire, train, or dedicate internal resources. Our Nesma (almost identical to IFPUG) and COSMIC-certified analysts handle everything, ensuring compliance with international standards while scaling to your needs. We measure functional size automatically and/or manually.

1. Automated FSM.

• Upload requirements (user stories, use cases, spec docs)

• AI parses natural language and identifies functional components

• Generates draft CFP or Nesma count in minutes, not days

2. Certified Expert Review & Calibration.

• Nesma and/or COSMIC-certified specialists validate AI output

• Adjust for domain nuances, non-functional rules, and edge cases

• Align with your Definition of Done and value framework

3. Integration & Reporting.

• Sync with Jira, Azure DevOps, or Excel

• Tag backlog items with CFP or Nesma values

• Visualize: Value per CFP, Cost per CFP, Velocity in CFP/sprint

Benefits: Functional Size Measurement:

• Objective, Standardized Sizing: Delivers ISO-compliant Nesma, IFPUG, or COSMIC Function Points—consistent across teams, technologies, and projects.

• No In-House Expertise Required: AgileBenchmark provides certified Nesma (IFPUG) and COSMIC specialists on demand—no need to hire or train.

• Fast, Scalable Measurement: AI-powered analysis generates draft counts in minutes; experts finalize in hours.

• Accurate Effort Prediction: Converts functional size into reliable effort estimates using proven parametric models.

• True Cross-Team Benchmarking: Compares productivity in hours per FP normalized for domain, complexity, and tech stack.

• Value-Driven Prioritization: Ranks features and projects by business value per FP, focusing effort on high-impact work.

• Supports Fixed-Price & Output-Based Contracts (NPR 5333): Enables pricing and negotiation by functional output, reducing disputes by up to 80%.

• Seamless Tool Integration: Syncs with Jira, Azure DevOps, and Excel—auto-tags stories with size for ongoing tracking.

• Hybrid Methodology Compatible: Works with agile user stories, epics, or traditional requirements.

• Drives Continuous Improvement: Reveals productivity gaps, bottlenecks, and best practices through data-backed insights.

Interested? Please leave us a message or request a quote.