Estimate the cost in labor months of developing a complete software system that will be used by mechanical engineers to model thermal effects on engine parts. The program replaces an older version. The new software will have a strong graphics component. AN initial estimate of the number of source lines of code are :
20,000 executable SLOC
The language to be used is Java because each of the programmers have significant experience with the language and development environment. The users are also familiar with Java and will be able to assist in testing and debugging. Estimate the development time. To complete this, identify the cost drivers that will affect the development time.