COCOMO Calculator – Software Cost Estimation Tool

Overview

The COCOMO Calculator is a Python-based GUI application designed to estimate software project costs, effort, development time, and staffing based on the Constructive Cost Model (COCOMO) developed by Barry Boehm. This tool provides a user-friendly interface for project managers, software engineers, and students to calculate project metrics, generate professional reports, and visualize results using graphs.

The project uses Tkinter for the GUI, Python-docx for report generation, and Matplotlib for graph plotting. It incorporates cost driver multipliers (EAF) for precise calculations across different project types: Organic, Semi-Detached, and Embedded.

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Features

1. Project Estimation

• Enter project name, size (KLOC), and project type.

• Choose cost drivers (EAF inputs) from dropdowns.

• Automatically calculates:

  • Effort (Person-Months)
  • Development Time (Months)
  • Average Staffing
  • EAF (Effort Adjustment Factor)

2. Professional Report Generation

• Generates a DOCX report with a structured layout:

  • Header with project name and timestamp
  • Project Information including type, size, and COCOMO coefficients (A, B, C, D)
  • Outputs including calculated values and ceiling values
  • Formulas used for calculations
  • Cost Drivers / EAF values with serial numbers

• Saved automatically in the current directory or a specified folder.

3. Graph Visualization

• Generates bar graphs for all output metrics (Effort, Duration, Staff).
• Saves graph images automatically with project name.
• Can be displayed directly in the application or embedded in reports.

4. Knowledge Section

• Displays all selected cost drivers and their multipliers in a clear 3x5 grid.
• Helps users understand how each input affects the calculations.

5. Information Section

• Provides full-screen information about COCOMO and software estimation concepts.

6. User-Friendly GUI

• Built with Tkinter using a modern layout.
• Left pane: Project inputs and cost drivers.
• Right pane: Estimated values, graphs, and report generation.
• Clean fonts and colors for readability.

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Installation

Requirements

• Python 3.8+
• Packages:

pip install tk
pip install python-docx
pip install matplotlib

Steps

1. Clone or download the repository:

git clone <repository-url>

2. Navigate to the project folder:

cd cocomo-calculator

3. Run the application:

python gui.py

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Usage

1. Enter Project Details:

   • Project Name
   • Size in KLOC
   • Select Project Type (Organic, Semi-Detached, Embedded)

2. Select Cost Drivers (EAF inputs):

   • Choose from dropdowns for 15 cost drivers.
   • Default is “Nominal”.

3. Calculate:

   • Click Calculate to display estimated Effort, Duration, and Staffing.
   • See selected cost drivers in the “KNOW IT!” section.

4. Generate Report:

   • Click Generate Report to create a professional DOCX report.
   • Report includes all formulas, outputs, and cost driver details.

5. Generate Graph:

   • Click Generate Graph to plot Effort, Duration, and Staffing.
   • Graph saved as a PNG image for reference or embedding.

6. View COCOMO Info:

   • Click Know About COCOMO to open a full-screen explanation of COCOMO and software estimation.

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COCOMO Model Details

Project Types

Type	Description
Organic	Small, simple projects with small teams
Semi-Detached	Medium projects with mixed experience levels
Embedded	Large, complex projects with tight constraints

Coefficients (A, B, C, D)

• Organic: 2.4, 1.05, 2.5, 0.38
• Semi-Detached: 3.0, 1.12, 2.5, 0.35
• Embedded: 3.6, 1.20, 2.5, 0.32

Formulas

• Effort (PM) = A * (KLOC ^ B) * EAF
• Duration (Months) = C * (Effort ^ D)
• Staffing = Effort / Duration

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Project Structure

cocomo-calculator/
│
├─ gui.py             # Main application GUI
├─ cocomo.py          # COCOMO calculation logic
├─ data_handler.py    # Cost driver multipliers loader
├─ report.py          # DOCX report generator
├─ graph.py           # Graph plotting module
├─ info.py            # COCOMO information window
├─ README.md          # Project documentation
└─ reports/           # Folder to save reports and graphs

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ScreenShots

Future Improvements

• Add file export as PDF directly from the DOCX report.
• Embed graphs into the report automatically.
• Add interactive sliders for cost drivers.
• Include historical project data for comparison and analysis.
• Multi-language support for international teams.

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Credits

• COCOMO Model: Barry Boehm
• Python Libraries: Tkinter, python-docx, Matplotlib
• Developed as a project byShubham Yadav, Satyam Babu and Shoeb Shaikh..

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License

• MIT License (open-source) – You can freely use, modify, and distribute.