Review of current data mining techniques used in the software effort estimation

Abstract

Data Mining is a method of finding patterns from vast quantities of data and information. The data sources include databases, data centers, the internet, and other data storage forms; or data that is dynamically streaming into the network. Estimation of effort is very important in the cost estimation of a software development project, and very critical in the software life development cycle planning process. This paper offers a description of the latest data mining techniques used in estimating software effort, and these techniques are divided into two, namely: Classical and Modern, based on when they were developed and when they started to be used in business administration. The Classical techniques are the ones that have been in use for decades and are still relevant until today, while the Modern ones are the ones that have been introduced recently and have gained wide acceptance in the system. The Classical techniques are Statistical methods, Nearest Neighbours, Clustering and Regression Analysis, while Neural Networks, Rule Induction Systems and Decision Trees are included in the Modern techniques. This paper offers an overview of these strategies in terms of their features, benefits, drawbacks and use areas. © 2020, The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.