Timeline
A History of Industry-Leading Innovation
1978: Larry Putnam forms Quantitative Software Management. Larry’s pioneering research results in the SLIM® Methodology (a sound set of equations and processes to estimate software development projects). Some of the most popular commercial estimation tools today contain parts of the SLIM Methodology.
1979: QSM introduces a mainframe timesharing version of SLIM-Estimate – the first tool to introduce and use Monte Carlo simulation to perform risk analysis and linear programming for optimized resource planning.
1980: QSM introduces the first standalone desktop software estimation tool (Hewlett Packard 80 series). Innovation in this re-engineered version included graphical outputs and a module that allowed customers to collect and calibrate estimates with their own historical data.
1982: QSM delivers SLIM-Estimate on the IBM PC platform. The Rayleigh Defect prediction model makes its debut in this release.
1983: QSM delivers PCubed: a scaled-down version of SLIM-Estimate for 1- to 3-person projects.
1986: QSM delivers Size Planner – a tool for size estimation. QSM, the first tool supplier to offer this capability to the market, introduces five independent approaches that can be averaged to develop more confidence in the size estimate.
1989: QSM introduces SLIM-Control – a project tracking and forecasting tool to complement the company’s estimation and planning tool. Innovative capabilities include statistical process control bounds for plan vs. actual comparisons and curve fit forecasting of actual performance data to determine likely completion dates and budgets.
1992: QSM releases SLIM-Estimate for Windows, a total re-engineering for the Windows GUI environment that features graphical control gauges, dynamic risk gauges and multiple estimation views.
1994: QSM Introduces SLIM-Metrics – another first in the software measurement industry. A powerful project repository, SLIM-Metrics provides query and analysis tools to compare projects and assess process improvements. Innovations include industry benchmark curve fits, customizable screen components and multiple data set comparisons.
1996: QSM delivers a major upgrade to SLIM-Control.
1998: QSM introduces SLIM-MasterPlan – an enterprise project aggregation tool that allows estimators to aggregate estimates of multiple product lines and multiple releases. Innovative features allow graphical shifting of resources to optimize plans or reallocation of resources.
2001: QSM Releases SLIM-Suite – an integrated set of estimation, tracking, and benchmarking tools covering all aspects of the software lifecycle.
2001: QSM Introduces Estimate Express – a comprehensive, yet affordable software project estimation solution designed for smaller companies or project managers with smaller projects.
2003: QSM delivers the SLIM-Suite 6.0. More than 40 new and improved features across the entire tool suite make this the premier software estimation product on the market.
2005: SLIM-Suite 6.1 is released. The enhanced tool suite features an API to allow seamless integration of SLIM products with other popular project management tools and user-friendly Work Breakdown Structure screens.
2006: QSM publishes the QSM IT Software Almanac , which contains more than 100 pages of in-depth analysis drawn from QSM's world-class database of software projects. SLIM-Suites 6.2 and 6.3 are released, bringing improved import/export integration with Microsoft Project and additional features to the SLIM Suite API. The 2006 Users Conferences in the US and Europe give SLIM users the opportunity to share success stories and get a glimpse of the upcoming features of SLIM Suite 7.0.
2007: QSM partners with IBM Rational. Implementations between IBM Rational Method Composer, IBM Rational Portfolio Manager, IBM Rational Team Concert, and SLIM Tools are introduced.
