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Performance Benchmark Tables
Average Project Performance
The following reference tables are updated versions of those produced in 2009, which provide summary performance data (schedule, effort, staff, and SLOC/PM) for typical projects from QSM’s Business, Engineering, and Real Time software databases. This information provides a high level, quick reference for benchmarking both completed projects and software estimates.
All data supplied in these tables comes from QSM’s historical database of over 10,000 completed projects. The QSM database is a cornerstone asset utilized in all of our consulting service engagements. It represents the largest and most complete set of validated and completed software project data in the world.
In addition to benchmark data provided free of charge to the general public, QSM also offers custom consulting and benchmarking services to address specialized research and analysis needs.
Business Systems (Source Lines of Code)
Business Systems (Function Points)
Engineering Systems
Real Time Systems
Measures
Business Systems (Source Lines of Code benchmarks)
Size: New & Modified SLOC | Duration (Months) | Effort (PM) | Average Staff (FTE) | SLOC/PM |
| 2,500 | 5.9 | 11,310 | 1.9 | 430.0 |
| 10,000 | 7.1 | 25,540 | 3.5 | 650.0 |
| 25,000 | 8.5 | 45,720 | 5.2 | 850.0 |
| 50,000 | 9.5 | 67,400 | 7.2 | 1,088.0 |
| 100,000 | 10.4 | 99,360 | 9.3 | 1,300.0 |
| Min: 600 | 1.6 | 1,630 | 0.9 | 38.5 |
| Max: 7,920,000 | 42.2 | 2,219,650 | 202.8 | 12,403.4 |
The Business Systems group includes 450 Business (IT) Systems projects completed between 2008 and 2011.
Business Systems: Function Point Benchmarks
| Size: FP | Duration (Months) | Effort (PM) | Average Staff (FTE) | FP/PM |
| 50 | 5.7 | 11,680 | 2.0 | 7.1 |
| 100 | 6.4 | 17,800 | 2.7 | 8.6 |
| 250 | 7.6 | 31,300 | 4.1 | 1.1 |
| 500 | 8.5 | 46,200 | 5.6 | 1.3 |
| 1,000 | 9.0 | 59,800 | 6.5 | 1.5 |
| Min: 10 | 1.6 | 1,600 | 0.4 | 1.1 |
| Max: 5,000 | 42.2 | 1,705,000 | 121.4 | 23.4 |
The Business Systems: Function Point group includes approximately 250 Business (IT) Systems projects completed between 2008 and 2011.
Size: New & Modified SLOC | Duration (Months) | Effort (PM) | Average Staff (FTE) | SLOC/PM |
| 2,500 | 6.7 | 2,470 | 3.2 | 192.2 |
| 10,000 | 9.7 | 51,030 | 5.4 | 294.5 |
| 25,000 | 12.0 | 87,870 | 7.1 | 394.0 |
| 50,000 | 14.2 | 139,980 | 9.3 | 497.3 |
| 100,000 | 16.8 | 211,760 | 12.2 | 603.8 |
| 300,000 | 23.8 | 448,820 | 18.4 | 873.0 |
| Min: 32 | 1.8 | 0.8 | < 1 | 7.1 |
| Max: 2,573,612 | 55.0 | 10,037.0 | 339.6 | 13,514.9 |
The Engineering Systems group includes over 300 Command & Control, System Software, Telecommunications, Scientific, and Process Control projects completed on or after 2000.
Size: New & Modified Code | Duration (Months) | Effort (PM) | Average Staff (FTE) | SLOC/ PM |
| 2,500 | 9.6 | 12,620 | 1.4 | 211.8 |
| 10,000 | 13.6 | 55,150 | 4.0 | 223.0 |
| 25,000 | 17.2 | 136,410 | 8.3 | 244.1 |
| 50,000 | 20.6 | 296,420 | 14.3 | 250.5 |
| 100,000 | 25.1 | 580,820 | 23.6 | 275.1 |
| 300,000 | 33.7 | 1,766,810 | 54.4 | 274.3 |
| Min: 344 | 4.5 | 2.0 | < 1 | 21.0 |
| Max: 2,141,000 | 94.1 | 43,221.3 | 760.9 | 4,598.7 |
The Real Time Systems group includes approximately 145 Avionics, Real Time, and Microcode & Firmware projects completed after 1990.
- Schedule: elapsed time (in months) from Requirements Determination (Phase 2) through the Initial Release (end of Phase 3)
- Schedule = (P2 Duration + P3 Duration) – P2 Overlap