A Comparative Study of Estimation by Analogy using Data Mining Techniques

Software Estimations provide an inclusive set of directives for software project developers, project managers, and the management in order to produce more realistic estimates based on deficient, uncertain, and noisy data. A range of estimation models are being explored in the industry, as well as in academia, for research purposes but choosing the best model is quite intricate. Estimation by Analogy (EbA) is a form of case based reasoning, which uses fuzzy logic, grey system theory or machine-learning techniques, etc. for optimization. This research compares the estimation accuracy of some conventional data mining models with a hybrid model. Different data mining models are under consideration, including linear regression models like the ordinary least square and ridge regression, and nonlinear models like neural networks, support vector machines, and multivariate adaptive regression splines, etc. A precise and comprehensible predictive model based on the integration of GRA and regression has been introduced and compared. Empirical results have shown that regression when used with GRA gives outstanding results; indicating that the methodology has great potential and can be used as a candidate approach for software effort estimation. Keywords—Software Estimations, Estimation by Analogy, Grey Relational Analysis, Robust Regression, Data Mining Techniques