Service cost estimation for packaged business application-based business transformation

Packaged business applications such as SAP and Oracle offer significant benefits and are critical to transforming businesses using standard-based business processes and prepackaged software solutions. Business process configuration, solution development, and installation of packaged business applications for enterprises comprise a significant portion of the business and IT service industry today. This paper presents an approach to estimating project schedules, staffing, service costs, and business benefits of business transformation using packaged business applications. More specifically, it presents normative and constructive estimation models, software tools and methods for structuring project plans and strategies, configuring project schedules, estimating the cost and value of such projects, and supporting decisions for estimating cost and project schedules. ©2008 IEEE.