Dynamic monitoring and control of software project effort based on an effort buffer

The improvement to the monitoring and control efficiency of software project effort is a challenge for project management research. We propose to overcome this challenge through the use of a model for the buffer determination and monitoring of software project effort. This software project effort buffer was originally determined on the basis of a risk management factor analysis with total consideration for project managers’ risk preference. The effort buffer was next allocated to different stages according to the buffer allocation cardinal. An effort deviation monitoring and control model was then established based on the grey prediction model, including the establishment of a deviation monitoring and control model, a simulation test of the accuracy and the deviation prediction algorithm flow chart. The method system was eventually applied to an actual project and compared with the actual project data. The results show that the relative error test accuracy of the proposed model is qualified according to the test standard of the grey model, signifying that it could be used for the prediction of effort deviation and decision‐making. The proposed model could use the dynamic control system to monitor and control software project effort in an effective manner.