Anandi Hira leads research to advance the state of the art in software cost estimation and supports programs with the resulting estimation and measurement processes in her current role at Carnegie Mellon University’s (CMU’s) Software Engineering Institute (SEI). Her most recent research objective is to develop a new, innovative, capability-based software cost estimation model. Anandi proposes identifying a new software sizing and estimation method that is based on high-level information that would be known at program initiation; accommodates uncertainty in later architecture, reuse, and implementation decisions; eliminates the weaknesses of other estimation methods (source lines of code, Story Points, Function Points, etc.); and satisfies the Government’s and DoD’s need for flexible, credible, and defensible estimates.

Prior to joining the SEI, Anandi worked on 4 software estimation research projects which led to papers and/or presentations at cost estimation venues through Tecolote Research. She obtained her PhD from the University of Southern California (USC) by calibrating the COCOMO® II software cost estimation model for 2 types of Function Points (a category of software size metrics based on the functionality of software).