This book investigates the challenge of accurately estimating the effort required for Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA) projects that utilize Web Service Compositions (WSCs). Given the diverse and numerous approaches to WSC, traditional quantitative methods for effort estimation are often impractical due to the difficulty in collecting experimental development data. The author proposes a novel approach by viewing WSC-based SOA systems as mechanistic organizations and applying a Divide-and-Conquer strategy. This strategy aims to break down the complex problem of overall SOA implementation effort into manageable estimations for individual WSCs, offering an initial qualitative framework for this critical aspect of SOA project management.

The book presents a novel qualitative approach to effort estimation for SOA projects, specifically addressing the complexities introduced by Web Service Compositions (WSCs). By adapting the Divide-and-Conquer strategy, it aims to provide a more manageable method for assessing project effort where traditional quantitative techniques fall short. The focus on breaking down the problem into smaller, individual WSC estimations suggests a practical methodology for project managers and developers in the field. This work offers an initial step toward a more refined understanding of effort judgment in this evolving area of software engineering.