FPA is a technique to measure the functionalities given by a software to the users; and this measurement is always made on an external perspective, the users’ perspective. However, it is important to say that the concept of user for FPA is not only the ONE of the enduser of the software. The user for the FPA is any person or thing that interacts with the software at any time. In other words, the user for FPA can be both the person acting as enduser to the software and another software that uses the services of the software in analysis.

Considering that every and any software exists to offer one or more services (functions) to someone (person or thing); it is concluded that every and any software can be measured by Function Points.

A common mistake for beginners with FPA is to only consider the endusers´point of view. In this case some types of software will be partially (or completely) “invisible” to this user. Then they mistakenly conclude that FPA does not work for that kind of software. The most common is for the person to learn the principles of the FPA applied to systems with SCREENS and reports. However, when this person faces some software domain which do not have screens, like batch processing, middlewares, basic softwares, it is natural to have some difficulties on measuring it.

Let’s imagine that the goal was to measure a PRINTER’s driver. Well, there is no enduser (person) for this kind of software. In this perspective, the printer’s driver is invisible to the enduser. However it exists to offer services to someone; in this case, the operating system. Thus, analyzing the printer’s driver in the perspective of the operating system, it is possible to see functions, for example: to start the the printer, inform the general situation of the device, eject a sheet of paper, print, alert the level of the ink, etc...

FPA is a technique to measure the functionalities given by a software to the users; and this measurement is always made on an external perspective, the users’ perspective. However, it is important to say that the concept of user for FPA is not only the one of the enduser of the software. The user for the FPA is any person or thing that interacts with the software at any time. In other words, the user for FPA can be both the person acting as enduser to the software and another software that uses the services of the software in analysis.

Considering that every and any software exists to offer one or more services (functions) to someone (person or thing); it is concluded that every and any software can be measured by Function Points.

A common mistake for beginners with FPA is to only consider the endusers´point of view. In this case some types of software will be partially (or completely) “invisible” to this user. Then they mistakenly conclude that FPA does not work for that kind of software. The most common is for the person to learn the principles of the FPA applied to systems with screens and reports. However, when this person faces some software domain which do not have screens, like batch processing, middlewares, basic softwares, it is natural to have some difficulties on measuring it.

Let’s imagine that the goal was to measure a printer’s driver. Well, there is no enduser (person) for this kind of software. In this perspective, the printer’s driver is invisible to the enduser. However it exists to offer services to someone; in this case, the operating system. Thus, analyzing the printer’s driver in the perspective of the operating system, it is possible to see functions, for example: to start the the printer, inform the general situation of the device, eject a sheet of paper, print, alert the level of the ink, etc...