Flowgraph representation of life cycle cost methodology-a new perspective for project managers

A novel technique is presented for performing life-cycle cost analysis. The technique is based on a graph-theoretic representation of interrelationships among the variables as functions making up a given methodology: learning, cost parameters, cost factors, and quantities. A diagraph representation of variable relationships serves as the basis for establishing the network. Flowgraph theory is used to solve the network. This technique is believed to be significant because a single representation of the cost analysis methodology provides: a communication representation which will allow project managers to be aware of content, complexity, and underlying cost drivers of their system's life-cycle cost; a mathematical representation which is based on a cost analyst's logical description of the methodology; and a computer-executable representation.<
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