Abstract: The present invention provides a method, a system, and a computer program product for determining an effort associated with the maintenance of software. The method, the system, and the computer program product enable receiving values corresponding to predefined factors, which are segregated into corrective factors, preventive factors, perfective factors, and adaptive factors. A corrective effort is determined based on the corrective factors and predefined rules. Thereafter, a preventive effort is determined based on the preventive factors, the predefined rules, and the corrective effort. Thereafter, a perfective effort is determined based on the perfective factors, the predefined rules, and the corrective effort. Subsequently, an adaptive effort is determined based on the adaptive factors, the predefined rules, the corrective effort, the preventive effort, and the perfective effort.