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Chapter 4 Software Process and Project Metrics: This Chapter Will Discuss The Following Concepts

This chapter discusses software metrics and indicators. It defines measures, metrics, and indicators, and explains that metrics relate individual measures to provide insights. The chapter covers metrics for software processes and projects. Process metrics aim to provide long-term improvement indicators, while project metrics help managers assess status, risks, and quality. Both can inform process improvement. Key project metrics measure inputs, outputs, and results. Process improvement requires measuring attributes, developing meaningful metrics, and using metrics as indicators.

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sarah farooqi
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42 views5 pages

Chapter 4 Software Process and Project Metrics: This Chapter Will Discuss The Following Concepts

This chapter discusses software metrics and indicators. It defines measures, metrics, and indicators, and explains that metrics relate individual measures to provide insights. The chapter covers metrics for software processes and projects. Process metrics aim to provide long-term improvement indicators, while project metrics help managers assess status, risks, and quality. Both can inform process improvement. Key project metrics measure inputs, outputs, and results. Process improvement requires measuring attributes, developing meaningful metrics, and using metrics as indicators.

Uploaded by

sarah farooqi
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Software Engineering Chapter 4 Software Metrics

3'rd class by: Raoof Talal

Chapter 4 Software Process and Project Metrics

This chapter will discuss the following concepts:

4-1 Measures, Metrics, and Indicators


4-2 Metrics in the Process and Project Domains
4-3 Software Measurement
4-4 Reconciling Different Metrics Approaches
4.5 Metrics for Software Quality
4.6 Metrics Collection, Computation, and Evaluation

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Software Engineering Chapter 4 Software Metrics
3'rd class by: Raoof Talal

4-1 Measures, Metrics, and Indicators

Although the terms measure, measurement, and metrics are often


used interchangeably, it is important to note the subtle differences
between them. Within the software engineering context, a measure
provides a quantitative indication of the extent, amount, dimension,
capacity, or size of some attribute of a product or process. Measurement
is the act of determining a measure.
When a single data point has been collected (e.g., the number of
errors uncovered in the review of a single module), a measure has been
established.
Measurement occurs as the result of the collection of one or more
data points (e.g., a number of module reviews are investigated to collect
measures of the number of errors for each).
Software metric relates the individual measures in some way (e.g.,
the average number of errors found per review or the average number of
errors found per person- hour expended on reviews.
A software engineer collects measures and develops metrics so that
indicators will be obtained. An indicator is a metric or combination of
metrics that provide insight into the software process, a software project,
or the product itself.

4-2 Metrics in the Process and Project Domains

Measurement is commonplace in the engineering world. We


measure power consumption, weight, physical dimensions, temperature,
voltage, signal-to-noise ratio … the list is almost endless. Unfortunately,
measurement is far less common in the software engineering world. We

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Software Engineering Chapter 4 Software Metrics
3'rd class by: Raoof Talal

have trouble agreeing on what to measure and trouble evaluating


measures that are collected.
Process metrics are collected across all projects and over long
periods of time. Their intent is to provide indicators that lead to long-term
software process improvement.
Project indicators enable a software project manager to (1) assess
the status of an ongoing project, (2) track potential risks, (3) uncover
problem areas before they go “critical,” (4) adjust work flow or tasks, and
(5) evaluate the project team’s ability to control quality of software work
products.
In some cases, the same software metrics can be used to determine
project and then process indicators. In fact, measures that are collected by
a project team and converted into metrics for use during a project can also
be transmitted to those with responsibility for software process
improvement. For this reason, many of the same metrics are used in both
the process and project domain.

4-2-1 Process Metrics

The only rational way to improve any process is to measure


specific attributes of the process, develop a set of meaningful metrics
based on these attributes, and then use the metrics to provide indicators
that will lead to a strategy for improvement. But before we discuss
software metrics and their impact on software process improvement, it is
important to note that process is only one of a number of factors effecting
on improving software quality and organizational performance.
Referring to Figure 4.1, process sits at the center of a triangle
connecting three factors that have an influence on software quality and
organizational performance.

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Software Engineering Chapter 4 Software Metrics
3'rd class by: Raoof Talal

 The skill of people has been shown to be the single most


influential factor in quality and performance.
 The complexity of the product can have a substantial impact on
quality and team performance.
 The technology (i.e., the software engineering methods) that
populates the process also has an impact.
In addition, the process triangle exists within a circle of
environmental conditions that include:
 The development environment (e.g., CASE tools).
 Business conditions (e.g., deadlines, business rules).
 Customer characteristics (e.g., ease of communication).

Figure 4-1 Determinants for software quality and organizational


effectiveness

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Software Engineering Chapter 4 Software Metrics
3'rd class by: Raoof Talal

4-2-2 Project Metrics

Software process metrics are used for strategic purposes. Software


project measures are tactical. That is, project metrics and the indicators
derived from them are used by a project manager and a software team to
adapt project work flow and technical activities.
The first application of project metrics on most software projects
occurs during estimation. Metrics collected from past projects are used as
a basis from which effort and time estimates are made for current
software work. As a project proceeds, measures of effort and calendar
time expended are compared to original estimates (and the project
schedule). The project manager uses these data to monitor and control
progress.

As quality improves, defects are minimized, and as the defect count


goes down, the amount of rework required during the project is also
reduced. This leads to a reduction in overall project cost.
A model of software project metrics suggests that every project
should measure:
 Inputs: measures of the resources (e.g., people, environment)
required to do the work.
 Outputs: measures of the deliverables or work products created
during the software engineering process.
 Results: measures that indicate the effectiveness of the
deliverables.

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