seb1@druhi.ATT.COM (Sharon Badian) (02/19/91)
I am looking for pointers to any information on creating a good metrics program on the project level. I am looking for guidelines for a project manager if he/she wants to embark on a program to collect in-process metrics. I have heard of Basili's goal-directed metrics paradigm, but I can't seem to find any references to it. Anyone know if he actually wrote a paper on this? I heard about it at a talk he gave at AT&T Bell Labs about 3 years ago. Also, if you have instituted a sucessful metrics program for your project, I'd be interested in hearing from you. I'm less concerned about the actual metrics you collected and more interested in how you determined which metrics you would collect and how you went about getting the data. Thanks for any help!! Sharon Badian att!druhi!seb1
fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields) (02/21/91)
A good book on setting up and collecting metrics is "Controlling Software Projects: Management, Measurement & Estimation" Prentice-Hall, 1982 by Tom DeMarco. DeMarco also has a project-level metrics tool called Checkpoint. I know it runs on DOS, but am not sure if any other OS's are supported. You can contact his company at: Software Productivity Research, Inc. 77 South Bedford Street Burlington, MA 01803 (617) 273-0140 But be forwarned: the tool will cost you a bundle. Hope that helps! -- F. Jay Shields Digital Equipment Corporation Littleton, MA fjs@bonz.ogo.dec.com (508) 952-3238
warren@eecs.cs.pdx.edu (Warren Harrison) (02/21/91)
In article <7574@drutx.ATT.COM> seb1@druhi.ATT.COM (Sharon Badian) writes: >I am looking for pointers to any information on creating a good >metrics program on the project level. I am looking for guidelines >for a project manager if he/she wants to embark on a program to >collect in-process metrics. . . . >Also, if you have instituted a sucessful metrics program for your >project, I'd be interested in hearing from you. I'm less concerned >about the actual metrics you collected and more interested in how >you determined which metrics you would collect and how you went >about getting the data. > In about a month (March 17-19) we'll be hosting the Third Annual Oregon Workshop on Software Metrics. There will be at least six presentations that will focus on this topic (plus well over a dozen other presentations that address other metrics issues): "Implementing a Metrics Program", Steve Wilkinson of ACUCOBOL "Using Process Metrics with an Unstable Process", Mike Perdue of Sun Microsystems "An Application of Applying Metrics to the Software Review Process", Carl Seddio of Eastman-Kodak "Experience With Complexity Metrics for Coding Standards", George Stark of the MITRE COrporation "U.S. Army Test & Evaluation Panel Software Metrics", Janet Beavers, US Army "Software Metrics Reporting: Presentation of Multiple Metrics for Analysis of Improvement", Sherri Lawrence-Pfleeger, Contel Technology Note that each of these presentations are being made by industrial folks who have been actually applying them (as opposed to us academic types who actually think about them :-). The mix of presentations is 12 industry/10 academic, so you get to think about metrics too ... We'll also have a tutorial each evening, and a panel session on metric standardization and a panel session on getting senior management to use metrics. - blatant commercialism on - Now, what would such an information packed Workshop normally cost? $700? $800? $900? a $1,000? Well ... have we got a deal for all of you out there, the cost of admission here is only $525 ... but wait! there's more! Unlike most other workshop/conferences we don't nickle and dime you to death with a meal here and a $150 hotel room there ... for your $525 you get (gasp) all meals, lodging, tutorials, and transportation from the airport (of course the shuttle back costs $1,500 ... just kidding'). But hurry! We're limiting it to 75 attendees, and we've already filling up, so give us a call at 503-690-1460 and tell them you want to sign up for AOWSM '91. - blatant commercialism off - Hope to see all of you in March :-) Warren ========================================================================== Warren Harrison warren@cs.pdx.edu Center for Software Quality Research 503/725-3108 Portland State University/CMPS
seb1@druhi.ATT.COM (Sharon Badian) (02/21/91)
in article <1991Feb20.180831.28131@e2big.mko.dec.com>, fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields) says: > DeMarco also has a project-level metrics tool called Checkpoint. > I know it runs on DOS, but am not sure if any other OS's are > supported. Check your info! DeMarco does not produce CHECKPOINT. Capers Jones does. We already own it. CHECKPOINT is not exactly a metrics tool though you can use it as such. It's a cost/schedule estimation tool. Sharon Badian att!druhi!seb1
locke@paradyne.com (Richard Locke) (02/22/91)
In article <1991Feb20.180831.28131@e2big.mko.dec.com> fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields) writes: > DeMarco also has a project-level metrics tool called Checkpoint. >I know it runs on DOS, but am not sure if any other OS's are >supported. It's not DeMarco, but Capers Jones who's behind Checkpoint. Checkpoint just helps you keep track of some metric & milestone information (as opposed helping you decide what metrics to track, which is very different). Its substantial price tag is justified more (in my opinion) in its predictive abilities than its date storage abilities... Of course, I'm a developer with no direct need to give upper management nice impressive graphs, etc ;-) Addressing the original issue: "Software Metrics: Establishing a Company-Wide Program" by Grady & Caswell has some practical stuff in it, though it obviously is focused less on the project level than the company level. I think you'll find it useful nonetheless. By the way, I've been working to evaluate project estimation tools lately which is why I'm familiar with Checkpoint. I'd be interested in comparing notes with others who've done work in this area recently. -dick {uunet,peora}!pdn!locke Phone: (813) 530-8241
seb1@druhi.ATT.COM (Sharon Badian) (02/25/91)
in article <1991Feb22.163103.26489@e2big.mko.dec.com>, fjs@bonz.enet.dec.com (Jay Shields) says: > As for CHECKPOINT's application to the question at hand, I thought > that > the request for information about starting a metrics program at the > project level was sufficiently general that CHECKPOINT would apply. > It's been my experience that starting a full-blown metrics program > from > scratch can be rather difficult; tools such as CHECKPOINT often form > the > initial phase of such a program. It would be interesting to hear from > anyone who uses tools such as CHECKPOINT as part of their metrics > program > (or from those who think it has no such place). I was the person who made the initial request and the person who has CHECKPOINT. So, I can answer the question of CHECKPOINT as a metrics tool. I don't find it too helpful because there is no focus. You can collect tons of information and not be too sure what you are learning about your process. It is overwhelming. I want a smaller set of metrics that allow me to answer important questions about my software process, not a million of them that tell me everything I would ever want to know (including things I don't really care about). That's why I'm interested in the Basili goal/question/metric paradigm. It links metrics directly to things you care about. Sharon Badian att!druhi!seb1