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Papers & Presentations - Metrics, Measurement & Analytical Methods:Kiviat Charts: Many times, it takes more than one metric to understand, evaluate or control a software product, process, service or project. One way to show a summary view of a set of metrics is to use a Kiviat chart, also called a polar chart, radar chart or spider chart. This brief article by Linda Westfall defines Kiviat Charts and gives examples on using them.
12 Steps to Useful Software Metrics: This paper introduces the reader to a practical process for establishing and tailoring a software metrics program that focuses on goals and information needs. The process provides a practical, systematic, start-to-finish method of selecting, designing and implementing software metrics. It outlines a cookbook method that the reader can use to simplify the journey from software metrics in concept to delivered information.
Updated Version Posted: April 25, 2005 Metrics Report Definition Template: Utilize this template to document the design of your software metrics reports. This template can help you implement the 12 Steps to Useful Software Metrics.
Updated Version Posted: July 8, 2004 Example - Metrics Report Definition: Example of a completed Metrics Report Definition document.
Using a Measurement Framework to Rapidly Achieve Measurable Results: This paper describes a Process Measurement FrameworkSM that rapidly achieves measurable results. The Process Measurement FrameworkSM is based upon the popular Goal/Question/Metric (G/Q/M) paradigm, the Juran Quality Trilogy, and the initial core measures recommended by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI). The G/Q/M Paradigm is applied to the goals of planning, control, and improvement and based on powerful metrics that have a proven track record. In order to illustrate the power of the Process Measurement FrameworkSM, real examples from industry are used. The Process Measurement FrameworkSM helps to ensure that all metrics are collected on a form, in a document, or in a database. This paper won the best paper award at the 13th International Conference on Software Quality, October 2003.
Are We Doing Well or Are We Doing Poorly?: Software metrics don't solve problems – people solve problems. What software metrics can do is provide information so you can make informed decisions and better choices. According to the new ISO/IEC 15939 Software Engineering -- Software Measurement Process standard, decision criteria are the “thresholds, targets, or patterns used to determine the need for action or further investigation, or to describe the level of confidence in a given result”. In other words, you need decision criteria to obtain guidance that will help you interpret the measurement results. This paper shows you how to establish useful decision criteria for different types of metrics. This paper won the Best Paper award at the
2003
Applications in Software Measurement (ASM) Conference. Author: Linda Westfall Date Updates Posted: Dec 11, 2003
Software
Customer Satisfaction: Satisfying
our customers is an essential element to staying in business in this modern
world of global competition. We
must satisfy and even delight our customers with the value of our software
products and services to gain their loyalty and repeat business.
Customer satisfaction is therefore a primary goal of process improvement
programs. So
how satisfied are our customers? One
of the best ways to find out is to ask them using Customer Satisfaction Surveys.
These surveys can provide management with the information they need to
determine their customer's level of
satisfaction with their software products and with the
services associated with those products. Software
engineers and other members of the technical staff can use the survey
information to identify opportunities for ongoing process improvements and to
monitor the impact of those improvements.
This
paper includes details on designing your own software customer satisfaction
questionnaire, tracking survey results and example reports that turn survey data
into useful information. This paper won the Best Paper award at the 2002
Applications in Software Measurement (ASM) Conference.
Papers & Presentations - Metric Definitions:Defect Removal Effectiveness: This brief article by Linda Westfall defines the metric of Defect Removal Effectiveness and gives examples of how to calculate it.
Defect Density: This brief article by Linda Westfall defines the metric of Defect Density and gives two examples of how it could be reported and utilized.
Papers & Presentations - Analytical Methods:
Sampling Methods:
(An excerpt
from The Certified Software Quality Engineer Handbook by Linda Westfall
– soon to be published by ASQ Quality Press)
A Software Quality
Engineer (SQE) needs to know when and how to use different sampling techniques
in order to effectively use sampling during product and project management,
audits, testing, and product acceptance. Section
VI.C.1 of the ASQ Certified Software Quality Engineer (CSQE) Body of Knowledge (BOK)
says that an SQE should be able to, “Define
and distinguish between sampling methods (e.g., random, stratified, cluster) as
used in auditing, testing, product acceptance, etc.”. [CSQE BOK] When the set of all possible items in a population is very large it may be too costly or time consuming to do a comprehensive analysis of all of the items. For example, during an audit, there is just not enough time or resources to talk to every auditee, witness every process step or look at every quality record. If the customer base is large, it may be too costly to survey all the customers to determine their satisfaction level. Evaluating or estimating attributes or characteristics of the entire system, process, product or project through a representative sample can be more efficient while still providing the required information. To legitimately be able to use a sample to extrapolate the results to the whole population requires the use of one of four statistical sampling methods.
Cause & Effect Diagrams: This brief article by Linda Westfall discusses the purpose of Cause & Effect Diagrams and gives two examples of how this quality tool can be utilized.
Recommended ReferencesMeasuring
Customer Satisfaction: Survey Design, Use, and Statistical Analysis Methods,
2nd Edition; Bob E. Hayes; ASQ Quality Press, Milwaukee, Wisconsin;
1998. Measuring the Software Process, Statistical Process Control for Software Process Improvement; William Florac & Anita Carleton; Addison-Weslet, Reading, MA; 1999. Metrics & Models in Software Quality Engineering; Stephen Kan; Addison-Wesley, Reading, MA; 1995. Practical Implementation of Software Metrics; Paul Goodman; McGraw Hill, London; 1993: ISBN 0-07-707665-6. Practical
Software Metrics for Project Management and Process Improvement; Robert Grady;
PTR Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey; 1992. Recommended LinksInternational Function Point User’s Group (IFPUG) - www.ifpug.org Practical Software and System Measurement (PSM) - www.psmsc.com For more information about consulting services or training offered by The Westfall Team Send an email to: lwestfall@westfallteam.com Or call: 972-867-1172
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