Question

(a) In your own words, describe the difference between prodwct and process metrics. (b) For each of the following objectives, state a metric you would use to help in achieving the objective, state whether it is a product or process metric, and explain how it would be applied. i. Avoid project schedule delays. ii. Measure continuous quality improvement from one project to the next. iii. Identify software parts that are exhibiting quality problems. iv. Establish a baseline for improving schedule accuracy.

Short answer

Product metrics relate to software attributes; process metrics involve the development process. i) Project milestone adherence (process). ii) Defect density reduction (process). iii) Defect concentration (product). iv) Planned vs actual variance (process).

Step-by-step solution

Understanding Product and Process Metrics

Product metrics are measurements related to the attributes of a software product, such as size, complexity, or quality. They help in assessing the software's performance against requirements. Process metrics, on the other hand, measure aspects of the software development process itself, such as productivity or defect rates, and are used to improve the process used to create the software.

Objective i: Avoid Project Schedule Delays

To avoid project schedule delays, you can use a process metric like 'project milestone adherence' which involves tracking whether project milestones are completed on schedule. You could apply this by regularly comparing actual completion dates to planned dates for each milestone, allowing early detection if the project is falling behind schedule.

Objective ii: Measure Continuous Quality Improvement

For continuous quality improvement, a process metric known as 'defect density reduction rate' can be used. This involves measuring the number of defects per size unit in successive projects, aiming for a downward trend. By examining defect density before and after quality initiatives, teams can assess whether there's a consistent improvement in quality.

Objective iii: Identify Quality Problems in Software

A suitable product metric for identifying quality problems is 'defect concentration.' This involves tracking which areas of the software have the most defects, exhibiting potential quality issues. Analyzing this data can guide developers to focus improvements on high-defect areas, ultimately improving product quality.

Objective iv: Establish Baseline for Schedule Accuracy

To establish a baseline for improving schedule accuracy, use the process metric called 'planned vs. actual timeline variance.' This involves comparing planned timelines with the actual time taken to complete tasks across projects. The collected data helps create a baseline from which future improvements in scheduling accuracy can be measured.

Key concepts

Product Metrics

Product metrics are essential indicators for assessing various attributes of a software product itself. These characteristics can include elements such as size, complexity, and the overall quality of the software. By focusing on these attributes, product metrics help in judging whether the developed software meets the intended requirements.

These metrics might explore different dimensions, such as:

• Code complexity: Understanding how intricate the coding structure is.
• Functionality: Checking if the software fulfills user needs as specified.
• Defect concentration: Identifying parts of the software with a high number of defects.

By analyzing these aspects, developers can find potential issues within the product, enabling them to focus improvements on specific areas that need enhancement.

Process Metrics

Process metrics provide insight into the software development process. They focus on evaluating the efficiency and quality of the processes used to produce software, enabling teams to refine and improve how they work.

These metrics often cover aspects like:

• Productivity: Measuring output relative to time or resources used in development.
• Defect rate: Counting errors or failures detected per phase during development.
• Milestone adherence: Monitoring whether project phases are completed on schedule.

By leveraging process metrics, software development teams can identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies in their workflow. This can lead to more streamlined processes, ensuring smoother delivery of high-quality software products.

Software Quality Improvement

Improving software quality is a continual goal for many software development teams. This process involves implementing specific metrics to ensure that software products are progressively enhanced from one iteration to the next.

A key metric in this process is the 'defect density reduction rate', which measures how many defects are present relative to the unit size of the product, such as per thousand lines of code. Over successive projects, teams aim to see this number decline.
Examining these defect density metrics before and after quality initiatives helps gauge the effectiveness of the improvements applied. By systematically reducing defects, developers can boost software reliability and maintainability, leading to an increase in overall user satisfaction.

Schedule Management

Schedule management is critical to the success of software projects. It involves carefully planning and tracking project timelines to avoid delays and ensure timely completion.

One useful metric in this area is 'planned vs. actual timeline variance'. This involves comparing the originally planned schedule with the actual time taken to complete tasks. By tracking these variances throughout the project, teams can identify patterns or trends in delays that might be addressed.
Additionally, evaluating 'project milestone adherence' helps in tracking whether key project phases are completed on time. Consistent monitoring allows for early detection of schedule deviation, enabling prompt corrective actions to keep the project on track.