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1. Need
for a Quantitative, Economic Approach.
We
manage things "by the
numbers" in many aspects of our lives. These numbers give us insight
and
help steer our actions. Software metrics extend the concept of
"managing
by the numbers" into the realm of software development. The
software industry still isn't doing a very good
job at managing by the numbers. Oftentimes,
software projects are managed by just three metrics:
project schedule, effort (proportional to cost) and critical defects
found during testing.
This is
a flatland view for a multi-dimensional terrain problem:
"flying a plane
using only a watch and a fuel gauge." Many
other useful metrics are ignored, but must be in the equation as well.
They
must represent what will be built (product), and how it is
built (process).
Successful
(software) organizations pursue a multi-dimensional view on projects
and the organization's capability. This helps them with:
- Knowing the capability of
one's
organization through the analysis of historical project data. In
addition,
one’s own
capability can be benchmarked against industry averages.
- Making credible commitments
in
terms of what will be delivered when against what cost. This involves
project
estimation based on known capability and analysed requirements.
- Investigating ways to
optimize
project objectives (on dimensions like schedule or cost). This involves
developing and comparing different
project alternatives.
- Managing development once it
starts. This involves project management, but more than generating
simple PERT and
Gantt
charts.
- Deciding when a product can
be
released. This is a trade-off between an early release to capture the
benefits
of an earlier market introduction, and the deferral of product release
to
enhance functionality or improve quality.
- Analyzing the impact of new
initiatives by assessing how capability is affected in which areas.
This
prevents organizations from chasing hypes.
2. KPIs
versus Metrics.
Within
a project or
organization, it is often easy to get people enthused about metrics.
But all
too often, this enthusiasm does not translate into action. Even when it
does,
it is unlikely to be sustained and people might get lost in incomplete
details.
Getting
too little or too much data is easy, identifying the relevant data
and converting it to meaningful information for everyone is the
challenge. Management
needs the
ability to step back from the details and see the bigger, complete
picture.
Dashboards or cockpits with the right information perform that
function. The
critical success factor here is defining Key Performance Indicators
that cover
a multi-dimensional view that goes far beyond an earned value chart.
The goal
of these KPIs is to foster greater visibility and faster reaction to
opportunities and threats, hereby enabling informed decision-making.
Once
management starts actively using such KPIs, projects are forced to
bring and
keep their measurement process in place.
For a presentation about "Software
Management by Numbers", click here.
3.
Services.
SE-CURE AG
offers different services to assess an organization's capability and
project performance. Services
in this area are based on the published work of pioneers like
Lawrence
Putnam and Ware Myers (QSM,
SLIM or Putnam Model), Barry Boehm (USC/CSSE,
Software Economics + COCOMO II), Capers
Jones (SPR,
several studies in the area of productivity and benchmarking), Juran (Juran
Institute,
Cost of Quality), and Watts
Humphrey (SEI,
Process Improvement + PSP). In
addition, SE-CURE
AG's Managing Director Dr. Hans Sassenburg is
visiting scientist at the Software
Engineering Institute
and since
2004 active in the
group Software Engineering Measurement & Analysis (SEMA).
| Services
(flyer) |
Objective |
| Capability
Assessment |
To
assess an organization’s capability in quantitative terms, and to
establish a baseline for comparisons with future analyses |
| Project
Feasibility/Status Review |
To
assess the feasibility of a project plan with respect to stated
project goal(s) |
| Impact Analysis |
To
analyze the impact of a new development approach
(methodology, technology, team) compared to an organization's
conventional way
of working |
| Business Case Analysis |
To compare different investment
alternatives using four financial benchmarks (NPV, ROI,
(M)IRR, Payback Period); see also our supporting product the Business Case Analyser |
| Product
Implementations |
To
define and implement customized solutions for existing products |
| Workshops |
Objective |
| Software Capability |
1-day workshop "Software Capability
Improvement by Numbers" (flyer) |
| Estimation |
1-day workshop "Software Estimation
by Numbers" (flyer) |
| Planning/monitoring |
1-day workshop "Software Planning and
Monitoring by Numbers" (flyer) |
Duration of these services typically varies from 1 to 4 weeks. Our
consultants move fast, and produce tangible, high-quality results.
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