Software Project Management With Usage of Metrics

1. Software Project Management With Usage of Metrics Candaş BOZKURT - Tekin MENTEŞ Delta Aerospace May 21, 2004

2. In this presentation . . . • The importance of Metrics • SPM and Usage of Metrics • Problems in SPM • Solution by using Metrics effectively • Difficulties in collecting Metrics • Automated Metrics Collection Tool • Conclusion

3. Measurement • Measurement: process by which numbers or symbols are assigned to attributes of entities in the real world in such a way as to describe them according to clearly defined rules • “What is not measurable make measurable”, Galileo Galilei • “You cannot control what you cannot measure”, De Marco

4. Role of Measurement

5. Objectives of Software Measurement ? • To collect objective information about the current state of a software product, project, or process. • To allow managers and practitioners to make timely, data-driven decisions. • To track your organization's progress toward its improvement goals. • To assess the impact of process changes.

6. Measurement Program

7. Metrics • Metrics: Quantitative measurement • Important to the success of a project • Project Metrics: Used to track project progress

8. What are Software Metrics?

9. Software Metrics • Components of Software Measurement • Process Metrics (e.g. Time, Effort, Cost) • Product Metrics (e.g. Size, Reliability) • Resource Metrics (e.g. Price, Experience) • Goal – Question – Metric (GQM) Approach Metrics Methodology / Framework

10. Difficulties When Using Metrics • Lack of Management Commitment • Measuring Too Much, Too Soon • Measuring Too Little, Too Late • Measuring the Wrong Things • Imprecise Metrics Definitions • Using Metrics Data to Evaluate Individuals • Using Metrics to Motivate, Rather than to Understand • Collecting Data That Is Not Used • Lack of Communication and Training • Misinterpreting Metrics Data “If you are miles away from your target it doesn’t make sense to measure in millimeters.”

11. Use metrics as a “stick” Measure individuals Ignore the data DON’T

12. Software Project Management Problems • “Projects without clear goals will not achieve their goals clearly”, Tom Gilb • Management of the software development, or namely “Software project planning, monitoring and control”

13. Solution: Usage of Metrics to Manage Software Projects • Use metrics in managing software project management by directly forming, updating and monitoring • software project planning, • schedule, • task assignment, • resource management and • software development processes

14. Impact on Quality • A quantitatively managed process is a defined (capability level 3) process that is controlled using statistical and other quantitative techniques, • Quantitative objectives for quality and process performance are established and used as criteria in managing the process, • The quality and process performance are understood in statistical terms and are managed throughout the life of the process

15. Then, How to use Metrics? • Project Management metrics collected should be used to support four functions of management • Planning, • Organizing, • Controlling and • Monitoring

16. Project Information and Risk Assessment Results New Issues Identify and Prioritize Project Issues Software Process Characteristics Select and Specify Project Measures Proposed Changes Integrate Into the Software Process Measurement Plan Proposed Changes Measurement Tailoring

17. Usage of Metrics • Mainly four groups of Usable Data will be produced from the metrics, aiming: • Collection of objective information about the current state of a software product, project, or process • Managers and practitioners to make timely, data-driven decisions • Tracking the project's progress toward schedule • Assessing the impact of process changes

18. Measurement Plan Collect and Process Data Data Periodic Assessment Analyze Issues New Issues Information Questions Project Context Information Make Decisions Actions Risk Management and Financial Performance Results Metrics Program

19. Which of the Metrics Needed? • Schedule performance (milestones, variances) • Cost performance (actual vs. planned; variances) • Effort performance (actual vs. planned; allocations) • Requirements management (total, growth, traceability)

20. Which of the Metrics Needed? …continuing • Program size (SLOC, page counts - planned vs. actual) • Test performance (requirements tested, passed test) • Quality - Defect data status (problems open, closed, density, origin, SPRs etc.)

21. Which of the Metrics Needed? …continuing • Process performance (tasks completed, action items) • Computer resource utilization (memory loading, CPU loading) • Management planning performance (estimates vs. actual, re-planning etc.)

22. How to Collect Metrics? • Metrics Database • Collect Metrics mainly from • Project Manager • Development Team • Testing Team • Quality Team • Help Desk

23. Advantages of Using Metrics • Organizational software process and quality improvement, • Achieve “Quantitatively Managed Software” processes to be used in the company  CMMI Level 4 Process Areas • Monitoring and controlling of the software development schedule, life cycle activities and the resulting risks

24. Earned Value Example (Usage of Metrics) Projected actual end cost CONTRACT BUDGET BASE $ NOW Actual cost of work performed } Planned cost of work scheduled COST VARIANCE } SCHEDULE VARIANCE Planned cost of work performed 15 16 17 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 ..... end of project 18 TRR CDR

25. Future Improvements • Improving Automated Metrics Collection Tool • Use Metrics in Decision Support Systems • Make Metrics directly affect the Project Plan.

26. Why Use a Tool ? • Efficient and Accurate Data Collection • Real Time Decision Support • Data Security and Privacy • Effective Reporting

27. Use Automated Software Metrics Collection Tool • Usage of a distributed software project management tool that supports • organizational level planning, • task assignment (including predecessor and successor task assignments), • time and resource Management, • visual schedule preparation (Gantt Chart), • metrics collection and analysis, and • most importantly matching of the metrics data with the project schedule and task assignment modules

28. EXAMPLE TOOLS • PACE by Milsoft • PROMACS by Delta Software Group • MS Project • SureTrack • …

29. Tool Expectations • Metric collection tool should be integrated with Project Schedule • should force to gather accurate data (Smart Tools can be used) • should produce effective reports for decision making • Should produce suggestions in some points • Usage of Historical data

30. Conclusion • To survive a software development organisation must make accurate cost estimates and improve productivity and quality. • If you do not know where you are now you certainly won't know where you will be in the future. • To achieve accurate measurements of productivity and quality requires automated metrics collection and analysis. • In order to characterize, evaluate, predict and improve the process and product a metric baseline is essential.

31. Q & A Questions and Answers: • Are there any parts that needs to be clarified? • Are there any questions regarding the concepts talked about? • Are there any suggestions to improve this presentation?

32. Thank Your for YourAttendance… The End