Conference Presentations

Implementing and Sustaining a Measurement Program

Are you looking to install new measurements at the department or enterprise level? Are parts of your existing measurement program shaky? Starting a measurement program or revitalizing an existing one requires a good road map and checkpoints along the way. Janet Russac offers the fundamentals for establishing an organization-wide measurement program based on defined objectives. Find out about the principles of when to use metrics and when not to use them. Get a proven measurement program implementation strategy from this industry veteran, and take away an understanding of the key steps and attributes of a successful program. Make your measurements even more valuable by incorporating a benchmarking component into your program.

  • Key steps to a successful measurement program
  • Identification of key indicators of readiness and factors for success
Janet Russac, The David Consulting Group
Integrating Requirements-Based Tesing in the Development Process

Good data feedback of software measurements is critical when analyzing measurement data, for drawing conclusions, and as the basis for taking action. Feedback to those involved in the activities being measured helps validate the data as well. In this presentation Ben Linders shows examples of how Ericsson Telecommunications delivers feedback at two levels: projects and the total development center. Although the basics are similar, the application differs, and the key success factors depend on the level and the audience. At the project level, you will see how the team reviews defect data, including defect classifications and test matrices. For development center feedback, you will see how line management and technical engineers review data and analyze information based on a balanced score card approach with measurable goals.

Richard Bender, Technology Builders, Inc.
Test Metrics: A Practical Approach To Tracking and Interpretation

You can improve the overall quality of a software project through the use of test metrics. Test metrics can be used to track and measure the efficiency, effectiveness, and the success or shortcomings of various activities of a software development project. While it is important to recognize the value of gathering test metrics data, it is the interpretation of that data which makes the metrics meaningful or not. Shaun Bradshaw describes the metrics he tracks during a test effort and explains how to interpret the metrics so they are meaningful to the project and its team members.

  • What types of test metrics should be tracked
  • How to track and interpret test metrics
  • The two categories of test metrics: base and calculated
Shaun Bradshaw, Questcon Technologies Inc
State of the Practice in Application Development: A Basis for Benchmarking

This presentation explains why knowing broad industry trends regarding application development is not enough to ensure a successful project. AD should be tightly bound to businesses. Existing measures need to be reviewed and service levels for usefulness in measuring attainment of goals that directly support each line of business need to be considered. Read on as the author details these and other important points.

Robert Solon, Gartner Inc
High-Maturity Measurement

This article will teach you how to: identify current problems with your organization's Level 3 implementation that will inhibit Level 4 implementation, explain the practices that are essential to implementing Level 4
and the basic quantitative management principles, describe how projects are planned at Level 4, and the purpose
of project and organizational goals, and describe the problems with and proper use of control charts and other statistical methods.

Beth Layman, TeraQuest Metrics Inc
12 Steps to a Successful Metrics Program

Software metrics are an integral part of the state-of-the-practice in software engineering. More and more customers are specifying quality metrics reporting as part of their contractual requirements. Companies are using metrics to better understand, track, control, and predict software projects and products. This paper explains the basic concepts of metrics and measurement theory and how those
concepts relate to software.

Linda Westfall, The Westfall Team
Measuring Test Effectiveness: How Good is Your Testing?

Every year companies around the world spend vast sums of money testing software, yet many have no idea of the effectiveness of this effort. Some use flawed metrics, while others find the measurement problems too hard to even attempt. Rick Craig dissects some of the more commonly used measures of test effectiveness and discusses their pros and cons. From this list of measures, including defect removal efficiency, code coverage, and functional coverage, learn a practical and usable (if still imperfect) set of metrics that every organization needs to quantify its test effectiveness.

Rick Craig, Software Quality Engineering
Improve Your Estimating Process--Beginning with a Proof of Concept

Estimating is like the weather; everyone talks about it, but no one does anything about it. This presentation provides the techniques required to execute a Proof of Concept estimating model, allowing an organization to trial run the tools, techniques, and methods required to estimate projects more accurately and earlier in the lifecycle. Learn the key elements of this approach, and obtain templates to employ in your organization.

David Herron, The David Consulting Group, Inc.
The Devil's in the Details: IT Benchmarking--Aligning Outsourcing Expectations and Managing Risks

Gathering IT intelligence data is critical to deciding what and when to outsource, and how to structure service levels to create a winning deal for both sides. Based on IT benchmark trends observed from a modern database of 5,000+ completed projects gathered worldwide, learn how to identify proposals that satisfactorily address application development and maintenance productivity from a multi-dimensional perspective. Discover the weaknesses and strengths of various practices, and explore productivity case studies that demonstrate successful IT benchmarking frameworks.

Michael Mah, QSM Associates, Inc.
Software Estimating with Functional Metrics

One of the greatest challenges faced by software professionals is the accurate estimation of effort, schedule, and cost for software projects. Learn the technique that has proven to be the most successful in establishing accurate estimates based on quantifying customer requirements and evaluating the development environment using software measurement techniques. Discover ways to use this process to improve estimating accuracy in your software projects.

Scott Goldfarb, Q/P Management Group, Inc.

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