SWE 2020- Software Metrics

Scope of Software Metrics

1. Cost and effort estimation
2. Data collection
3. Quality Models and Measures
4. Reliability models
5. Security Metrics
6. Structural and complexity metrics
7. Capability-maturity assessment
8. Management by metrics
9. Evaluation of methods and tools
 1. Cost and effort estimation
• Manager predicts the project cost and time at planning phase of software
development cycle.
• Cost estimation models used for cost predictions
• COCOMO II.
• Albrecht’s function point model.
• As per these models : Effort is measured by
- Size of the product, capability of developers , level of reuse
• Size of product is measured by
- Lines of code or Function point (FP)
- FP is the measuring using of software functionality. It is a measure of
what the software does and not how the software was developed.
- Function Point Analysis (FPA) is a software measurement technique based
on the users point of view.
- ISO standards for FP’s COSMIC, FiSMA, IFPUG, Mark – II, NESMA.
 2. Data Collection
• Quality of measurement program dependent on data collection.
• Data collection must be planned and executed in a careful and
sensitive manner.
• Its essential for
• carrying out good experiments
• To draw at valid conclusions (end/finish)
• To make decisions (choice/judgement)
 3. Quality Models and Measures
Use Factor Criteria
Communicativeness
Usability
Accuracy
Product Reliability
Operation Consistency

Efficiency Device Efficiency

Accessibility
Reusability Metrics
Completeness

Product Maintainability Structuredness

Revision Conciseness
Portability
Device Independence

Testability Legibility

Self-descriptiveness

Traceability

A Tree model defining the diversified multiple parameters involved in software measurement
 4. Reliability models

• Most quality models include reliability as a component factor.

• These models are using the fault analysis, fault rate (no. of faults in a program),
fault frequency (how often) as the major reliability criteria.
• The most famous model are basic exponential model and logarithmic poisson
model.
• Exponential model assumes Finite failure in infinite time
• Logarithmic Poisson Model-infinite failure
 5. Security Metrics
• Security metric is a system of related dimensions (compared against a
standard) enabling quantification of the degree of freedom from
possibility of suffering damage or loss from malicious attack.
• Types
• Process Security Metrics (Organizational policy)
• Network Security Metrics (Firewall)
• Software Security Metrics (LOC, FP)
• People Security Metrics (Trusted workgroup)
 6. Structural and Complexity metrics
• Defining UML (Unified Modeling language) diagrams (use-case, class,
data flow, sequence diagrams).
• The UML represents a best engineering practices for modeling of
large and complex systems.
• The UML helps
• project teams communicate,
• explore potential designs, and
• validate the architectural design of the software.
 7. Capability-maturity assessment
• US Software Engineering Institute (SEI) model developed a software
development process technique (CMMI – Capability Maturity Model
Integration).
• Software development process assessed using
• Tools used
• Standards used
• Contractor’s ability in developing software.
• 5 levels of maturity model
1. Initial - software process is characterized as ad hoc (defined at that point of time without planning),
and occasionally even chaotic
2. Repeatable – comparative study (cost, schedule, functionality) on similar successful project
3. Defined - The software process for both management and engineering activities is documented,
standardized, and integrated into all processes for the organization.
4. Managed - Detailed measures of the software process and product quality are collected.
5. Optimizing - Continuous process improvement by quantitative feedback from the process and from
directing innovative ideas and technologies
 8. Management by metrics
• Measurement is important in Software Project Management.
• Customer and developer rely on measurement-based charts and graphs to
decide If the project is on track.
• Project can be compared and contrasted by standards of measurement and
testing report.
• Measurements used should be in understandable form for both software
developers and customers (knows little about software, software
development process, software testing, computer hardware)
 9. Evaluation of methods and tools
• Use of new methods and tools for software development needs to be
evaluated
• Positive impact
• Defines uniqueness of the product
• Successful evaluation depends on
• Good experimental design
• Proper identification of factors for effective outcome
• Appropriate measurement of factor attributes