ABSTRACT
Software measurements are required in order to control
This report is about measurements role in our daily life and
specifically in software industry. This report consist two parts.
First part give overview about the role of metrics in our daily
life matters and the second part give brief and comprehensive
overview about the measurements related to Software
engineering.
1. INTRODUCTION
Measurements are the things which help us predict or evaluate
something [1]. Measurements are very important for any type of
industry in order to judge the quality and further improvements.
Just like other disciplines, software engineering also required
some sort of measurements in order to estimate the time, size
and efforts. “The main task of the software engineering is to
provide safe, useful and reliable software by using a systematic,
disciplined and quantifiable approach to the development,
operation and maintenance of software”[2]. The role of
measurement in software is very vital in order to control and
evaluate the software development process.
2. METRICS ROLE IN EVERYDAY LIFE
2.1 Cooking a Dinner for Couple of Friends
Cooking a dinner for a couple of friends, we need following
things in our consideration.
 Available budget
 Total number of dishes
 Available resources
 Required Resources
 Estimate the total cost
 Estimate the total time
 Estimate the food per person
 Control the time
 Control the cost
2.2 Choosing the dress/suit for you
In order to choose a suit for you, we need following things in
our consideration.
 Estimate size
 Dress type
 Required brand
 Available budget
 Estimate the cost
 Price comparison
 Choose dress
 Control cost
3. Metrics role in Software Engineering
Science and engineering discipline rigorously depends on
measurements. According to Fenton “You cannot predict nor
control what you cannot measure [1]”. Like any other discipline,
software engineering also required some sort of measures in
order to estimate the size, complexity, project duration,
productivity and effort. By taking these measures on any
software engineering project, we can estimate cost, assess
quality and monitor and control the things. In reality most of the
projects of software industry fail due to lack of resource
estimation, incomplete requirements and wrong estimation of
cost.
these lapses.
3.1 List of Measures required during software
development process
3.1.1 Requirement phase
In the requirement phase, we use total number of mandatory
requirements as measure of the requirement phase [1]. The
purpose of this metric is to identify the mandatory or most
important requirements. We use this metric to identify the size
of the software.
3.1.2 Design phase
In design phase, we can use the total number of pages of design
document as a measure of the design phase [1]. The purpose of
this metric is to identify the size of project. We use this metric
to identify the development resources.
3.1.3 Coding phase
In coding phase, we use total number of source lines of code in
order to estimate the size as measure of the coding phase [1].
We use this metric to identify the productivity. The purpose of
this metric is to identify productivity of the software developers.
3.1.4 Testing phase
In testing phase, we use number of defects per requirement as a
measure of the testing phase [1]. The usage of this metric is to
identify how good the requirements are implemented correctly.
3.2 DIFICULITIES OF MEASUREMENTS
IN SOFTWARE ENGINEERING
Measurements in software engineering are not always easy [1].
Many attributes like quality, level of complexity, productivity
are difficult to measure. How do we measure the productivity?
If someone write the 1000 lines of code in 5 hours and 20 bugs
are identified by testing team in that code. Another person write
1000 lines of code in 8 hours and testing team identified 10 bugs
in that code. What is their productivity and whose productivity
is better?
Software measurements are abstract and not easy to visualize.
4. References
[1] L.M. Laird, M.C. Brennan, Software Measurement and
Estimation: A Practical Approach, Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Publication, 2006, pp1- 33-39-40-120.
[2] “IEEE Standard Glossary of Software Engineering
Terminology,” IEEE STD 610.12-1990, 1990, quoted at the
beginning of Chapter 1: Introduction to the guide Guide to the
Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (February 6, 2004).
Retrieved on 2008-02-21.