Creating a Software Engineering Culture

Chapter 17. Case Study: Measurement in a Small Software Group

Programmers regard themselves as artists. As such, they consider keeping accurate records of their handiwork on par with washing ash trays.

—Otis Port, Business Week

Metrics programs in small software groups don’t always begin with a systematic analysis of organizational goals and a supporting measurement methodology. One of our small teams at Kodak began its metrics program with a simple desire to better understand how team members were spending their development and maintenance effort on projects. Measurement of our work effort distribution over time provided process understanding, impetus for process change, and opportunities for improving our project estimating ability. Later, ...