Five Core Metrics: The Intelligence Behind Successful Software Management

Chapter 5. The Measurement View

I encountered the anti-manager guy in the lounge of the conference hotel, where he was sitting alone at a cocktail table, sprawled out on an overstuffed couch, quietly downing a nightcap. Recognizing him from my seminar audience, I sat down across from him.

“What did you think of my measurement presentation today?” I inquired.

“You missed the point at every step,” he replied, putting down his drink.

I was sort of surprised, but he had been sitting in the back of the room. Perhaps he had not heard me clearly. Then I thought a few drinks might have loosened his tongue.

“How so?” I prodded.

“One of the first things you brought up was that tired old saw, KISS. You said it means: ‘Keep It Stupefyingly Simple,’ or something ...