Software Endgames: Eliminating Defects, Controlling Change, and the Countdown to On-Time Delivery

Chapter Eight. Useful and Relevant Metrics

This chapter focuses on gathering and analyzing some simple endgame metrics. We primarily examine two areas: defect trends and what goes on behind the data.

First, we examine raw defect trends and correlate them to your project milestones and progress, trying to gain insight from the data into how your project is progressing and whether you are supporting your release plans. In order to do this correlation, of course, you need to have a plan (see Chapter 4, regarding the Endgame Release Framework, and then overlay it across your defect trends). We examine the following trends:

• find (new) versus fixed (closed or deferred)

• all defects

• applying priority as a filter

• applying keywords as a filter ...