Software Metrics, 3rd Edition

xvii

Preface

S

      in good soware engineering.

Measurement is used to assess situations, track progress, evaluate eec-

tiveness, and more. But the gap between how we do measure and how we

could measure remains larger than it should be. A key reason for this gap

between potential and practice was the lack of a coordinated, comprehen-

sive framework for understanding and using measurement. e rigorous

measurement framework introduced by the highly successful rst edition

of Soware Metrics: A Rigorous Approach in 1991 and second edition of

Soware Metrics: A Rigorous and Practical Approach in 1997 has helped

to advance the role of measurement by inspiring discussion of important

issues, explaining essential concepts, and suggesting new approaches for

tackling long-standing problems.

As one of the rst texts on soware metrics, the rst edition broke new

ground by introducing soware engineers to measurement theory, graph-

theoretic concepts, and new approaches to soware reliability. e second

edition added material on practical applications and expanded the frame-

work to include notions of process visibility and goal-directed measure-

ment. e new third edition reects the great progress in the development

and use of soware metrics over the past decades. is progress includes

the acceptance of quantitative analysis and empirical evaluation of so-

ware development methods in both research and practice. We have seen

the emergence of numerous research journals and conferences that focus

on quantitative and empirical methods applied to soware engineering

problems. e SEI Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) for

development, which relies on metrics, is now commonly used to evaluate

the maturity of development organizations.

is third edition contains new material relevant to object-oriented

design, design patterns, model-driven development, and agile develop-

ment processes. Of particular note is the new chapter on causal models

xviii ◾ Preface

and Bayesian networks and their application to soware engineering. e

text also includes references to recent soware metrics activities, includ-

ing research results, industrial case studies, and standards. Along with the

new material, the book contains numerous examples and exercises, and

thus continues to provide an accessible and comprehensive introduction

to soware metrics.

is book is designed to suit several audiences. It is structured as the

primary textbook for an academic or industrial course on soware met-

rics and quality assurance. But it is also a useful supplement for any course

in soware engineering. Because of its breadth, the book is a major refer-

ence book for academics and practitioners, as it makes accessible impor-

tant and interesting results that have appeared only in research-oriented

publications. Researchers in soware metrics will nd special interest in

the material reporting new results, and in the extensive bibliography of

measurement-related information. Finally, the book oers help to soware

managers and developers who seek guidance on establishing or expanding

a measurement program; they can focus on the practical guidelines for

selecting metrics and planning their use.

e book is arranged in two parts. Part I oers the reader a basic under-

standing of why and how we measure. It examines and explains the fun-

damentals of measurement, experimentation, and data collection and

analysis. Part II explores soware engineering measurement in greater

detail, with comprehensive information about a range of specic metrics

and their uses, illustrated by many examples and case studies. e book

also includes a bibliography and answers to selected exercises from the

main chapters.