Software Metrics and Software Metrology [Paperback]

Most of the software measures currently proposed to the industry bring few real benefits to either software managers or developers. This book looks at the classical metrology concepts from science and engineering, using them as criteria to propose an approach to analyze the design of current software measures and then design new software measures (illustrated with the design of a software measure that has been adopted as an ISO measurement standard). The book includes several case studies analyzing strengths and weaknesses of some of the software measures most often quoted. It is meant for software quality specialists and process improvement analysts and managers.

Foreword vii

Preface ix

Acknowledgments xvii

About the Author xix

PART 1: Key Concepts for the Design of Software Measures 1

1 INTRODUCTION 3

2 FROM MEASUREMENT METHODS TO QUANTITATIVE MODELS: A MEASUREMENT CONTEXT MODEL 17

3 METROLOGY AND QUALITY CRITERIA IN SOFTWARE MEASUREMENT 47

4 QUANTIFICATION AND MEASUREMENT ARE NOT THE SAME! 67

5 THE DESIGN OF SOFTWARE MEASUREMENT METHODS 99

PART 2: Some Popular Software Measures: How Good Are They? 129

6 CYCLOMATIC COMPLEXITY NUMBER: ANALYSIS OF ITS DESIGN 131

7 HALSTEAD'S METRICS: ANALYSIS OF THEIR DESIGNS 145

8 FUNCTION POINTS: ANALYSIS OF THEIR DESIGN 161

9 USE CASE POINTS: ANALYSIS OF THEIR DESIGN 191

10 ISO 9126: ANALYSIS OF QUALITY MODELS AND MEASURES 205

PART 3: The Design of COSMIC – ISO 19761 229

11 COSMIC: DESIGN OF AN INITIAL PROTOTYPE 231

12 COSMIC: SCALING UP AND INDUSTRIALIZATION 247

PART 4: Other Issues in the Delóú