Size oriented metrics - Definition - Evaluating Products, Processes & Resources

Discussion

• Nirja Shah   -Posted on 26 Oct 15
  Size - oriented metrics
  - It is derived by normalizing the quality and/or productivity measures by considering the size of the software produced
  
  - There are thousand lines of code (KLOC) which are often chosen as the normalization value
  
  - Metrics include
  Errors per KLOC - Errors per person-month
  Defects per KLOC - KLOC per person-month
  Dollars per KLOC - Dollars per page of documentation
  Pages of documentation per KLOC
  
  - This metric is not universally accepted as the best way to measure the software process
  
  - The opponents are the one that argue with KLOC measurements
  1. Are dependent on the programming language
  2. Penalize well-designed but short programs
  3. Cannot easily accommodate non-procedural languages
  4. Require a level of detail that may be difficult to achieve
  
  Function - oriented metrics
  - This metric uses a measure of the functionality delivered by the application as a normalization value
  
  - The most widely used metric of this type is the function point:
  
  FP = count total * [0.65 + 0.01 * sum (value adj. factors)]
  
  - The function point values on past projects is used to compute, for example, the average number of lines of code per function point (e.g., 60)
  
  Object - oriented metrics
  - Conventional software project metrics (LOC or FP) can be used to estimate object - oriented software projects.
  
  - However, these metrics do not provide enough granularity for the schedule and effort adjustments that are required as we iterate through an evolutionary or incremental process.
  
  Use - case oriented metrics
  - It would seem reasonable to apply the use case as a normalization measure similar to LOC or FP.
  
  - Like FP, the use case is defined early in the software process allowing it to be used for estimation before significant modelling and construction activities are initiated.
  
  - It describes user- visible functions and features that are basic requirements for a system.
  
  - It is independent of programming language.
  
  

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