New Research in Software Metrics

Quote of the Week

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it is tied to everything else in the universe."

- John Muir (1838-1914)

Developers Have Opinions Too! Gauging Acceptance of Software Metrics Programs

Over the past 20 years, there has been considerable progress in the design and implementation of software quality programs, process improvement techniques, and metrics initiatives. Empirical evidence gathered on these topics has revealed that socio-political, cultural, and human factors are crucial to the metrics ecosystem as they can influence the social climate, attitudes of developers and the credibility of gathered data. The industry doesn't yet have a clear grasp on the impact of the human element and how it affects challenges like developer buy-in. A better understanding could transform our approach. The MAM framework (Metrics Acceptance Model) developed by Medha Umarji and her colleagues at the University of Maryland Baltimore County have developed a framework for predicting developer acceptance of metrics and other process improvement programs. We invite you to contribute to the evaluation of the MAM by taking the Metrics Acceptance Survey.

Click here to participate in the survey

Click here for details on the framework and how it's being evaluated

Understanding Developer Resistance to Software Metrics

There is plenty of good advice available on best practices and enablers of successful measurement programs. Planners and implementers of these programs, however, continue to grapple with push back from developers. This resistance often stems from developers' distrust of the metrics process and a lack of belief that metrics will be useful, amongst other factors. To help organizations pin-point the problems they are likely to encounter in getting buy-in from their developers, we compiled a diagnostic survey that gathers opinions and attitudes directly from developers. The survey, and underlying framework, is based on problem areas identified in metrics and process acceptance literature. To evaluate the effect of these problem areas on developer motivation, we applied our survey to 98 metrics practitioners. We learned that four factors: metrics usefulness, fear of adverse consequences, expectations of managers and colleagues, and attitude towards metrics were significantly related to the motivation to collect metrics data. In this paper we present our assessment framework, the results of the survey, and the implications for planners and implementers of metrics programs. (15 pages)

Click Here to Read "Understanding Developer Resistance to Software Metrics!"

Gauging Acceptance of Software Metrics: Comparing Perspectives of Managers and Developers

In the past decades, there has been considerable progress in the design and understanding of software quality, process improvement, and metrics initiatives. However, much of the potential of such initiatives might be hindered due to social and psychological factors causing resistance. Metrics initiatives are particularly prone to such resistance. The study presented in this paper is part of a larger investigation that aims to understand the social, behavioral and cultural obstacles to getting the buy-in of developers and their project managers to software metrics programs. (10 pages)

Click Here to Read "Gauging Acceptance of Software Metrics: Comparing Perspectives of Managers and Developers!"

For more information on software best practices and IT management, please contact Michael Milutis, the IT Metrics and Productivity Journal Executive Director, at michael_milutis@compaid.com