Value Improvement: Productivity and efficiency

"Measure twice - cut once"

In all aspects of software development and maintenance, measurement and analysis should be applied to focus money and resources on delivering optimum value to the business user and end customer.

Without an informed and objective view of current performance levels, there is a significant danger that short-term cost-cutting can lead to increased overall costs. It can also compromise the capability - and in worst case, even the viability - of the organisational supply chain.

The cost of getting early expert advice is negligable in relation to the savings to be made. The cost of failing to take the right action at the right time can be catastrophic.

Focus on value pulls quality and cost

All the evidence from high performing organisations shows that focusing on the desired outcome pulls through reduced costs, higher quality and better predictability. Objective analysis of current performance levels reveals the opportunities for improvement. Getting this analysis right first time by using industry experts saves time, money and wasted effort.

Measurement programmes should be focussed on the critical concerns of the business. For measurement to add value to the process of software development and/or maintenance, the goals of the measurement programme must be:

• specific
• clearly defined
• measurable
• reflect the business objectives.

The first consideration in the measurement process is to define the actual measures in numerical terms to be used. This is logically followed by measurement, data collection, validation, collation and usage, finishing with analysis and reporting.

SMS Functional Size Pilot Study

SMS provides services to set up and run measurement programmes. We can also enable organisations to gather software metrics themselves and advise on effective application.

SMS has put together the following special consulting package to help you get started:

• An initial discussion to agree the scope, objectives and deliverables of an FSM Pilot Study in the context of your organisation
• A Kick-Off Workshop to explain the process with the project team(s) selected for inclusion in the pilot study
• Application of the chosen FSM technique by experienced consulting analysts to the selected project(s)
• Collection of related data and calculation of derived measurements
• Presentation of the results of the FSM Pilot Study to the key stakeholders in your organisation, including details of the benefits

Each FSM Pilot Study is designed to be completed in one week.

See also:

• Starting a Measurement Programme
• Software Size Measures
• Data Collection
• RAPS
• Supporting a Measurement Programme

Measurement in context