Table Of ContentQuantifying Software
Quantifying Software
Global and Industry Perspectives
Capers Jones
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Contents
Preface ................................................................................................................xi
Acknowledgments ...........................................................................................xxv
Author ............................................................................................................xxvii
1 Introduction to Quantifying Software Results ......................................1
Software Revenue Generation ..................................................................104
Operating Cost Reductions .....................................................................105
Market Expansion....................................................................................105
Summary and Conclusions on the 50 Software Economic Factors ..........120
References ................................................................................................121
2 The Origin and Evolution of Function Point Metrics.........................125
The Origins of Function Point Metrics at IBM ........................................126
New and Old Function Point Business Models ........................................130
The Costs and Limitations of Standard Function Point Metrics ..............132
Expanding the Role and Advancing the Start Time of Function
Point Analysis ..........................................................................................135
The Current Business Model of Function Point Analysis in the
United States............................................................................................138
A New Business Model for Function Point Analysis ................................141
The Hazards and Errors of LOC Metrics .................................................163
Case 1: Application Written in the Assembly Language ......................164
Case 2: The Same Application Written in the C++ Language .............165
A Short History of LOC Metrics .............................................................165
The Hazards and Errors of the Cost per Defect Metric ............................169
Case A: Poor Quality ..........................................................................169
Case B: Good Quality .........................................................................169
Case C: Zero Defects ..........................................................................170
The Hazards of Multiple Metrics without Conversion Rules ....................170
Extending Function Point Logic into New Domains ...............................173
Potential Expansion of Function Points to Other Business Topics ...........174
Topic 1: The Need for Application Function Point Metrics ......................175
Topic 2: The Need for Component Feature Point Metrics........................176
v
vi ◾ Contents
Topic 3: The Need for Hardware Function Point Metrics ........................178
Topic 4: The Need for COTS Function Point Metrics .............................179
Topic 5: The Need for Micro Function Point Metrics ..............................181
Topic 6: The Need for Data Point Metrics ...............................................183
Topic 7: The Need for Website Point Metrics ...........................................185
Topic 8: The Need for Software Usage Point Metrics ...............................185
Topic 9: The Need for Service Point Metrics ............................................188
Topic 10: The Need for Value Point Metrics ............................................189
Topic 11: The Need for Risk Point Metrics ..............................................190
Topic 12: The Need for Security Points ....................................................191
Topic 13: The Need for Configuration Points ..........................................192
Topic 14: The Need for Nonfunctional Size (SNAP Points) .....................193
Example of Multi-Metric Software Economic Analysis............................193
The Probable Effort and Skill Sets to Create Additional Metrics ..............195
Size and Cost Growth over Multiple-Year Periods ....................................198
Summary and Conclusions on Function Points and Expanded
Functional Metrics...................................................................................199
Readings and References on Metrics and Function Point Analysis .........200
3 Software Information Needed by Corporate Executives ....................203
Answers to the 60 Software Questions .....................................................207
Primary Software Metrics for High Precision ..........................................207
Supplemental Software Metrics for High Precision .................................208
Answers to the Current “Hot Topic” Questions ......................................208
Answers to the Security, Quality, and Governance Questions .................213
Answers to the Software Usage, Value, and User Satisfaction Questions ......213
Answers to the Employee Satisfaction and Demographic Questions ........214
Answers to the Software Economic Impact Questions .............................217
Answers to the Competitive Analysis Questions ......................................218
Twenty-Five Quantitative Software Engineering Targets .......................220
Technologies Useful in Achieving Software Engineering Goals ..............227
Six Hazardous Software Engineering Methods to Be Avoided ................228
References and Readings ..........................................................................229
4 Metrics to Solve Problems and Improve Software Engineering
Quality and Productivity ...................................................................233
Reducing Software Wastage ....................................................................234
Reuse of Certified Materials for Software Projects ...................................242
Achieving Excellence in Software Quality Control ..................................243
Excellent Quality Control ........................................................................243
Average Quality Control .........................................................................244
Poor Quality Control ...............................................................................245
Metrics to Improve Software Quality ......................................................251
Contents ◾ vii
Software Quality and Software Security ..................................................274
Software Quality and Technical Debt .....................................................275
SNAP Metrics for Nonfunctional Size .....................................................276
Economic Value of High Software Quality ..............................................279
A Primer on Manufacturing Economics and the Impact of Fixed Costs .......279
Software’s Lack of Accurate Data and Poor Education on Quality and
Cost of Quality .......................................................................................287
Summary and Conclusions on Metrics for Problem-Solving ....................289
Improving Software Project Management Tools and Training .................289
Project Management Knowledge Acquisition...........................................295
The History of Software Project Management Tools ................................298
Usage Patterns of Software Project Management Tools ...........................300
Recent Evolution of Software Project Management Tools ........................302
The Costs and Value of Software Project Management Tools ..................313
The Future of Software Project Management Tools .................................314
References and Readings on Software Issues ............................................316
5 Measures, Metrics, and Management .................................................321
Introduction ............................................................................................321
Improving Software Project Management Tools and Training .................323
Initial Education for New Project Managers .......................................323
Continuing Education for Software Project Managers ........................326
Guest Lectures from Visiting Experts ..................................................330
Acquisition and Use of Software Parametric Estimation Tools ............330
Acquisition and Use of Progress and Milestone Tracking Tools ...........334
The Use of Formal Project Offices for Applications >1000
Function Points ...................................................................................335
Use and Measurement of Effective Quality Control Methods .............336
Elimination of Bad Metrics and Adoption of Effective Software
Metrics ...............................................................................................343
Primary Software Metrics for High Precision .....................................346
Supplemental Software Metrics for High Precision ............................346
Commissioning Annual Software Benchmark Studies .......................348
Formal Best Practice Analysis of Software Tools, Methods, and
Quality ................................................................................................349
Summary and Conclusions on Software Project Management .................357
Metrics and Measures for Achieving Software Excellence ...................358
Software Sizing, Estimation, and Project Tracking Differences ...........361
Software Quality Differences for Best, Average, and Poor Projects ......362
Excellent Quality Control ...................................................................365
Average Quality Control .....................................................................365
Poor Quality Control .........................................................................366
Reuse of Certified Materials for Software Projects ..............................368
viii ◾ Contents
Software Methodologies ......................................................................371
Quantifying Software Excellence ........................................................374
The Metaphor of Technical Debt ........................................................375
Stages in Achieving Software Excellence .............................................377
Stage 1: Quantify Your Current Software Results ...........................377
Stage 2: Begin to Adopt State-of-the-Art Quality Tools and
Methods .........................................................................................378
Stage 3: Continuous Improvements Forever....................................380
Going beyond Stage 3 into Formal Reuse Programs ............................382
Summary and Conclusions ......................................................................382
Suggested Readings on Software Project Management ............................382
Suggested Websites ..................................................................................385
6 50 Years of Global Software Benchmark Results ...............................389
Introduction ............................................................................................389
Measuring U.S. Software Productivity and Quality .................................390
Life Expectancy of Software Benchmark Data .........................................392
U.S. Software Benchmark Results ...........................................................398
Software Cost Drivers .............................................................................404
Phase-Based Costs versus Activity-Based Costs .......................................406
The Strange Mystery of Why Software Has 3000 Programming
Languages ................................................................................................410
U.S. Industry Work Hour Variations ......................................................423
U.S. Industry Productivity and Quality Results circa 2017 ......................425
Comparing Software Globally .................................................................433
Topics That Cannot Be in Benchmarks due to Laws or Union
Regulations ..............................................................................................456
Examples of Three Software Benchmarks ................................................458
Benchmark Section 0: Executive Summary .............................................459
Benchmark Section 1: Input Data ............................................................461
Benchmark Section 2: Output Data ........................................................467
Sizing and Other Quantitative Topics Including Risk Assessments ........470
Software Quality Benchmark Data .....................................................475
Schedule, Effort, and Cost Benchmark Data .......................................479
Benchmark Section 3: T echnology Stack Evaluation ..............................484
Benchmark Section 4: Topics Observed during Benchmark Process ........488
Benchmark Section 5: Maintenance, Enhancement, and Support
Benchmarks .............................................................................................502
Summary and Conclusions on Global Benchmarks .................................502
7 Advancing Software Benchmark Technology ....................................505
Synthetic Benchmarks Using Parametric Estimation to Improve
Speed and Accuracy .................................................................................505
Contents ◾ ix
Measuring Brand New Tools, Methods, and Programming Languages ......508
Executive Interest Levels in Software Benchmark Types ..........................510
Software Benchmark Providers ................................................................510
Summary and Conclusions on Estimation, Benchmarks, and
Quantified Results ...................................................................................510
References and Readings on Software Costs ...............................................517
Index ...........................................................................................................521
