Software Measurement Methods: An Analysis of Two Designs
Affiliation(s)
Department of Software Engineering and IT, école de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, Canada.
Department of Software Engineering and IT, école de Technologie Supérieure, Montreal, Canada.
ABSTRACT
In software engineering, software measures are often proposed without precise identification of the measurable concepts they attempt to quantify: consequently, the numbers obtained are challenging to reproduce in different measurement contexts and to interpret, either as base measures or in combination as derived measures. The lack of consistency when using base measures in data collection can affect both data preparation and data analysis. This paper analyzes the similarities and differences across three different views of measurement methods (ISO International Vocabulary on Metrology, ISO 15939, and ISO 25021), and uses a process proposed for the design of software measurement methods to analyze two examples of such methods selected from the literature.
In software engineering, software measures are often proposed without precise identification of the measurable concepts they attempt to quantify: consequently, the numbers obtained are challenging to reproduce in different measurement contexts and to interpret, either as base measures or in combination as derived measures. The lack of consistency when using base measures in data collection can affect both data preparation and data analysis. This paper analyzes the similarities and differences across three different views of measurement methods (ISO International Vocabulary on Metrology, ISO 15939, and ISO 25021), and uses a process proposed for the design of software measurement methods to analyze two examples of such methods selected from the literature.
Cite this paper
J. Desharnais and A. Abran, "Software Measurement Methods: An Analysis of Two Designs," Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, Vol. 5 No. 10, 2012, pp. 797-809. doi: 10.4236/jsea.2012.510092.
J. Desharnais and A. Abran, "Software Measurement Methods: An Analysis of Two Designs," Journal of Software Engineering and Applications, Vol. 5 No. 10, 2012, pp. 797-809. doi: 10.4236/jsea.2012.510092.
References
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[28] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—IFPUG 4.1 Unadjusted Functional Size Measurement Method—Counting Practices Manual,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2009. [29] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Mk II Function Point Analysis—Counting Practices Manual,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2002. [30] A. Abran, R. E. Al-Qutaish, J. M. Desharnais and N. Habra, “An Information Model for Software Quality Measurement with ISO Standards,” International Conference on Software Development—SWEDC-REK, Reykjavik, 13-16 July 2005, pp. 104-116. [31] R. E. Al-Qutaish, “SPQMM: A Software Product Quality Maturity Model Using ISO/IEEE Standards, Metrology, and Sigma Concepts,” Ph.D. Thesis, Université du Québec, Montréal, 2007. [32] A. Abran, R. E. Al-Qutaish and J. M. Desharnais, “Harmonization Issues in the Updating of the ISO Standards on Software Product Quality,” Metrics News, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2005, pp. 35-44.
[1] International Standardization Organization, “International Vocabulary of Basic and General Terms in Metrology (Draft),” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2002. [2] A. Alain, “Software Metrics and Software Metrology,” Wiley-IEEE Computer Society, New Jersey, 2010. doi:10.1002/9780470606834 [3] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Product Quality—Part 1: Quality model,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2001. [4] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Product Quality—Part 2: External Metrics,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2003. [5] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Product Quality—Part 3: Internal Metrics,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2003. [6] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Product Quality—Part 4: Quality-in-Use Metrics,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2004. [7] T. J. McCabe, “A Complexity Measure,” IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Vol. SE-2, No. 4, 1976, pp. 308-320. [8] M. H. Halstead, “Elements of Software Science,” Elsevier Science Ltd., Amsterdam, 1977. [9] B. W. Boehm, “Software Engineering Economics,” Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 1981. [10] B. W. Boehm, A. W. Brown, S. Chulani, B. K. Clark, R. Madachy, D. J. Reifer and B. Steece, “Software Cost Estimation with COCOMO II,” Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 2000. [11] S. L. Pfleeger, “Software Engineering Theory and Practice,” 4th Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, 2001. [12] S. R. Chidamber and C. F. Kemerer, “A Metrics Suite for Object Oriented Design,” IEEE Transactions on Software Engineering, Vol. 20, No. 6, 1994, pp. 476-493. doi:10.1109/32.295895 [13] C. Kaner, J. Falk and H. Q. Nguyen, “Testing Computer Software,” 2nd Edition, Van Nostrand-Reinhold, New York, 1993. [14] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—COSMIC—A Functional Size Measurement Method,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2010. [15] International Standardization Organization, “Information Technology—Software Measurement—Functional Size Measurement—Definition of Concepts,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2007. [16] International Standardization Organization, “Systems and Software Engineering—Measurement Process,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2007. [17] International Standardization Organization, “System and Software Engineering—System and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE)—System and Software Quality Models,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2010. [18] J. M. Desharnais, A. Abran and W. Suryn, “Attributes and Related ISO 9126: A Pareto Analysis, Software Quality Management,” British Computer Society, London, 2009. [19] International Standardization Organization, “Systems and Software Engineering—Vocabulary, Final Draft,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2009. [20] International Standardization Organization, “Systems and Software Engineering—Systems and Software Quality Requirements and Evaluation (SQuaRE)—Quality Measure Elements,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2012. [21] L. Carnahan, G. Carver, M. Gray, M. Hogan, T. Hopp, J. Horlick, G. Lyon and E. Messina, “Metrology for Information Technology, Public Report Number A853084,” National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, 1997. [22] M. M. Gray, “Application of Metrology to Information Technology,” Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, Vol. 104, No. 6, 1999, pp. 567-578. [23] N. Habra, A. Abran, M. Lopez and A. Sellami, “A Framework for the Design and Verification of Software Measurement Methods,” Journal of Systems and Software, Elsevier, Vol. 81, No. 5, 2008, pp. 633-648. [24] COSMIC Group, “COSMIC Measurement Method, Version 3.0.1, Measurement Manual,” The COSMIC Implementation Guide for ISO/IEC 19761, 2003, 2008.http://www.cosmicon.com/dl_manager4.asp?id=73 [25] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—NESMA Functional Size Measurement Method Version 2.1—Definitions and Counting Guidelines for the Application of Function Point Analysis,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2005. [26] J. C. Munson and A. P. Nikora, “Toward a Quantifiable Definition of Software Faults,” Proceedings of the 13th International Symposium on Software Reliability Engineering, Washington, 12-15 November 2002, p. 388. [27] O. O. Top, “Measurement Method for Case, SM517 Software Measure,” Middle East Technical University, Ankara, 2009. [28] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—IFPUG 4.1 Unadjusted Functional Size Measurement Method—Counting Practices Manual,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2009. [29] International Standardization Organization, “Software Engineering—Mk II Function Point Analysis—Counting Practices Manual,” International Standardization Organization, Geneva, 2002. [30] A. Abran, R. E. Al-Qutaish, J. M. Desharnais and N. Habra, “An Information Model for Software Quality Measurement with ISO Standards,” International Conference on Software Development—SWEDC-REK, Reykjavik, 13-16 July 2005, pp. 104-116. [31] R. E. Al-Qutaish, “SPQMM: A Software Product Quality Maturity Model Using ISO/IEEE Standards, Metrology, and Sigma Concepts,” Ph.D. Thesis, Université du Québec, Montréal, 2007. [32] A. Abran, R. E. Al-Qutaish and J. M. Desharnais, “Harmonization Issues in the Updating of the ISO Standards on Software Product Quality,” Metrics News, Vol. 10, No. 2, 2005, pp. 35-44.