The Software Quality Metrics Conundrum

When measuring software quality, we first need to understand its meaning, then its definition. Then we can begin to measure whether or not we’ve attained it. And this is where metrics come in. Unfortunately, many organizations collect and publish all sorts of metrics without considering if measuring and obtaining the data will actually lead to better software quality. The result is that many of those painstakingly collected and calculated measurements ultimately measure the wrong thing, end up on spreadsheets in someone’s unread email, and most importantly, lead to no useful action or results. Philip Lew describes how to develop a software quality metrics framework that connects software quality metrics with actionable objectives related to different phases of your product’s development. With a metrics framework in place, you can develop metrics that can evaluate each part of the product’s development with clear objectives—and thus improve the product from start to finish.