Software Metrics, Project Management and Estimation

MADHAV INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY AND SCIENCE
Software Metrics, Project Management
and Estimation
By:
BULBUL AGRAWAL
Assistant Professor
MITS, Gwalior

Software Metrics in Process and Project Domains
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Software metrics are used to measure the quality of software products and
processes. In the process domain, metrics are used to monitor and control
the software development process. Metrics such as defect density, code
complexity, and productivity can help identify areas that need improvement.
In the project domain, metrics are used to measure the progress and success
of a software project. Metrics such as schedule variance, cost variance,
and earned value can help project managers make informed decisions.
Metrics can be categorized into three types:
• PRODUCT METRICS- Product metrics are used to measure the characteristics
of the software product, such as size, complexity, and quality.
• PROCESS METRICS- Process metrics are used to measure the efficiency and
effectiveness of the software development process.
• PROJECT METRICS- Project metrics are used to measure the progress and
success of a software project.

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Software Measurement and Quality Metrics
▪ Software measurement is the process of quantitatively
assessing software products and processes. Measurements can
be collected at different stages of the software development
life cycle, from requirements gathering to maintenance. The
goal of software measurement is to improve the quality of
software products and processes by providing objective data
for decision-making.
▪ Quality metrics are used to measure the quality of software
products.
▪ They can be classified into three categories:
• PRODUCT OPERATION METRICS- Product operation metrics
measure the performance, reliability, and usability of the
software product.
• PRODUCT REVISION METRICS- Product revision metrics measure
the maintainability and testability of the software product.
• PRODUCT TRANSITION METRICS- Product transition metrics
measure the portability and interoperability of the software
product.

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Project Management Basics - People, Product,
Process, Project
▪ Project management is the process of planning, organizing, and controlling
resources to achieve specific goals within a defined scope, budget, and
timeline.
▪ There are four key elements of project management:
▪ PEOPLE- People refer to the team members involved in the project, including
stakeholders, sponsors, and developers.
▪ PRODUCT- Product refers to the software product being developed.
▪ PROCESS- Process refers to the software development process being used.
▪ PROJECT-Project refers to the overall effort to develop the software product.
▪ Effective project management requires a combination of technical skills,
communication skills, and leadership skills. Project managers must be able to
plan and execute projects, manage risks, communicate effectively with
stakeholders, and motivate team members to achieve project goals.

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Software Project Estimation and Decomposition
Techniques
▪ Software project estimation is the process of predicting the
resources required to complete a software project. Estimation
involves breaking down the project into smaller, more manageable
components and estimating the effort required for each component.
There are several decomposition techniques used in software project
estimation, including function point estimation, line of code (LOC)
based estimation, empirical estimation, and COCOMO model.
▪ Function point estimation is a technique that measures the
functionality provided by the software product. LOC-based estimation
estimates the effort required based on the number of lines of code
in the software product. Empirical estimation uses historical data
from previous projects to estimate the effort required for the
current project. The COCOMO model is a mathematical model that
estimates the effort required based on project characteristics such
as size, complexity, and experience level of the development team.

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Decomposition Techniques in Software Project Estimation
▪ Decomposition techniques are used in software project estimation to break down
the project into smaller components that can be estimated more accurately.
Function point estimation and line of code (LOC) based estimation are two
commonly used decomposition techniques.
▪ Function point estimation involves breaking down the system into functional
components and estimating the size and complexity of each component. LOC-based
estimation involves estimating the size of the program based on the number of
lines of code.
Empirical Estimation in Software Project Estimation
▪ Empirical estimation is a data-driven approach to software project estimation. It involves using
historical data from previous projects to estimate the effort, time, and cost required for a new
project.
▪ This technique is based on the assumption that the future performance of a team can be predicted
based on their past performance. Empirical estimation is particularly useful for organizations that
have a large number of similar projects.

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line of code (LOC)
A line of code (LOC) is any line of text in a code that is not a comment or blank
line, and also header lines, in any case of the number of statements or fragments
of statements on the line. LOC clearly consists of all lines containing the
declaration of any variable, and executable and non-executable statements. As
Lines of Code (LOC) only counts the volume of code, you can only use it to compare
or estimate projects that use the same language and are coded using the same
coding standards.
COCOMO Model in Software Project Estimation
▪ The COCOMO model is a widely used software project estimation model developed
by Barry Boehm. It is a hierarchical model that estimates the effort, time,
and cost required for a project based on various factors such as the size of
the project, the complexity of the project, and the experience of the team.
▪ The COCOMO model has three different levels: Basic, Intermediate, and
Detailed. The Basic model is used for early-stage estimation, while the
Intermediate and Detailed models are used for more accurate estimation.

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Project Scheduling Techniques
▪ Project scheduling is the process of creating a timeline for a
software project. The timeline includes all the tasks required to
complete the project, their dependencies, and their duration.
There are several scheduling techniques used in software project
management, including Gantt charts, critical path analysis, and
program evaluation and review technique (PERT).
▪ Gantt charts are visual representations of the project schedule
that show the start and end dates of each task. Critical path
analysis identifies the critical path, or the sequence of tasks
that must be completed on time to ensure the project is completed
on schedule. PERT is a statistical tool that uses probabilistic
estimates to calculate the expected duration of each task and the
overall project duration.

Conclusion
In conclusion, software metrics, project management, and estimation are
essential components of successful software development. Metrics provide
objective data for decision-making, project management ensures effective
planning and execution of software projects, and estimation helps predict the
resources required for a software project. By using these techniques, software
development teams can improve the quality of their software products and
processes and deliver projects on time and within budget.
It is important for software development teams to stay up-to-date with the
latest trends and best practices in software metrics, project management, and
estimation to ensure they are using the most effective techniques for their
projects.
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