Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!usc!apple!voder!pyramid!athertn!Atherton.COM!dlw From: dlw@Atherton.COM (David Williams) Newsgroups: comp.software-eng Subject: Re: Evaluating the use of methodology, Message-ID: <35060@athertn.Atherton.COM> Date: 19 Apr 91 20:02:33 GMT References: <28062E7B.25315@ics.uci.edu> <1991Apr2.200958.8208@spool.cs.wisc.edu> <4909@berry7.UUCP> <4239.2805a798@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> Sender: news@athertn.Atherton.COM Reply-To: dlw@Atherton.COM (David Williams) Organization: Atherton Technology -- Sunnyvale, CA Lines: 36 In article <28062E7B.25315@ics.uci.edu>, song@berault.ics.uci.edu (Xiping Song) writes: A design methodology is supposed to be able to help in improving the quality of software. After one chooses a methodology and uses it to design a software, there is any way in which he/she can evaluate how effectively the methodology have helped the project? --Song Well you can use metrics to determine how you are doing. Of course this assumes you have been collecting them on your existing projects or have some way of determining where you were at with previous projects. You might look at some factors like time to completion, amount of effort spent doing redesign during the project, defect density, customer satisfaction upon delivery, evaluation of whether or not the delivered project met the requirements using the new methodology vs the degree of requirements matching of previous projects. Check out the SEI approach to understanding where you are in terms of process maturity and start monitoring yourself as you try new techniques. Finally, use a gut reaction...how does it feel to you once you've completed your project using the new methodology? Did you feel more productive? Can your metrics back this feeling up? David Williams--------------------------------------------------------------------- #define flame_sheild "I know you are, but what am I?" --------------------------------------------------------------------- David Williams -- dlw@atherton.com -- (408) 734-9822 x291 Atherton Technology -- The CASE Repository/IPSE 1333 Bordeaux Drive Sunnyvale, CA 94089 AIX,SunOS,Ultrix,VMS *