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From: kambic@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com (George X. Kambic, Allen-Bradley Inc.)
Newsgroups: comp.software-eng
Subject: Re:  use of metrics (was: Re: bridge building and discipline)
Message-ID: <4794.284cfad3@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com>
Date: 5 Jun 91 19:53:07 GMT
References: <24527@unix.SRI.COM> <4707.284370a9@iccgcc.decnet.ab.com> <795@tivoli.UUCP> <35121@mimsy.umd.edu>
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In article <35121@mimsy.umd.edu>, cml@cs.umd.edu (Christopher Lott) writes:
> In some-article somebody (Kambic|hlavaty|Showalter) writes:
>> ....
>> a system where the metrics person is NOT the management chain - in fact,
>> it is forbidden for the metrics person to EVER reveal a specific name to a 
>> management person.  The reason is exactly as you describe - once anyone got
>> burned because of the metric data, the accuracy ... of data is shot
> 
> In article <795@tivoli.UUCP> alan@tivoli.UUCP (Alan R. Weiss) writes:
>>Watts Humphrey is a very bright person, but its clear .... that 
>>Watts never had to answer to the board of directors, stockholders,
>>or customers.
I believe that Watts Humphrey spent many years at IBM, which would seem to
imply that he know about deadlines and customer commitments.
> 
[...]
> Quality of the data you collect is
> absolutely vital - or else you'll find yourself analyzing just plain garbage.
Yes.  If you're working with GSFC data, you should have good luck.

> The argument I'd like to make is that if you're going to put 2-5% of your
> project resources into data collection and validation, you better not shoot
> yourself in the foot right off by EVER using your metrics to evaluate your
> workers.  (Here you might read ``punish'' for ``evaluate.'')
Can you use metrics to determine if a person needs training?
> 
> It's naive to think that a group manager doesn't know already who are
> the stellar performers and who are already not so hot -- metrics, if they
> are given, will only confirm this knowledge. 
How does the manager determine that in the first place?
> The point is that the metrics
> must NEVER be used as evaluatory tools FOR PEOPLE.  This is the idea that
> management has to buy into (to use b-world jargon) before a metrics program
> can succeed.  You want to use metrics to evaluate your processes and products,
> not your personnel.
[...]
> You can leave evaluations of personnel completely out of the picture - 
> and should.
Please explain how you separate software people from the software process. 

GXKambic
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