Abstract:
Every software development process either generates or uses measurement data that is
essential to understand, evaluate, improve and predict the software processes, products,
and resources. Software development organizations implement measurement programs
(MPs) as part of their measurement processes. However, implementing successful MPs
still remains a challenge.
The aim of this thesis is to comprehensively evaluate and then contribute towards
planning and implementation issues of MPs. This research is conducted in three
phases: 1) problem identification 2) solution design and 3) industrial evaluation of
solutions. A mix of qualitative and quantitative research methods is used appropriately
for each phase.
In the first phase, comprehensive literature reviews of the studies on MPs are
conducted to enable a better understanding of the existing measurement planning
models, tools, challenges, success factors, and metrics selection methods of
implementing MPs in general and specifically for small and medium enterprises
(SMEs). In addition, challenges of implementing MPs in large organizations and
SMEs are analyzed.
In the second phase, multiple solutions are proposed to improve the planning of MPs.
The solutions are based on the analysis of research gaps involving the challenges and
success factors of implementing MPs. First, a set of key components of MPs is
identified for planning a MP. Second, a model of success factors for planning MPs in
general is proposed. Third, a model of success factors for planning MPs specifically in
SMEs is proposed. Fourth, a model called data-driven measurement for software
prediction (D2MSP) is proposed to overcome the challenge of using already collected
measurement data for prediction of software attributes e.g., defects.
In the third phase, the solutions are evaluated in the software development industry
with the help of surveys and empirical data of software projects. A set of key
components and a model of success factors are evaluated based on a survey among 200
software professionals working in the Pakistani software development industry. A
model of success for planning MPs specifically in SMEs is evaluated based on a
survey among 217 software professionals working in SMEs of Pakistan. The D2MSP
xi
model is evaluated using a dataset of 760 projects and later applied in a software
development organization as a case study.
Overall, this research contributes to the theory and practice of software measurement
by providing an improved understanding of planning software MPs and proposing and
validating models of success factors and the D
2MSP model for planning MPs.
