A targeted assessment of the software measurement process

Opportunities to improve software measurement can be identified by evaluation at the level of specific people collecting and using specific measures in a specific work context. Evaluation at this level of abstraction requires multiple purpose-built assessment instruments. The Meta-Measurement Programme (M2P) framework for developing and deploying targeted assessment instruments is outlined in this paper. The paper describes a trial of the framework involving an assessment of the relationship of measurement with the key process area (KPA) of project tracking and oversight (as in the SEI CMM framework). The assessment was conducted with a Web-based survey instrument embodying models of measurement performance and best practice that were developed from the sentiments expressed by the organisation's staff. The trial successfully identified opportunities to improve measurement support for project tracking and oversight. The trial also identified practices within the target KPA that could be improved. The trial demonstrated that it is feasible to use the M2P framework to conduct targeted assessments for software measurement improvement.