What makes measuring software so hard?

We often hear that it is difficult to get software measurement into practice. Traditional measurement addresses the decisions that support increased quality, increased programmer productivity, and reduced costs: key elements for organizations strategically focused on operational excellence. But what if the organization's highest priority isn't operational excellence? The article shows that such organizations have different measurement needs and presents ideas on how to address those needs, thereby making measurement more appealing. While the disparity discussed here involves measurement, it applies to all areas of software process improvement. For example, the Software Engineering Institute's Capability Maturity Model for Software is silent on two of the three strategies of high-performing organizations: customer intimacy and product innovation. Like traditional measurement, the Capability Maturity Model applies only to organizations wanting to be operationally excellent.