Practical Software and Systems Measurement

Practical Software and Systems Measurement shows how measurement can be used to help manage a software intensive system.  It defines the characteristics of an effective measurement process, and provides participants with experience in using the PSM process.  The 2-day course provides an overview of the guidance included in Practical Software and Systems Measurement: A Foundation for Objective Project Management (PSM).  The course also addresses the integration of the three quantitative project management disciplines: measurement, risk management, and financial management.  An overview of PSM Insight, an automated PC based measurement tool, will also be provided.  The course addresses the following aspects of the measurement process:

• Program Information Need and Issue Identification and Prioritization

• Defining Measurement Requirements and Selecting Measures

• Integrating Measurement Into the Supplier’s Process

• Collecting, Verifying, and Aggregating Data

• Turning Measurement Data into Useful Information

• Making Decisions Based on Measurement Results

• Managing Multiple Program Objectives and Making Tradeoffs

PSM Insight 2-day Course

The PSM Insight 2-day course consists of lectures, software demonstrations, hands-on exercises, and case study applications. The course is designed for you to master all the functions of PSM Insight; when you leave the class, you will be able to:

• Implement PSM Insight at your work place immediately

• Tailor your site-specific information needs to the tool

• Customize PSM templates to fit your project

• Select and specify relevant measures

• Create and analyze complex indicators

• Import data from other applications

• Apply PSM and ISO/IEC 15939 principles to your projects

PSM Measurement Planning Workshop

The PSM Measurement Planning Workshop is designed to help software-intensive systems develop a measurement plan tailored to meet specific program technical and management information needs.  The PSM Support Center (PSMSC) supports these workshops by working with the program staff to plan and conduct a five day on-site workshop.  In order to define the organizations’ current practices, a measurement assessment is conducted on the first day, to inventory existing data and measurement practices. During day 2 and 3, the PSM-training course is conducted (see i above).  On days 4 and 5, the PSM trainers facilitate a session where information needs are identified, prioritized, and documented.  The measures needed to provide insight into the selected information needs are also identified, based on existing data where possible, and measurement data requirements are defined.  Program personnel leave the workshop with a draft measurement plan and a well-defined list of activities necessary to implement the plan.