Chapter 3. United States Averages for Software Productivity and Quality

The first version of Applied Software Measurement was published in 1991, and was based primarily on data gathered between the years 1985 and 1990, although it included older data too. The second edition of the book was published in 1996, and so was able to include almost five years of new findings. More than 2,000 new software projects were analyzed by the author and his company between 1991 and 1996. The third edition has been published in 2008, so once again new data and new projects are available. In addition to more than 4,000 new projects, a number of new development methods have achieved popularity in the time between the second and third editions. Some of these (in alphabetical order) include Agile development, Crystal development, Extreme programming (XP), the Rational Unified Process (RUP), and Watts Humphrey’s team software process (TSP) and personal software process (PSP) for development. The even newer service-oriented architecture (SOA) has also emerged between the second and third editions. For maintenance, the Information Technology Information Resource Library (ITIL) has introduced new service-oriented metrics. Also, maintenance workbenches and renovation of aging software has become popular, and maintenance outsourcing is increasing in numbers of agreements.

Although the volume and quality of data on software projects has improved between the first, second, and third editions, it is still far from perfect. Few projects have consistent, accurate, and complete data associated with them. As mentioned in both the first and second editions, software measurement resembles an archeological dig. One shifts and examines large heaps of rubble, and from time to time finds a significant artifact.