Application of a quantitative software metrics assessment process to military software development programs

The objective assessment of DOD Weapons System and Automated Information System software development programs is becoming increasingly dependent on the application and analysis of software process and product related metrics. Experience in the actual application of software metrics to military programs has shown that a key requirement for a practical software measurement program is a consistently implemented and repeatable quantitative software development assessment process applied across the software development life cycle. Within the defined software metrics process software attributes are continuously measured and evaluated with respect to development program characteristics, constraints, and objectives, and the results are subsequently integrated into an overall assessment of the software development program. A key part of the defined software metrics assessment process is the relationship of software development process attributes and measurement results to expected and observed product characteristics. Implementation of the metrics process has shown that effective development processes yield high quality software products