What are different process metrics and software process improvement?

Process metrics have long term impact. Their intent is to improve the process itself. These metrics are collected across all projects. To make an improvement in any process, develop metrics based on attributes and then use these attributes as indicators leading a strategy for improvement.

The three factors people, product and technology are connected to a process which sits at the center. The efficiency of a software process is measured indirectly. A set of metrics is derived based on the outcomes derived from process. These outcomes include error measures that are uncovered before the release of software, defects reported by end users and other measures. The skill and motivation of the software people doing the work are the most important factors that influence software quality.

Private metrics are private to an individual and serve as an indicator for individual only. It includes defect rates by individuals and software components and the errors that are found during development. Private data can serve as an important driver as individual software engineer works to improve.

Public metrics assimilate the information that was private to individuals and teams. Calendar times, project level defect rates, errors during formal technical reviews are reviewed to uncover indicators improving team performance.

Software process metrics benefits the organization and improve its overall level of process maturity.

What are different types of metrics?

Software Process Metrics are measures which provide information about the performance of the development process itself. The purpose of software process metrics are:
- to provide an indicator to the ultimate quality of software being produced.
- assists to the organization to improve its development process by highlighting the areas of inefficiency or error-prone areas of the process.

Software Product Metrics are measures of some attributes of the software product. The purpose of software product metrics is to assess the quality of the output.

What are most general metrics?

Requirements Management
Metrics Collected:
- requirements by state - accepted, rejected, postponed.
- number of base lined requirements.
- number of requirements modified after base lining.
Derived Metrics:
- Requirements stability Index(RSI)
- Requirements to Design Traceability

Project Management
Testing and Review
Metrics Collected:
- Number of defects found by reviews.
- Number of defects found by testing.
- Number of defects found by client.
- Total number of defects found by reviews.
Derived Metrics:
- Overall review effectiveness (ORE)
- Overall test effectiveness.

Peer Reviews
Metrics Collected:
- KLOC/FP per person hour for preparation.
- KLOC/FP per person hour for review meeting.
- Number of pages/hour reviewed during preparation.
- Average number of defects found by Reviewer during preparation.
- Number of pages/hour reviewed during review meeting.
- Average number of defects found by Reviewer during review meeting.
- Review team size vs defects.
- Review speed vs defects.
- Major defects found during review meeting.
- Defects vs Review Effort.
Derived Metrics:
- Review effectiveness.
- Total number of defects found by reviews for a project.