UKSMA Conference on Software Measurement

Tuesday 16th October

The Union Jack Club, Waterloo, London

Conference Schedule

08:30

Registration, tea and coffee

09:30

UKSMA Chairman Introduction Rob Ratcliff Steria Ltd

09:45

Opening Presentation - Joint Session

SOFTWARE METRICS: THE 4TH DECADE OF MATURITY

Making Metrics Practical in the Development Process - ten fundamental principles for failure and ten critical software metrics principles for success in the commercial environment.

Tom Gilb

Tom Gilb joined IBM in 1958 and has been a business consultant since 1960, with his own company (www.Gilb.com). He currently trains and consults with top management for organizational development, and engineering management for product development, as well as in the finance industry in the City of London and internationally. He coined the term 'Software Metrics' for his book title, over 30 years ago! CMM/I Level 4 (Metrics!) is directly based on his Software Metrics teaching and writings. He wrote 124 Columns in Computer Weekly in the 70's - Gilb's Mythodology (did you change any practices as a result?) His latest book "Competitive Engineering" (2005) is filled with practical metrics practices, based on his 'Metrics Language' (Planguage or planning language).

10:30

Tea and Coffee - Vendor Exhibition (15 minutes)

Stream A

Stream B

10:45

  Getting The Bother To Benefit Ratio Right In Measurement

Marty Sanders - Sanders Enterprises

Measurement can be a difficult process to sell. For one thing, if a company doesn't have a clear idea of what they will gain from it, why take the time and effort to do it? Experience has shown that companies of all sizes and the people who work in them can benefit if the purpose of the measurement is clear and there is benefit to both the people who have to do the work and the managers who request it. Some various methods have been used by the speaker for different reasons and these will be explored and some options discussed. Marty took her first software course in 1961 and can say to most audiences that she has been in the software business longer than they have been alive. She was on the working group to develop the ISO standard for a measurement process and is currently on the working group to develop a software standard specifically for small companies.

The Use of alternative Balanced Scorecards within a Strategic Performance Management System

Paul Crawford - Cap Gemini

Over the past decade, Kaplan and Norton's Balanced Scorecard approach has established itself as the Industry solution to Strategic Performance Management. However, not only has Kaplan and Norton's approach changed incrementally over the years, but it was not the first and only solution. In 2006 Bernard Marr, of the Cranfield School of Management, published an alternative approach to Balanced Scorecarding, based on the establishment of Value Propositions. This presentation will provide an overview of what typically constitutes a Strategic Management Performance process, and the experience of the author in deploying a 'Marr' Balanced Scorecard within a Business Area of the Aspire HMRC account.

11:30

Use Of Measurement And Scorecards In Outsourcing

D. Whalley, Co-operative Financial Services

This presentation will explore an Application Development, Support & Maintenance contract to show how CFS have used " Balanced Scorecard measurement approach " benchmarking for comparison in the market place " existing scorecard measurement to define the sourcing contract, define a new Supplier Scorecard and agree Service Levels that can be monitored enabling more detailed analysis to be undertaken adding value through trend analysis and forecasting.

Function Point Analyis More Than Just Numbers

Graham Lawder - SoftmetUK Ltd

Describes and demonstrates the valuable communication tool that a well structured FPA model can be. Then links effective use of this model via the Southern Scope methodology to the estimation, tendering, client and provider relationship management, project management and project accountancy management.

12.15

13.15

Lunch - Vendor Exhibition and demonstrations (one hour)

5-Minute Soapboxes

This session provides the opportunity for members to float new ideas, get bees out of their bonnets, challenge the ideas presented or just get feedback on their own experiences. The idea is that there are often great topics waiting to be aired / exploited, but their owners don't have the time available to work them up (yet) into full papers for a conference. Some suggested topics are as follows (but others may be substituted depending on demand):

Stream A

Stream B

14:00

The introduction of a Measurement Framework into an existing Software Development Environment

Shalav Gupta - Cap Gemini

Software development within the Capgemini Aspire Solutions Delivery area has long suffered from the absence of an Organisational Measurement Programme and has a cultural approach that focuses on delivery to schedule at the expense of all else. 2007 has seen the introduction of a measurement framework that focuses on: " A standard set of lifecycle stages in an organisation, a controlled subset of which each project team must choose to implement. " Review and test defect metrics, as these are seen as key in driving productivity and quality gains through the reduction of rework. " Effort metrics at the appropriate level of granularity. " Progress metrics for effective monitoring and control. This presentation will outline the problem, the solution, and the lessons learnt in deploying the framework initially through six pilot projects and then into Solutions Delivery as a whole.

The PSPsm/TSPsm Framework for Personal Software Excellence and Team Empowerment

Dr. N. L. Rajaram - Director Advanced Information Services Pvt. Ltd., India

This presentation provides an overview of the PSP/TSP models and illustrates improvements in terms of defects removed before test, reduction in test times etc. The most important personal benefit is the change in attitude to process and measurements and being convinced of their importance for personal excellence. Case studies shall also be cited to show benefits at the project level in terms of reduced delivered defects, reduced schedule and effort variance and increased productivity.

14:45

Tea and Coffee -Vendor Exhibition (15 minutes)

Stream A

Stream B

15:00

Managing an Established Measurement Programme

Peter Thomas - IBM

Peter Thomas is a member of IBM's core team of specialists in software sizing, IT Measurement, and estimating. He works with his colleagues to assist IBM professionals throughout the world deliver effective IT Measurement Programmes and estimating processes to their customers. This presentation provides a unique opportunity to share the risks and issues they've seen and get advice on how you can avoid the common pitfalls in your organisation.

Experience of Using COSMIC in Commercial Estimation

Peter Cotton - ATOS Origin

The talk will describe how Cosmic is used as part of an overall toolset to address software delivery estimating within Atos Origin in the UK. The talk will identify issues associated with estimating in this sort of organisation and the challenges that had to be faced in order to make it happen. It will describe Cosmic's role in the overall estimating process and discuss some of the issues that have arisen / are arising in its implementation.

15.45

The Ian Drummond Memorial Lecture

Painting by numbers: Using visible measures for Lean management

P. Grant Rule - SMS Ltd.

Lean management is about delivering value, and reducing waste and rework. It cannot be implemented effectively without judicious use of objective measures, but to be useful such measures must be visible to management. Metrics should be gathered to inform management decisions. Grant Rule, pioneer of the application of Lean techniques to software process improvement, explores what measures can be used to inform management decisions; how to go about getting them in place; and how to make sure they are visible - and therefore applied - to the decision-making process.

16.30

Closing Statement

Rob Ratcliff - Steria Ltd

About UKSMA

The United Kingdom Software Metrics Association is the primary UK-based user group for organisations employing measurement to control the processes of developing, enhancing and supporting software in any of its forms. UKSMA is the design Authority for MKII Function Point Analysis and also provides support to members using the IFPUG and COSMIC-FFP measurement methods.

UKSMA is also a member of the International Software Benchmarking Standards Group (ISBSG). Recognising that many different measures are needed for distinct purposes, including software size, effort, duration defects and numerous others, the Association provides a forum where managers and practitioners meet to discuss the benefits and practice of measurement and process improvement. The membership includes representatives from most business domains with customers and users.

UKSMA is a Liaison "C" member of ISO JTC1/SC7, the organisation responsible for the standardisation of Functional Size Measurement Concepts and methods.