The Metrics Minefield

Michael Bolton , developSense

SPECIAL SEPTEMBER DINNER MEETING
Tuesday, September 26, 2006

In many organizations, management demands metrics to help in assess the quality of software products and projects.  Are those metrics meaningful?

How do we make sure that our metrics are measuring what they're supposed to measure? What skills do we need to do the job well? What are the risks designing and gathering metrics, and what can we do to address them? Are there other ways to improve the quality of the information that we're gathering?

In this presentation, Michael Bolton will talk about some common and pernicious problems with software metrics. The presentation includes an exercise to help demonstrate some of the pitfalls associated with common approaches to metrics, and an example of an alternative approach to assessing quality.

Michael Bolton is a tester, consultant, and trainer who has, in the past year, taught software testing on five continents. He is co-author (with James Bach) of Rapid Software Testing, a course on the fastest, least expensive testing that fills the testing mission. Michael writes a regular column on rapid testing for Better Software Magazine, and is the Program Chair of TASSQ.

Presentations are on the last Tuesday of the month
at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen Street West, across from New City Hall

If taking the subway, exit at Osgoode station (Queen and University), walk one block east along Queen to York.

If driving, you can park at New City Hall, which is accessible underground to the Sheraton Centre.