Five Core Metrics to Guide Software Project Endgames

By its very nature, the endgame of software projects is a hostile environment. Typical dynamics include tremendous release pressure, continual bug and requirement discovery, exhausted development teams, frenzied project managers, and “crunch mode” for testers. However, hope and relief are available. By using metrics derived from defect discovery and repair patterns, you can learn how to guide projects toward a successful release with less stress and more certainty. Bob Galen shares patterns that you can mine from your defect metrics to focus your entire team on a few key performance indicators. Examine defect patterns, maturation rates, and other organizationally unique patterns that you can leverage as project milestones. Learn about the Pareto Principle and its implications on defect actions and workflow. Next time, you’ll be better prepared for your project endgame and increase the likelihood of an on-time delivery.