Quantitative Management of Software Development

How productive is your organization in developing software? Is the quality of your software improving? How will your next project perform? Where can you get the biggest return on your investment? How do you compare to industry best-in-class?

Managing a software development organization without quantitative answers to the above questions is like running a company without financial statements. A good software measurements program helps managers understand how the business is doing, predict future performance, and guide the organization through an improvement process – It is the only way to run a business right.

Why SMS?
Establishing a software metrics program successfully requires the support of experienced professionals. SMS consultants can help your organization implement or enhance a metrics program tailored to your needs. SMS is a full service provider in software process improvement and thus can integrate your metrics needs into an overall program designed to optimize your return on investment. Our consultants are recognized software quality analysts, with proven experience helping organizations establish and run a software metrics program including measuring their projects and application sizes using function points. SMS consultants are certified in several areas including function points, and our services are based on highly respected industry standards such as IFPUG, SEI CMMI, PMI, ASQ, and IEEE.

Consulting in Software Metrics & Function Points
Your organization’s needs and objectives may vary depending on the stage of your software metrics and function point programs. We will work with you to assess your current organizational needs and develop an action plan to implement or enhance your software metrics program. SMS can provide you with a baseline of your organization’s performance on key industry metrics such as productivity and quality. SMS will work with you to define a metrics program that provides the necessary reports to help you achieve your business goals. SMS can also help you in implementing your metrics program, including but not limited to selection of vendor tools, collecting data from projects, and counting function points for your applications and projects. Whatever your needs are, you can package a set of SMS services into a project tailored to provide you with the highest value in the most cost efficient way.

Training in Software Metrics & Function Points
You can also bring your employees up to speed on best-in-class practices with customized, on-site corporate team training. SMS offers over 30 courses related to software process improvement, including half-day, 1-day, and 2-day function point training. SMS is also a transition organization for the Practical Software & Systems Measurements organization and teaches its software measurements course. Furthermore, if you plan to have any of your employees become certified function point specialists (CFPS), SMS can offer you a one-day CFPS exam preparation course that helps prepare your employees to take the exam. SMS’ modular course format allows you to tailor a training program that addresses your most pressing software development challenges and helps bring your team up to higher levels of software development maturity.