Team IV-Criticisms of Software Metrics

It is very difficult to satisfactorily define or measure "how much" software there is in a program, especially when making such a prediction prior to the detail design. The practical utility of software metrics has thus been limited to narrow domains where the measurement process can be stabilized.
Management methodologies such as the Capability Maturity Model or ISO 9000 have therefore focused more on process metrics which assist in monitoring and controlling the processes that produce the software.

Examples of process metrics affecting software:

• Number of times the program failed to rebuild overnight
• Number of defects introduced per developer hour
• Number of changes to requirements
• Hours of programmer time available and spent per week
• Number of patch releases required after first product ship