The ISBSG has developed and refined its data collection standards over many years based on the metrics that have proven to be the most useful in helping to improve software management and processes.

If you are planning a software metrics programme but you are not sure what metrics you should collect, you might find it helpful to download and print a free copy of the appropriate ISBSG Data Collection Questionnaire (DCQ). You can use this, in conjunction with the Goal, Question, Metric approach, to guide you in your own data collection set.

Download a free copy of the appropriate Data Collection Questionnaire (DCQ):

Development & Enhancement:

IFPUG/NESMA DCQ

COSMIC DCQ

MARK II DCQ

Non-Functional Sizing Methods  DCQ

Maintenance & Support:

Online M&S DCQ

M&S DCQ (MS Word doc)

Development & Enhancement Data Collection & Rating

How the data is rated

The ISBSG rates each submitted project with a code of A, B, C or D which is applied to the project data by the ISBSG quality reviewers to denote the following:
•    A = The data submitted was assessed as being sound with nothing being identified that might affect its integrity.
•    B = The submission appears fundamentally sound but there are some factors which could affect the integrity of the submitted data.
•    C = Due to significant data not being provided, it was not possible to assess the integrity of the submitted data.
•    D = Due to one factor or a combination of factors, little credibility should be given to the submitted data.

What to collect

The following main headings and extracted questions from the ISBSG Development & Enhancement data collection standard might be helpful:

Project Process

• Process Infrastructure
• Did the project follow a defined & documented process?
• Project Planning
• What documents or work products were produced during planning?
• Project Management and Monitoring
• What documents or work products were produced during project management?
• Project Specification
• What documents or work products were produced during the specification?
• What techniques were used during the specification?
• What was the functional size of the project as measured after the specification?
• Project Design
• What documents or work products were produced during the design?
• What techniques were used during the design?
• What was the functional size of the project as measured after the design?
• Project Build or Programming
• What was produced or modified?
• Project Testing
• What documents or work products were produced before or during the testing?
• Project Implementation
• What documents or work products were produced before or during the implementation?
• What was the functional size of the project as measured after the implementation?

Technology

• Tools used
• Development Platform

People & Work Effort

• Development Team
• Personnel experience
• Effort expended by personnel type
• Effort expended by project phase
• Customers & End Users
• End user industry type
• Size of end user base
• Effort expended by end user personnel type
• Effort expended by end user by project phase
• IT Operations
• Information about the involvement of IT support personnel
• Product
• Information about the software application produced
• Project Size
• Functional size of the project
• When was the project sized?
• What sizing method was used
• Project Completion
• When did the software go into operation?
• What was the total elapsed duration of the project?
• Project Cost
• Cost information in total or by project phase