Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering (2nd Edition) [Hardcover]

Stephen H. Kan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0201729156 | ISBN-13: 978-0201729153 | Publication Date: September 26, 2002 | Edition: 2

Our society has become increasingly reliant on software in the past decade; businesses have learned that measuring the effectiveness of software projects can impact the bottom line; and quality is no longer an advantage in the software marketplace (it is a necessity). For these reasons, the demand for quality in software engineering has taken center stage in the twenty-first century. In this new edition, Stephen Kan presents a thoroughly updated overview and implementation guide for software engineers faced with the challenge of ensuring quality. The book balances theory, techniques, and real-life examples to provide practical guidelines in the practice of quality. Although there are equations and formulas presented, the book's focus remains on helping the reader understand and apply the metrics and models. With this book as a map, readers can navigate through the complex field of quality, and benefit their organization by improving their processes and products.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

"This is the single best book on software quality engineering and metrics that I've encountered."
--Capers Jones, from the Foreword

Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering, Second Edition, is the definitive book on this essential topic of software development. Comprehensive in scope with extensive industry examples, it shows how to measure software quality and use measurements to improve the software development process. Four major categories of quality metrics and models are addressed: quality management, software reliability and projection, complexity, and customer view. In addition, the book discusses the fundamentals of measurement theory, specific quality metrics and tools, and methods for applying metrics to the software development process.

New chapters bring coverage of critical topics, including:

• In-process metrics for software testing
• Metrics for object-oriented software development
• Availability metrics
• Methods for conducting in-process quality assessments and software project assessments
• Dos and Don'ts of Software Process Improvement, by Patrick O'Toole
• Using Function Point Metrics to Measure Software Process Improvement, by Capers Jones

In addition to the excellent balance of theory, techniques, and examples, this book is highly instructive and practical, covering one of the most important topics in software development--quality engineering.

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About the Author

Stephen H. Kan is Senior Technical Staff Member (STSM) and a technical manager in programming for IBM in Rochester, Minnesota. As process manager of the quality management process in product development for IBM's eServer iSeries software development, his responsibilities include quality goal setting, supplier quality requirements, quality plans, in-process metrics, field quality status, and quality and project assessments. Dr. Kan has been a faculty member of the Master of Science in Software Engineering program at the University of Minnesota since 1998. He is certified by the American Society for Quality as a Quality Engineer, a Reliability Engineer, and a Quality Manager, and by the Project Management Institute as a Project Management Professional.

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See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 560 pages
• Publisher: Addison-Wesley Professional; 2 edition (September 26, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0201729156
• ISBN-13: 978-0201729153
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 7.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #408,456 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 44 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview of software quality metrics, June 9, 1999

By 

Glenn Booker (Cherry Hill, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering (Hardcover)

I use this to teach a class on metrics for Drexel University.The material is inherantly dry, but Kan covers it clearly and well. Agood balance is struck between product metrics (e.g. reliability) and broader metrics (customer satisfaction).

26 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent compilation of SQA methodology and application, October 9, 1998

By 

John Beeman ([e-mail]) (Indianapolis, IN) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering (Hardcover)

Kan highlights a great many development and analysis techniques with just enough supporting detail to be instructional and informative without being pedantic. Good information pertaining to the overall development lifecycle as well as to components of various phases of a lifecycle (predictive analyses, reflective metrics, customer satisfaction measurement, etc) are included. Each chapter contains an excellent reference bibliography that allows the reader to pursue greater detail on a subject matter if necessary. And the book itself contains a very comprehensive index section that aids in topic referencing. Highly recommended.

13 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Second Ed. even better!, July 8, 2004

By 

Mike Tarrani "www.tarrani.com" (Deltona, FL USA) - See all my reviews
(COMMUNITY FORUM 04)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering (2nd Edition) (Hardcover)

This is one of the most highly regarded books on software quality. If you have never read the first edition it was one of the few books that covered software quality in depth, going well beyond metrics and models into strategies for achieving quality, and understanding the underlying principles and mechanics. That edition had a lot of life left in it, but this second edition is one of the most complete rewrites of any technical book I've read in recent memory, and if you own the first edition you may want to consider retiring it and investing in this edition.

While the first edition packed a lot of information in 344 pages, the 560 pages that comprise this edition reflect new chapters and expanded content in the chapters that remain. Here is a list of the new chapters:

- Chapter 10, In-Process Metrics for Software Testing
- Chapter 12, Metrics and Lessons Learned for Object-Oriented Projects (in lieu of the old Chapter 12 titled AS/400 Quality Management)
- Chapter 13, Availability Metrics
- Chapter 15, Conducting In-Process Quality Assessments
- Chapter 16, Conducting Software Project Assessments (the project assessment questionnaire example in the appendix is a valuable companion to this chapter)
- Chapter 17, Dos and Don'ts of Software Process Improvement (contributed by Patrick O'Toole)
- Chapter 18, Using Function Point Metrics to Measure Software Process Improvement (Contributed by Capers Jones)

Among the new chapters I most like are Availability Metrics (Chapter 13), because of the direct tie to production, and Dos and Don'ts of Software Process Improvement (Chapter 17) because of the practical and objective advice. This book will remain, in my opinion, one of the definitive texts on software quality and is one I highly recommend.