SimMetrics: A Software Metrics Acquisition and Visualization Tool

Students:

Eiler, DerekLeong, HermanPenrod, Nathan

Project Advisors:

Sergiu Dascalu, Ph.D.Brian Westphal, M.S.Norm Brown, Ph.D.

CS 426: Senior Projects, Spring 2005

Overview

● Introduction: “What is SimMetrics?”

● Review of Software Metrics

● Related Software: DataDrill, MindManager

● SimMetrics GUI

● Future Work

● Questions/Answers

Introduction

• SimMetrics is a tool designed for software project managers

• Creates PowerPoint presentations from data in Excel spreadsheets

• Used to generate informative visual representations of software metrics data

• Generic interface design will allow for program extensibility

What Are Software Metrics?

• Measurable factors related to the development of software

• Help indicate potential problems in the development process

• Used by project managers to produce quality software in a timely manner

• Defining new, more informative metrics is an active area of research

Categories of MetricsSchedule Performance and Confidence

– Functional Delivery Progress– Test Progress– Integration Progress– Milestone Migration– Defect Resolution– Defect Aging

Risks– Top Software Risks– Software Risks on Programs Critical Path– Staffing Forecast– Requirements Progress– CPU / Memory Utilization– Speed of Execution

Earned Value– Specific Earned Value– Specific Estimated at Completion

Examples of Software Metrics

Functional Delivery Progress– Planned Delivery Date: When software

functionality was initially planned to be fully tested and integrated.

– Re-Planned Delivery Date: Each revised planned delivery date.

– Delivered Date: When planned software functionality actually becomes available

Build 1 Build 2 Build 3 Build 4 Build 5

Function 1

Function 2

Function 3

Function 4

Function 5

Function n

......

...

...

Planned

Replanned Partially Implemented

Fully Implemented

Unimplemented

Date Date Date Date Date

Tie to IMSWhere Possible

Today

1 FUNCTIONAL DELIVERY PROGRESS

Examples of Software Metrics

Defect resolution– Number of defects reported

– Number of reported defects that haven't been fixed

Defect Aging– Number of months to repair a known defect

• Category 1 Defect: System Abort – Prevents accomplishment of a mission-essential capability of jeopardizes safety

• Category 2 Defect: System Degraded – No Work-Around. Adversely affects accomplishment of an operational or mission-essential capability for which no work around solution is known

DEFECT AGING

Months

Mo

nth

s U

nfi

xed

1

2

4

8

16

Category 1 Defect

Category 2 Defect

5

# Reported

# Not Fixed

DEFECT RESOLUTION4

DEFECT RESOLUTION DEFECT AGING4 5

Age of Unfixed Defects

Number Unfixed Defects by Age

DataDrill

Similar concept to SimMetrics• Manages software metrics• Provides graphical visualizations

Web interface design• Data is centralized• Information is shared

Differs in that it is not as flexible as our

concept

MindManager

• Another similar tool

• Used in process management and planning

• Features Microsoft Office integration

• Differs in that it does not

focus completely on metrics

GUI Preview: Main WindowSimMetrics

File Visualization Help

Baby food analysisSlide Title

Graph Type

Font

Configure

Bar ChartHistogramScatter Plot

Pie Chart Baby food analysis

Export JPEG

<< Previous Insert before Replace Insert after Next >>

Configuration Pane

Visualization Preview Pane

Data Entry PanePresentation Organizer Pane

GUI Preview: Sample Configuration Window

SimMetrics Graph Configuration: Pie Chart

OKCancel

Graph Title

Data Range 1

Data Range 2

Data Range 3

Data Range 4

Data Range 5

Data Range 6

Font

Change Color

Change Color

Change Color

Change Color

Change Color

Change Color

Pie Radius px

Layout defined by respective Visualization Module

Future Work

• Generate Macromedia Flash presentations as

output.

• Generate HTML web pages as output.

• Provide a graphical interface for specifying

new visualization modules.

• Voice recognition for control of the

application.

Questions?