The plan focuses on a comprehensive strategy to assess software quality using specific metrics. Each metric, including defect density, code coverage, mean time to resolve (MTTR), customer-reported defects, and code churn, serves a unique purpose in monitoring different aspects of software robustness. These metrics provide actionable insights and benchmarks that guide improvement efforts.
For instance, defect density measures the quality and stability of the software by counting defects per thousand lines of code, aiming for a benchmark of 1-5 defects per KLOC. Similarly, code coverage, which measures the percentage of code executed by automated tests, is vital to ensure extensive testing, with a benchmark of 70-80%. Consistently meeting these benchmarks can lead to higher software reliability and customer satisfaction.
Each metric also comes with targeted suggestions for improvement, such as enhancing code reviews, implementing automated testing, and improving developer training, which collectively drive the overall quality of the software. These strategies help in aligning development processes with best practices, ultimately facilitating the delivery of high-quality software products.
Top 5 metrics for Assessing software quality
1. defect density
Defect density measures the number of defects per unit of software size, usually per thousand lines of code (KLOC)
What good looks like for this metric: 1-5 defects per KLOC
How to improve this metric:- Improve code reviews
- Implement automated testing
- Enhance developer training
- Increase test coverage
- Use static code analysis
2. code coverage
Code coverage measures the percentage of code that is executed by automated tests
What good looks like for this metric: 70-80%
How to improve this metric:- Write more unit tests
- Implement integration testing
- Use better testing tools
- Collaborate closely with QA team
- Regularly refactor code for testability
3. mean time to resolve (MTTR)
MTTR measures the average time taken to resolve a defect once it has been identified
What good looks like for this metric: Less than 8 hours
How to improve this metric:- Streamline incident management process
- Automate triage tasks
- Improve defect prioritization
- Enhance developer expertise
- Implement rapid feedback loops
4. customer-reported defects
This metric counts the number of defects reported by end users or customers
What good looks like for this metric: Less than 1 defect per month
How to improve this metric:- Implement thorough user acceptance testing
- Conduct regular beta tests
- Enhance support and issue tracking
- Improve customer feedback channels
- Use user personas in development
5. code churn
Code churn measures the amount of code changes over a period of time, indicating stability and code quality
What good looks like for this metric: 10-20%
How to improve this metric:- Encourage smaller, iterative changes
- Implement continuous integration
- Use version control effectively
- Conduct regular code reviews
- Enhance change management processes
How to track Assessing software quality metrics
It's one thing to have a plan, it's another to stick to it. We hope that the examples above will help you get started with your own strategy, but we also know that it's easy to get lost in the day-to-day effort.
That's why we built Tability: to help you track your progress, keep your team aligned, and make sure you're always moving in the right direction.
Give it a try and see how it can help you bring accountability to your metrics.
