Article: (MA) Quantitative Software Management: QSM Analysis of the July 2017 TECHNICAL REPORT CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004 by Jim Greene – Managing Director QSM Ltd email: j.greene@qsmuk.com

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A 2017 SEI report defines software productivity as the amount of ESLOC per person-month. This definition is from analysing data from 287 complex DOD projects, predominately Real Time. Some 60% of the DOD suppliers concerned are at CMMI Level 4 and above.  QSM analysis of the SEI report data shows this SEI productivity definition is misleading and does not enable team performance to be measured or managed by procurement groups or suppliers. QSM quantify the impact of team performance and time pressure in the main software development, the most costly phase. The QSM analysis permits management of team performance in this phase as well as quantifying the cost impact of time pressure. The QSM analysis in the “Typical” Real Time DOD development main phase shows ESLOC per person month varies between 93 and 304. Using DOD labour rate data this corresponds to a cost variation of between $41 and $135 per line of code.

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