Software Assessments, Benchmarks, and Best Practices

Billions of dollars are wasted each year on IT software projects that are developed and either released late or never used. In light of recent large-scale errors, the methods, tools, and practices used for software development have become the subject of significant study and analysis. One qualitative method for analysis is software assessment, which explores the methodologies used by businesses for software development. Another method of analysis is software benchmarking, which collects quantitative data on such topics as schedules and costs.

Renowned author Capers Jones draws on his extensive experience in economic analysis to present Software Assessments, Benchmarks, and Best Practices, a useful combination of qualitative and quantitative approaches to software development analysis. When assessment data and benchmarking data are analyzed jointly, it is possible to show how specific tools and practices impact the effectiveness of an organization's development efforts. The result is a clearer, bigger picture--a roadmap that allows an organization to identify areas for improvement in its development efforts.

With this book as your guide, you will learn:

• To combine assessments and benchmarking for optimal software analysis
• To identify best and worst practices for software development
• To improve software quality and application effectiveness
• To reduce costs of software maintenance by avoiding software errors