Primer on Software Metrics (PowerPoint PPTX)

A software metric is a standard measure of the degree to which a software system or process possesses some property. Companies are using metrics to better understand, track, control, and predict software projects, processes and products. Software metrics can provide the information needed by engineers for technical decisions as well as information required by management. Since quantitative measurements are essential in all sciences, there is a continuous effort by computer science practitioners and theoreticians to bring similar approaches to software development. The goal is obtaining objective, reproducible and quantifiable measurements, which may have numerous valuable applications in schedule and budget planning, cost estimation, quality assurance, testing, software debugging, software performance optimization, and optimal personnel task assignments.
A software metric is a measure of software characteristics that are measurable or countable. Software metrics are valuable for many reasons, including measuring software performance, planning work items, measuring productivity, and many other uses.
Within the software development process, many metrics are that are connected. Software metrics are similar to the four functions of management: Planning, Organization, Control, or Improvement.