| Focus
on Capers Jones |
| A
CAI State of the Practice Interview |
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| 1. |
A
CAI State of the Practice Interview with Capers Jones |
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Capers
Jones is Chief Scientist Emeritus of Software Productivity
Research (SPR). Mr. Jones is the designer of several software
cost and quality estimation tools including SPQR/20™,
the first commercial software estimating tool to use function
points as the basis for sizing source code and other deliverables
such as specifications and user documents. He is also an
international consultant on software management topics,
a speaker, a seminar leader, and an author. As an author,
Mr. Jones has written 12 books including his best seller
Applied Software Measurement: Assuring Productivity
and Quality. His most recent book is Software Assessments,
Benchmarks, and Best Practices published by Addison
Wesley Longman in 2000. Our interview with Mr. Jones was
conducted in July of 2005. |
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Click
Here for the Interview with Capers Jones! |
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| 2. |
Software
Engineering: The State of the Art in 2005 |
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The
phrase ‘state of the art’ refers to software
development practices that have consistently yielded results
that are in the top 15% of approximately 12,000 projects
examined. There are hundreds of ways to develop software
that lead to overruns and failures. Surprisingly, there
are only a few ways to develop software that consistently
result in successful outcomes. This
article by Capers Jones examines the three weakest links
in the chain of software development practices: those
dealing with planning and estimating before the project
starts, those dealing with the absorption of changing
requirements during the project, and those that successfully
minimize bugs or defects via excellent quality control.
(22 pages) |
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Click
Here to Read the Article! |
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| 3. |
The
Impact of Poor Quality and Canceled Projects on the Software
Labor Shortage |
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In
this article by Capers Jones, the hypothesis is put forward
that there would not be a significant software personnel
shortage if the current level of software errors could be
reduced or eliminated. The amount of software effort spent
on software projects that will be canceled due to excessive
error content appears to absorb more than 15% of the global
software work force. In addition, about 60% of the U.S.
software work force are engaged in fixing errors which might
have been avoided.
A stronger focus on software
quality control and risk analysis would seem to offer
substantial economic advantages, by reducing the amount
of software engineering effort currently spent on defect
repairs and projects too poorly constructed to be completed.
(14 pages)
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Click
Here to Read the Article! |
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| 4. |
Site
of the Week |
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Software
Productivity Research |
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| 5. |
Book
of the Week |
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Software
Assessments, Benchmarks, and Best Practices by Capers
Jones |
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From
the Back Cover: “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 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.
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With this book as your guide, you will learn: |
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•
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 |
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Click
Here to Read More or to Buy the Book! |
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| 6. |
Archives |
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Special
Edition: Interview with Dr. Michael Cusumano, MIT Sloan
School of Management |
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Special
Edition: Interview with Dr. Herb Krasner, University of
Texas and Krasner Consulting |
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Special
Edition: Interview with Joseph McMakin, former CIO Air Products
and Consulting |
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| 7. |
FAQ |
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What
is the IT Metrics & Productivity Journal? |
| The
IT Metrics and Productivity Journal is a FREE weekly eZine
that covers Best Practices in Software Development, Software
Maintenance, and Software Management. |
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| What
specifically does the Journal offer? |
| Each
week you will receive 3 articles on any of our 5 main theme
areas (Process, Metrics, Estimation, IT Governance, Education
and Training) along with easy to read abstracts plus related
website recommendations, book reviews, interviews with world
IT leaders, and even promotional giveaways. |
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| OK.
I'm interested. How do I subscribe? |
| If
you would like to receive a free issue of the IT Metrics
and Productivity Journal each week and are not already a
subscriber please register at the link below (Register today
and you'll be eligible for a free iPod Mini!). |
| www.compaid.com/subscribe |
| |
| Is
there a way to get more information? |
| For
more information on software best practices, CAI, or the
IT Metrics and Productivity Institute please contact Mike
Milutis, the IT Metrics & Productivity Journal Editor
at: michael_milutis@compaid.com |
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| Who
is the Journal's Sponsor? |
| This
issue of the IT Metrics and Productivity Journal is sponsored
by CAI , world leader in IT performance, productivity, and
process. |
| www.compaid.com
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For
more information on software best practices, CAI, or the
ITMPI please contact Michael Milutis, the
IT Metrics and Productivity Journal Editor, at michael_milutis@compaid.com. |
