8.3 APPOINT FEASIBILITY STUDY TEAM

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The initiation stage involves the concept of a feasibility study. The organization has demonstrated an awareness of Software Metrics by initiating the implementation project but it may well need to be convinced that the effort will pay back the cost. At the very least there will be some senior managers who have doubts about whether it is possible to control the software development process through measurement. They will need to be convinced that there is some merit in going forward and this should be done as early as possible. This is one of the things we hope to achieve at the end of the initiation stage. Now, who is going to do this work and convince these doubters?

The feasibility team should be small. Even in a very large organization it should not consist of more than three or four people. For most organizations one or two people, reporting functionally to the assigned customer authority, should be sufficient. Although there is considerable debate about whether metrics team staff should be full or part time, I firmly believe that the team should be assigned their responsibility on a full time basis or the work will be patchy, shallow and will take too long.

It is unlikely that an organization will possess a "metrics expert." It is also true to say that Software Metrics is not yet so well established that recruiting the services of someone who is experienced in the area will be easy. The use of consultants can help overcome this but it is important that any consultant be employed on the understanding that one of their main tasks is to transfer knowledge to the organization. At the risk of offending some people I have found consultants to be like little boys. When they are good they are very, very good but when they are bad they can be truly awful! Remember, even good consultants will need help from someone who understands the business of the organization.

Which brings us to the skills we need in the feasibility team. We cannot expect to get a Software Metrics program that works well for the organization if we do not understand the business, so we need someone who knows the business or who can get that knowledge quickly. We will also need someone who can get valid and useful information from other people so we need an effective interviewer. A good systems analyst can often supply these first two skills and is a godsend to any Software Metrics team. We also need to be able to present our ideas to other people so a good communicator, both in terms of writing skills and the ability to talk to different types of audience is important.

Finally, measurement is about numbers so a good understanding of mathematics is desirable. We are really talking about applied mathematics rather than pure math on the one hand or "sums" on the other because, in many cases, it is the application of mathematical techniques to new and different areas that is necessary to make Software Metrics work.

The initiator and the customer authority should ensure that they appoint good people to the feasibility team. Do not be tempted to assign dead wood to this group. Once again, design to succeed, do not design to fail — or you will!

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