System and method to produce business case metrics based on code inspection service results

• US 8,667,458 B2
• Filed: 09/11/2009
• Issued: 03/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Bassin, Kathryn A., Kagan, Steven, Li, Shao C., Li, Zhong J., Liu, He H., Skrabanek, Susan E., Tan, Hua F., Zhu, Jun
• Primary Examiner(s): Mamo, Elias
• Application Number:
  US12/558,382
• Publication Number:
  US 20110066558A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,635 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3616 using software metrics
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

A method is implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions. The programming instructions are operable to receive data including code inspection services defect analysis data of a software development project and process the data. Additionally, the programming instructions are operable to determine one or more business metrics based on the data and generate at least one report based on the one or more business metrics.

Claims

1. A method implemented in a computer infrastructure having computer executable code tangibly embodied on a computer readable storage medium having programming instructions operable to:

receive data including code inspection services defect analysis data of a software development project;

process the data;

determine one or more business metrics based on the data; and

generate at least one report based on the one or more business metrics comprising at least one of a benefit for shifting defect removal earlier, a benefit for preventing an injection of defects, a benefit for reducing a cycle time and a benefit for reducing production defects,

wherein for determining the benefit for shifting the defect removal earlier;

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving non-functional requirement (NFR) and functional requirement (FR) defect volume escapes that are expected if code inspection services are not used and defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services;

receiving at least one of a test process, a test effort, potential defects, test efficiency and defect escape probability tables; and

receiving an average cost for each defect in different activities; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a total shifting defect volume by triggers;

shifting defects by type from a source activity to an activity when the code inspection services are performed, wherein a defect is one of directly shifted and shifted with a defect probability table; and

calculating a shifting benefit as a defect fix cost difference between discovering one or more defects at the source activity and discovering the one or more defects using the code inspection services.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the code inspection services defect analysis data comprises at least one of a quantity of defects discovered by each trigger, a percentage of defects which will be reduced by each trigger after prevention actions are taken, a time spent by the code inspection services and the NFR and the FR defect volume escapes if the code inspection services are not used.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the data further comprises receiving one or more organization inputs, wherein the determining the one or more business metrics is additionally based on the one or more organization inputs.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the one or more organization inputs comprises at least one of a test effort, the test efficiency, the defect escape probability tables, a current project profile, the potential defects and the test process.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the receiving the data further comprises receiving one or more other inputs, wherein the determining the one or more business metrics is additionally based on the one or more other inputs.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one or more other inputs comprises at least one of an average cost to fix defect in different phases of a software development life cycle and a daily rate for a human resource.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein for determining the benefit for preventing the injection of defects:

the receiving the data comprises receiving from the code inspection services defects discovered by each trigger and a percentage of defects reduction by each trigger resulting from preventative actions being taken; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a defect volume to be reduced by calculating a product of the percentage of defects reduction and a total defect volume of the software development project; and

calculating the benefit for preventing the injection of defects.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein:

for discovered defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is the sum of a testing cost and a fix cost; and

for escaped defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is determined based on a business case.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein for determining the benefit for reducing the cycle time:

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving a time spent by the code inspection services; and

receiving the test efficiency; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a defect volume shifting from the source activity to the activity when the code inspection services are performed; and

calculating the benefit for reducing the cycle time as the defect volume shifting from the source activity to the optimally-timed discovery divided by the test efficiency minus the time spent by the code inspection services.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein for determining the benefit for reducing production defects:

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving the NFR and the FR defect volume escapes that are expected if the code inspection services are not used and the defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services; and

receiving an average fix cost for defects escaped to production; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a reduced production defect volume as a difference between potential production defects and the production defect rate after DAS actions; and

calculating the benefit for reducing production defects as a product of the average fix cost for defects escaped to production and each of the NFR and FR defect volume escapes.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein a service provider at least one of creates, maintains, deploys and supports the computer infrastructure.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein steps are provided by a service provider on a subscription, advertising, and/or fee basis.

13. A system implemented in hardware, comprising:

a data receiving tool operable to receive data including at least one of code inspection services analysis data, organization data and other data;

a data processing tool operable to process the data and determine one or more business metrics based on the data, wherein the one or more business metrics comprises at least one of;

a benefit for shifting defect removal earlier;

a benefit for preventing an injection of defects;

a benefit for reducing a cycle time;

a benefit of reducing invalid defects; and

a benefit for reducing production defects; and

a report generation tool operable to generate at least one report based on the one or more business metrics,

wherein for determining the benefit for shifting the defect removal earlier;

the data receiving tool is operable to;

receive non-functional requirement (NFR) and functional requirement (FR) defect volume escapes that are expected if code inspection services are not used and defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services;

receive at least one of a test process, a test effort, potential defects, test efficiency and defect escape probability tables; and

receive an average cost for each defect in different activities; and

the data processing tool is operable to;

determine a total shifting defect volume by triggers;

shift defects by type from a source activity to an activity when the code inspection services are performed, wherein a defect is one of directly shifted and shifted with a defect probability table; and

calculate a shifting benefit as a defect fix cost difference between discovering one or more defects at the source activity and discovering the one or more defects using the code inspection services.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

the code inspection services defect analysis data comprises at least one of a quantity of defects discovered by each trigger, a percentage defects will be reduced by each trigger after prevention actions are taken, a time spent by the code inspection services and the NFR and the FR defect volume escapes if the code inspection services not used;

the organization data comprises at least one of the test effort, the test efficiency, the defect escape probability tables, a current project profile, the potential defects and the test process; and

the one or more other inputs comprises at least one of an average cost to fix defect in different phases of a software development life cycle and a daily rate for a human resource.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein for determining the benefit for preventing the injection of defects, the data processing tool is operable to determine a defect volume to be reduced by:

calculating a product of a percentage of defects reduction and a total defect volume of a software development project; and

calculating the benefit for preventing the injection of defects, wherein;

for discovered defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is the sum of a testing cost and a fix cost; and

for escaped defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is determined based on a business case.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein for determining the benefit for reducing the cycle time:

the data receiving tool is operable to;

receive a time spent by the code inspection services; and

receive the test efficiency;

the data processing tool is operable to;

determine a defect volume shifting from the source activity to the activity when the code inspection services are performed; and

calculate the benefit for reducing the cycle time as the defect volume shifting from the source activity to the optimally-timed discovery divided by the test efficiency minus the time spent by the code inspection services.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein for determining the benefit for reducing the production defects:

the data receiving tool is operable to;

receive the NFR and FR defect volume escapes that are expected if the code inspection services are not used and defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services; and

receive an average fix cost for defects escaped to production; and

the data processing tool is operable to;

determine a reduced the production defect volume as a difference between potential production defects and the production defect rate after DAS actions; and

calculate the benefit for reducing production defects as a product of the average fix cost for defects escaped to production and each of the NFR and FR defect volume escapes.

18. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having readable program code embodied in the storage medium, the computer program product includes at least one component operable to:

receive data including code inspection services defect analysis data of a software development project from a code inspection tool utilized by a service provider on an as-needed basis;

process the data;

determine one or more business metrics based on the data including at least one of a benefit for shifting defect removal earlier, a benefit for preventing an injection of defects, a benefit for reducing a cycle time and a benefit for reducing production defects; and

generate at least one report based on the one or more business metrics,

wherein the one or more business metrics are determined based on the code inspection services defect analysis data received from the service provider.

19. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein the code inspection services defect analysis data comprises at least one of a quantity of defects discovered by each trigger, a percentage defects will be reduced by each trigger after prevention actions are taken, a time spent by the code inspection services and non-functional requirement (NFR) and functional requirement (FR) defect volume escapes if the code inspection services not used.

20. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein:

the one or more organization inputs comprises at least one of a test effort, a test efficiency, defect escape probability tables, a current project profile, potential defects and a test process; and

the one or more other inputs comprises at least one of an average cost to fix defect in different phases of a software development life cycle and a daily rate for a human resource.

21. The computer program product of claim 18, wherein:

for determining the benefit for shifting the defect removal earlier;

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving non-functional requirement (NFR) and functional requirement (FR) defect volume escapes that are expected if the code inspection services are not used and defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services;

receiving at least one of a test process, a test effort, potential defects, test efficiency and defect escape probability tables; and

receiving an average cost for each defect in different activities; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a total shifting defect volume by triggers;

shifting defects by type from a source activity to an activity when the code inspection services are performed, wherein the defect is one of directly shifted and shifted with a defect probability table; and

calculating a shifting benefit as a defect fix cost difference between discovering one or more defects at the source activity and discovering the one or more defects using the code inspection services;

for determining the benefit for preventing the injection of the defects;

the receiving the data comprises receiving from the code inspection services defects discovered by each trigger and a percentage of defects reduction by each trigger resulting from preventative actions being taken; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a defect volume to be reduced by calculating a product of the percentage of defects reduction and a total defect volume of the software development project; and

calculating the benefit for preventing the injection of defects, wherein;

for discovered defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is the sum of a testing cost and a fix cost; and

for escaped defects, the benefit for preventing the injection of defects is determined based on a business case;

for determining the benefit for reducing the cycle time;

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving a time spent by the code inspection services; and

receiving a test efficiency; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a defect volume shifting from a source activity to an activity when the code inspection services are performed; and

calculating the benefit for reducing the cycle time as the defect volume shifting from the source activity to the optimally-timed discovery divided by the test efficiency minus the time spent by the code inspection services; and

for determining the benefit for reducing the production defects;

the receiving the data comprises;

receiving non-functional requirement (NFR) and functional requirement (FR) defect volume escapes that are expected if the code inspection services are not used and defects discovered by each trigger from the code inspection services; and

receiving an average fix cost for defects escaped to production; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a reduced production defect volume as a difference between potential production defects and the production defect rate after DAS actions; and

calculating the benefit for reducing production defects as a product of the average fix cost for defects escaped to production and each of the NFR and FR defect volume escapes.

22. A computer system for classifying automated code inspection services defect output for defect analysis, the system comprising:

a CPU, a computer readable memory and a computer readable storage media;

first program instructions to receive data including code inspection services defect analysis data of a software development project;

second program instructions to process the data to determine one or more business metrics based on the data including at least one of a benefit for shifting defect removal earlier, a benefit for preventing an injection of defects, a benefit for reducing a cycle time and a benefit for reducing production defects; and

third program instructions to generate at least one report based on the one or more business metrics,

wherein;

determining for the benefit for preventing the injection of the defects;

the receiving the data comprises receiving from the code inspection services defect analysis data discovered by each trigger and a percentage of defects reduction by each trigger resulting from preventative actions being taken; and

the processing the data comprises;

determining a defect volume to be reduced by calculating a product of the percentage of defects reduction and a total defect volume of the software development project; and

calculating the benefit for preventing the injection of defects; and

the first, second and third program instructions are stored on the computer readable storage media for execution by the CPU via the computer readable memory.