An experiment to evaluate software development teams by using object-oriented metrics

Abstract

Managing a software project is a task that becomes increasingly difficult as software complexity increases. Gathering and interpreting software metrics is a mean to help the project team to achieve its goals. The objective of this work is to use software metrics to evaluate teams and individuals by analyzing current performance of developers. An experiment was realized in four organizations, two universities and two companies. Information about participants was collected and the object-oriented metrics of software produced by them were calculated. As a result, evidence was found that gathering software metrics is useful in activities of project management and to evaluate software development team members. In this way, software metrics can contribute during activities of software development, and also can advise managers with decisions that cause changes in the team.