Measurement at the Systems Level: Where We Are and Where We Ought to Be

Abstract

The primary purpose of a systematic measurement program is to provide quantitative information to support improved management and engineering decision making associated with system development and systems engineering activities. The measurement process includes the selection of metrics; the collection of data; and the integration, analysis, and reporting of quantitative information derived from the data. The Goal‐Question‐Metric (GQM) paradigm is the recommended approach for selecting metrics to provide the quantitative information for management and engineering purposes. The top‐down, information need‐based GQM paradigm has been used extensively to define metrics appropriate for software development and process improvement, and it can also be applied to system development and systems engineering.