CPI Application Development Metrics

CPI Application Development Metrics (ADM) is a measurement process designed to provide metrics for use with the Corporate IT Forum's Continuous Performance Improvement benchmarking service.

Systems continue to grow in size and complexity, becoming increasingly difficult to understand. As improvements in coding tools allow software developers to produce larger amounts of software to meet ever-expanding user requirements, a method to understand and communicate size must be used. A structured technique of problem solving, Application Development Metrics is a method to break systems into smaller components, so they can be better understood and analysed. This document describes CPI Application Development Metrics (ADM), how to define the best approach to starting an ADM project and practical tips on capturing the data.

ADM has been developed from the methods used to count function point, based upon those rules developed by Alan Albrecht and later revised by the International Function Point User Group (IFPUG).

The objective of ADM with input from CPI subscribers is to simplify the process of measuring software productivity by quantifying its functionality provided to the user based primarily on the logical design. Systems physical characteristic are captured when you apply a complexity adjustment factor after you have quantified the logical design. It is very important to understand that function points remain constant regardless of who develops the software or what language is used i.e. they are fixed by the logical design.

Frequently the term end user or user is used without specifying what is meant. In this case, the user is a sophisticated user, someone that would understand the system from a functional perspective - more than likely someone that would provide requirements or acceptance testing.