Politics and Polemics in a Corporate Measurement System

Long, long ago in a company far, far away, Bill Curtis designed one of the largest software measurement systems ever deployed. Ultimately, it reported to senior management system measures that foretold the loss of one-half of the fifth largest company on earth. Covering all of the corporation's far-flung businesses, this measurement system highlighted the four critical factors that determine a project's fate and provided categories for normalizing and classifying the company's software. It showed that many executives do not understand normal variation, and others do not want to admit what they do know. Through Bill's fascinating and sometimes bizarre story, you'll be convinced that system measurement is not only a technical undertaking but also a political one as well. In addition, you will learn about measurement standards for successful systems-standards you may be able to apply in your organization.