The Nine-Step Metrics Program Timothy K. Perkins Software Technology Support Center Metrics are essential in evaluating program or project performance. However, several organizations remain confused regarding what measurements to collect, and how to use the measurements after they are collected. Before addressing these questions, some terms need to be defined. For the purpose of this article, a metric is defined as a combination of two or more measurements.
Measurements are the raw data gathered from comparing an entity to a standard.
After reading the article, feel free to use your own definition of the above terms. The three activity groups are measurement planning, measurement implementation, and measurement program evaluation. Following is a presentation of these steps. There are four measurement planning activities, the results of which are documented in the measurement plan. Define Information Needs.