The primary purpose of the report is to induce upper level management to establish a program of systematic measurement, not just because it is a good idea, but because such a program will pay off in better management decisions, in cost avoidance, and in product quality enhancement. Systematic measurement develops meaningful information to support management decision making. It quantifies both system product characteristics and observable aspects of the system development process. More specifically, systematic measurement is the collection, analysis, and application of project, process, and product quantitative information at the system development level to support the attainment of project, system, and management goals. This information is valuable for supporting both project management and process improvement.
Systematic measurement is an inherent part of good management.
This type of measurement is called systematic measurement. When systematic measurement is applied to the whole system development project in a planned form through the whole life cycle, it is called a program of systematic measurement. This report aids senior managers and the entire management chain in implementing a systematic measurement program that can help solve problems by providing timely and meaningful quantitative information about the system development process and the products it creates. The manager should be aware that a program of systematic measurement is affordable and will return benefits that exceed the investments in the measurement program. The management benefits of systematic measurement include better decision making, more precise program and project control, cost avoidance through problem anticipation and amelioration, better risk management, and measurable process improvement.