An empirical analysis of productivity and quality in software products

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Krishnan, MS; Kriebel, CH; Kekre, S; Mukhopadhyay, T
• 署名单位: University of Michigan System; University of Michigan; Carnegie Mellon University
• 刊物名称: MANAGEMENT SCIENCE
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0025-1909
• DOI: 10.1287/mnsc.46.6.745.11941
• 发表日期: 2000
• 页码: 745-759
• 关键词: software quality and life-cycle productivity; cost of quality; CMM; software process areas; front-end investments

摘要

We examine the relationship between life-cycle productivity and conformance quality in software products. The effects of product size, personnel capability, software process, usage of tools, and higher front-end investments on productivity and conformance quality were analyzed to derive managerial implications based on primary data collected on commercial software projects from a leading vendor. Our key findings are as follows. First, our results provide evidence for significant increases in life-cycle productivity from improved conformance quality in software products shipped to the customers. Given that the expenditure on computer software has been growing over the last few decades, empirical evidence for cost savings through quality improvement is a significant contribution to the literature. Second, our study identifies several quality drivers in software products. Our findings indicate that higher personnel capability, deployment of resources in initial stages of product development (especially design) and improvements in software development process factors are associated with higher quality products.