A recent TSS entry, "Software Metrics Don't Kill Projects, Moronic Managers Kill Projects," caused quite a stir. The split in the comments made it clear that there are still some people who doubt the legitimacy and usefulness of software metrics. I can understand lazy and incompetent developers being afraid of having their work measured objectively. But, for the life of me, I can't imagine why someone with the superior brains and skills required to rise from a lowly programmer to the position of manager would not want to use metrics. Who are these metricophobics? Methinks that they are just spineless namby-pambies who can't handle the truth and are afraid of having to take decisive management action based on actual facts and figures. If you are one of those jelly-fish managers who indulges in touchy-feely employee reviews and gentle feedback based on abstract and highly-subjective criteria, you need to shape up or get out of software management altogether. We don't need you, and we don't want you! How do you shape up? You can start by watching, and learning from, a real software manager in action (i.e. me). In the following video, you can see how I use the time-tested C.R.A.P. software metric to handle a developer who refuses to play by the rules. Watch it and learn. CAPISCE! If you are ready to become a real manager, or a responsible developer, download Crap4j from Crap4j.org, start to use it, and stop making excuses!

That was actually quite funny :)

I agree very funny Thanks, Sergey

funny,but managing man is much different from managing software-product-machine.

Cool video :) I especially liked the GodFather theme in manager's office. Poor Jonathan is now sleeping with the fishes. It would be better if Crap4J could also handle the termination process automatically ;-) Best, Dmitriy Setrakyan GridGain - Grid Computing Made Simple

That is indeed funny movie :) But I would like to argue with Alberto on the goal of using metrics. I don't like using metrics to "punish" people. There are actually so many tools to do it, so why would we need another one? It don't believe it will make creative person to work better... More reasonable way to use metrics, kpis indicators, whatever you call them, is to create trust and visibility in your team. As a positive example, take open source software projects. Ther is a lot of "crap" in those project, but nobody is "kicking the a..". And still those are successful projects. So my vote would go for using metrics to creating better culture in your team, not to punish your team. Mark http://www.sourcekibitzer.org/Bio.ext?sp=l8

That is indeed funny movie :)

But I would like to argue with Alberto on the goal of using metrics. I don't like using metrics to "punish" people. There are actually so many tools to do it, so why would we need another one? It don't believe it will make creative person to work better...

More reasonable way to use metrics, kpis indicators, whatever you call them, is to create trust and visibility in your team. As a positive example, take open source software projects. Ther is a lot of "crap" in those project, but nobody is "kicking the a..". And still those are successful projects.

So my vote would go for using metrics to creating better culture in your team, not to punish your team.

Mark
http://www.sourcekibitzer.org/Bio.ext?sp=l8

Hi Mark, Just to be clear, the video is a satire. It does NOT endorse using metrics to punish people and, of course, neither do I. Quite the contrary, both the post and the article are meant to ridicule those who do. We are on the same page about a proper and careful use of metrics. Please see the following Testivus post for another perspective on my view on software metrics.