Ricky & Stick - Metrics Aren't Second Class Citizens
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How many of us haven't done something like this? And always, deep down, we know we're being as dumb as Ricky was. Usually, it doesn't do all that much harm. But, every now and then, people who are otherwise rational really do hold their arms out to measure a picture, walk across the room trying to hold their arms steady, and then bang a nail into a wall to hang the picture on. The results are usually embarrassing, and sometimes really annoying.
Yet it's not unheard of, in a big, expensive, serious DoD program, for someone to do pretty much the same thing, and use a thoroughly ad hoc method for determining a metric that needs to be more precise. We've all probably witnessed a scene where someone with precious little coding experience says, “No problem—we can get that new module written and debugged in a couple of days, for sure!” And then, it's not only foolish, it can do lots of harm.
A way to avoid the trap is to realize that metrics are not second-class citizens. Doing the sexy engineering tasks is important, but getting valid metrics on those tasks shouldn't be an afterthought. Another pitfall is haste we're often in a hurry and don't want the delay that careful measurement demands. For big projects (which tend to be late almost by definition), enforcing a rigorous metrics program can slow things up to an alarming degree.
But that's the way it is, and it can't be changed. If we skimp on getting sound numbers on which to make sound decisions, if we accept rough figures as though they were accurate, and let guesses count as gospel, then we'll fall even further behind, because our arms-length guess was screwy, the ladder won't reach, and we'll have to start all over again.
Bottom line: With your program's future on the line, it is prudent to ask your contractor some hard questions about the relevance and accuracy of whatever figures are quoted to you. Said differently, do you really think he can keep his arms that steady as he walks across the room?
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