DEFINING METRICS FOR QUALITY ENTITIES

Metrics can be managed at two levels:

    - Metrics used for the construction of a quality model. QM provides a metrics manager that allows to see these metrics when the quality model is open.

    - Metrics that are not specific of a quality model and that can be reused in the construction of any quality model. QM provides a global metrics manager that allows seeing these metrics in any situation of DesCOTS.

The metrics specific of a quality model, may be copied into the global metrics manager. And also, metrics in the global metrics manager may be copied into the metrics manager of a specific quality model. These are copies, that is, after the copy any metrics has its own attributes, and may change independently of the other.

Any user may define new metrics and copy metrics to the global metrics manager. However, we do not allow that any user modifies these metrics. This update is just possible for the administrator of the system. 

 

  1. THE GLOBAL METRICS MANAGER

1.1 Opening the Global Metrics Manager

 

 

 

In order to use the global metrics manager, it is necessary to select the "Global Metrics Manager" option in the "Tools" menu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It is also possible to use the global manager icon in order to open the  "Global Metrics Manager" 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.2 Global Metrics Manager Appearance

 

    

    

 

 

 

  In the global metrics manager, the metrics are organized in metric types.

  In the window capture it is possible to see all the types of metrics that QM provides: Boolean, Integer, Real, String, Domain, Set, Tuple, Function, Formula and Qualitative.

     

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Opening a node of a type of metrics, it is possible to see the metrics defined for the type.

 In the case of Integer Metrics, the metrics defined are: Maxim Number of Items, Number of Items, Number of People and Number of Years.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It is possible to select one type of metrics and see just the metrics of this type in the global metrics manager window. The selection is done by the option "View Metrics by kind".

 In the window capture it is possible to see just the Real Metrics.

 

 

 

  It is possible to use this icon in order to refresh the metrics in the global metrics manager with new metrics defined by other users of the system.

 

  

 

1.3 Definning a New Metrics

 

 

 

 

   Choosing a type of metrics it is possible to create a new metrics in the global metrics manager.

   All the different types of metrics have some attributes in common: name, explanation, personal comments and sources. Other attributes are specific of each metrics. That is, depending on the type of metrics the information to be given in creating the metrics is diferent.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

 

Boolean Metrics

For boolean metrics the attributes to define the metrics are: in the Information Tab, the name and the explanation, and in the Documentation Tab, the personal comments and the sources (that is, from where the user has deduced the need of having this metrics).

 

 

 

 

  Integer Metrics

 

 

 

   For integer metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the minimum value and the maximum value of the quality entities that will have the new metrics defined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

        

Real Metrics

 

 

 

   For real metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the minimum value and the maximum value of the quality entities that will have the new metrics defined.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

         String Metrics

 

 

 

 

   For string metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define one special value of the quality entities that will have the new metrics defined.

 

 

 

 

 

        

Domain Metrics

 

 

 

  For domain metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the list of possible values of the quality entities that will have the new metrics defined. These values may be ordered or not.

 

 The new values are added by using the "New" button. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is the window that allows adding a new value to the domain metrics.

 

       

 

 

 

  This is an example of the values that has a metrics of the possible protocols. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Set Metrics

    For set metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the metrics of the elements in the set metrics. The quality entities with a set metrics will have as values, some values of the elements metrics. 

   In order to select the metrics of the elements of the set, it is necessary to select one metrics for the elements in the global metrics manager window. Once done, this metrics appears in the Attributes Tab of the New Set Metrics window. The selection of the metrics as metrics for the elements of the set is done by clicking in the orange arrow.

 

 

         Tuple Metrics

For tuple metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the elements of tuple and the metrics of each element. 

The metrics of each element will be selected, adding a new element (New button), and selecting from the global metrics manager the metrics of the new element. Once done, this metrics appears in the Attributes Tab of the New Tuple Metrics window. The selection of the metrics as metrics for the elements of the set is done by clicking in the orange arrow.

 

        

Function Metrics

      For function metrics there is an additional Attributes Tab to define the metrics of the input and output parameters of the function.

        Functions have one or more input parameters, and just one result parameter.  

      The metrics of each parameter will be selected, selecting the parameter and, selecting from the global metrics manager the metrics of the parameter. Once done, this metrics appears in the Attributes Tab of the New Tuple Metrics window. The selection of the metrics as metrics for the elements of the set is done by clicking in the orange arrow.

        

Qualitative Metrics

Qualitative metrics do not have an additional tab, since the quality entities with this metrics will take an string value. This kind of metrics is for quality entities that will take a "subjective" value of the person who evaluates products.

 

         Formula Metrics

It is not possible to define formula metrics in the global metrics manager.

 

 

1.4 Viewing Description and Attributes of Existent Metrics

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

     In order to see the description of a metrics of the global metrics manager, is necessary to choose the "View Metrics..." option.

 

     Note that the metrics in the global metrics manager may only be updated by the administrator of DesCOTS.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1.5 Copying a Metrics from the Global Metrics Manager to the Metrics Manager of an Specific Quality Model.

 

 

 

 

      In order to copy a metrics selected in the global metrics manager to the metrics manager of the quality model selected, it is necessary to choose the "Copy Metrics to QM" option.

 

      This option  also specifies the concrete quality model to which the metrics will be copied.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2. THE METRICS MANAGER OF A SPECIFIC QUALITY MODEL

2.1 Openning the Metrics Manager of a Quality Model

 

 

 

 It is possible to open the metrics manager with the metrics assigned and used in the definition of a quality model by choosing the option "Metrics Manager" on the quality model.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 It is also possible to open the metrics manager by choosing the option "Metrics Manager" on a quality entity of the quality model.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.2 Metrics Manager Organization

 

   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This metrics manager has two sections.

     The first section “Entity Metrics” corresponds to the quality entity metrics information, and it contains the information of the metrics assigned to a quality entity in case a quality entity is selected in the quality model window.

      The second section “Available Metrics” corresponds to all the metrics defined for be used in the definition of the quality model.

      The aspect of the Available Metrics part is the same that the same section in the global metrics manager.

      In the window capture it is possible to see how a user may choose the New Metrics option to define a new boolean metrics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      In the window capture it is possible to see the functionalities that are possible to choose for a metrics in the quality model metrics manager.

      These functionalities are to edit metrics, to delete metrics, to add a metrics as the metrics of a quality entity, and to copy a metrics to the global metrics manager.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.4 Copying a metrics to the global metrics manager

Once copied the metrics, it appears in the metrics manager. Once done, updates made in any of the two metrics, does not apply to the other one.

It is not possible to copy a metrics in case that the global metrics manager has already one metrics with the same name.

 

 

2.5 Assigning a metrics to a quality entity.

 Once assigned, the metrics assigned to a quality entity appears in the Entity Metrics part of the metrics manager of the quality model. In the following window capture, we may see that the Create Libraries quality entity has a boolean metrics that is Functionality Provided.

 One quality entity may have more than one metrics assigned. But all of them have to be of the same type.

 The assignation of metrics, is done by selecting the quality entity and then select the metrics in the Available Metrics of the metrics manager. The option to make the assignation is done by choosing the option Add Metrics to the Entity. In the following window capture it is possible to see how the metrics Maxim Number of Items is going to be assigned to the quality entity Number of Libraries.

 

For doing the assignation it is necessary to define how the quality entity will be evaluated using the metrics assigned.

 

 

 

The attributes of the assignation are: in the Evaluation Metrics Tab, the measurement protocol (the explanation of how to measure the quality entity by means of the metrics).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Explanation Tab, an explanation of the metrics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 In the Documentation Tab, the sources (where the user that is defining a quality model, has seen that the metrics to measure the quality entity is the one selected), and personal comments.

 

The sources may be selected from a list of sources maintained by the user, And that may be modified any time sources have to be selected.