DOORS™ TO AUTOMATED METRICS

This paper describes the automation of metrics data collection and analysis using the Dynamic Object Oriented Requirements System (DOORS™) tool from Quality Systems and Software (QSS). Using the concept stated by Crosby that “Quality is conformance to requirements”, DOORS tracks the completeness, timeliness, and cost of project deliverables that are the outputs from standard processes. The traceability links in DOORS bind the project and process metrics together to higher level organizational objectives. Metrics automation based on a foundation of standard processes, methodologies, tools, and environment provides a quantum improvement in the objectiveness, cost, and fidelity of metrics. Also, metrics definitions important to organizations change over time. The change control capability of DOORS provides complete history to the ongoing metrics collection and analysis to provide a continuum from past performance to the present and future.