Applications of the Indicator Template for Measurement and Analysis

Organizations often do not achieve the potential benefits of a sound measurement program due to the inconsistent construction and interpretation of indicators derived from measurement data. This technical note presents guidance for adapting and completing an indicator template-a tool the Software Engineering Institute has developed to precisely describe an indicator-including its construction, correct interpretation, and how it can be utilized to direct data collection and presentation and measurement and analysis processes. An indicator template can help an organization to define indicators, or graphical representations of measurement data, which describe the who, what, where, when, why, and how for analyzing and collecting measures. This technical note defines each field of the indicator template, provides example inputs, and shows how the template may be used in the context of a process improvement effort that uses the Capability Maturity Model Integration framework and/or Goal-Driven Software Measurement.