Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering, Second Edition, is the definitive book on this essential topic of software development. Comprehensive in scope with extensive industry examples, it shows how to measure software quality and use measurements to improve the software development process. Four major categories of quality metrics and models are quality management, software reliability and projection, complexity and customer view. In addition, the book discusses the fundamentals of measurement theory, specific quality metrics and tools and methods for applying metrics to the software development process. In addition to the excellent balance of theory, techniques and examples, this book is highly instructive and practical, covering one of the most important topics in software developmentquality engineering.
Review of “Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering”
Stephen H. Kan’s Metrics and Models in Software Quality Engineering is a well-structured and comprehensive book that bridges theory with practice. It provides a deep dive into how models in software engineering can be applied to measure, analyze, and improve software quality. The author explains key metrics clearly, offering both academic insights and practical case studies from real-world projects.
What makes this book valuable is its balance: it is technical enough for experienced engineers, yet accessible for managers who need to understand quality frameworks. While some parts may feel dated compared to today’s agile practices, the core principles remain highly relevant. Overall, it’s a strong reference for anyone serious about building reliable, high-quality software systems.
In spite of being academic and often very dry, this is a great reference for quality metrics. The book covers all aspects of quality from during the development cycle to post release.
I was pleasantly surprised to see my team is producing many of the metrics discussed in the book, albeit with some customized logic.
If your team/organization is in need of meaningful metrics which can drive continuous improvement, then you will certainly get a lot of this book.
This is one of the few books on software metrics. Of course, Barry Boehm's Cocomo books, Grady's book on Metrics and a few others, but this is a good one. I went from this to Six Sigma reading.