Sample dashboards: Interpretation

The sample dashboards that ship with the product are described in this section which helps you in interpreting the dashboard. All dashboards can be accessed through the Dashboard by categories folder. All reports in this folder are shortcuts to the reports that are located in Sample Report Definitions > Dashboard Definitions.

Executive dashboards

Executive dashboards can be used to summarize information across all groups of projects in an organization. The dashboards are in IBM Cognos® Connection, under Public Folders > Dashboards by Category > Executive dashboards. The following dashboards are sample executive level dashboards:
  • Defect
  • Quality
  • Requirement
  • Productivity
  • Performance

Defect dashboard

The Defect dashboard shows defect-related statistics intended to highlight relevant trends. The pre-ship to post-ship breakdown helps you determine how effective internal testing is, how responsive the teams are, and how effectively defects are resolved. These measures are all important in evaluating the software organization's overall effectiveness and efficiency in defect prevention and detection. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Average defect density by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Average defect distribution: This report shows the total number of defects for a given program. The defect totals indicate projects that are defect-prone.
  • Average defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Average fixes failing verification: This report indicates the percentage of defects with reports of fixes that fail verification tests.
  • Average defect repair latency: This report indicates the average time taken to repair defects during development and the number of defects after delivery. It shows the average gap between recognition and fixing of defects.
  • Build health: This report tracks the health of a product build over time. It compares the number of time intervals with a failed build to the time intervals with a clean build.

Quality dashboard

The Quality dashboard presents a high-level view of the quality of the work of the software organization. Overall quality is indicated by defect and project size statistics, backlog, and repair latency, plus how responsive the software organization is to enhancement requests. This dashboard contains the following:
  • Average defect by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Average defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Average enhancement request backlog: This report monitors the average number of enhancement requests that are received and closed over time, and the number of outstanding enhancement requests. This data contributes to the enhancement request backlog for each project.
  • Average repair latency: This report indicates the average time taken to repair defects during development and the number of defects after delivery. It shows the average gap between recognition and fixing of defects.

Requirement dashboard

Managing requirements is an essential process for an efficient software organization. Because requirements can be submitted at any time and can change, the teams need to respond. Use the Requirement dashboard to evaluate how effective the software organization is at satisfying requirements, controlling the amount of change, and responding to requests promptly. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Average Enhancement Request Backlog: This report monitors the average number of enhancement requests that are received and closed over time, and the number of outstanding enhancement requests. It provides a drill through to the Enhancement Request Backlog report for each project.
  • Average Requirement Churn: This report indicates the trends in changes to the definition of system requirements. It also provides insight into the stability of system definition for a product.
  • Average Defect Repair Latency: This report indicates the average time taken to repair defects during development and the number of defects after delivery. It shows the average gap between recognition and fixing of defects.

Productivity dashboard

The Productivity dashboard contains metrics showing how productive a software organization is. The measures include project length as a function of size as well as task completion velocity. The dashboard also includes schedule performance (SPI) and variance (SI) data to show how work is tracking to budget and schedule. Use this dashboard as a starting point for understanding the scope of work, how well it is addressed, and its progress. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Project Cycle: This report shows how project length varies with project size. Use it to estimate the duration of future projects and to understand the impact of increases in work efficiency or improvements in process.
  • Average SPI & SV: The schedule performance index (SPI) measures how effectively you are using time in an iteration or project. Use it to identify trends in progress against a plan. The schedule variance (SV) indicates whether a project is ahead of or behind schedule.
  • Project Length: This report shows the length of each project (in months). Use it to identify projects that might need attention because they are taking significantly more or less time than the others.
  • Iteration Velocity: This report shows the number of tasks completed in each iteration. Use it to understand how much work can be done in each iteration cycle. Generally the line should be fairly constant. Significant increases or decreases can indicate external pressures on the project, which should be understood. However, the chart assumes that all tasks involve roughly the same amount of work. Defining tasks with significantly more or less work can have an impact on the number of tasks completed within a fixed time period.
  • Build Health: This report tracks the health of a product build over time. It compares the number of time intervals with a failed build to the time intervals with a clean build.

Performance dashboard

The Performance dashboard relates metrics to project size to show how well the software organization is performing. Although metrics vary with project size, it is important to note projects that significantly differ from others of comparable size or projects that do not match any trends. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Productivity vs project size: This report shows how the productivity of projects in the organization varies with project size. Use the scatter chart to compare projects based on relative size of code
  • Quality vs project size: This report shows how the quality of projects in the organization (as measured by the number of defects in the system) varies with project size. Use the scatter chart to compare projects based on the relative size of the code.
  • Time-to-Deliverable vs Project Size: This report shows how the 'time to market' of projects in the organization varies with project size. 'Time to market' is the duration of the project from start date to release date. Use the scatter chart to compare projects based on relative size of code.

Project-level dashboards

Project-level dashboards usually display information about a particular project. The dashboards are in IBM Cognos Connection, under Public Folders > Dashboards by Category > Project level dashboards. The following dashboards are sample project level dashboards:
  • Productivity
  • Requirement
  • Stakeholder Requirement
  • Quality
  • Defect
  • Defect Detection
  • Defect Prevention

Productivity dashboard

The Productivity dashboard contains metrics showing how productive the team is in delivering the software. The measures used include project length as a function of size as well as task completion velocity. The dashboard also includes schedule performance (SPI) and variance (SI) data to show how work is tracking to budget and schedule. Use this dashboard as a starting point for understanding the scope of work, how well it is addressed, and its progress. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • SPI &SV: The schedule performance index (SPI) measures how effectively you are using time in an iteration or project. Use it to identify trends of progress against a plan. The schedule variance (SV) indicates whether a project is ahead of or behind schedule.
  • Build health: This report tracks the health of a product build over time. It compares the number of time intervals with a failed build to the time intervals with a clean build.
  • Project cycle: This report shows how project length varies with project size. Use it to estimate how long future projects will take to complete, and to understand the impact of work efficiency increases or process improvements.
  • Iteration velocity: This report shows the number of tasks completed in each iteration. Use it to understand how much work can be done in each iteration cycle. Generally the line should be fairly constant. Significant increases or decreases can indicate external pressures on the project, which should be understood. However, the chart assumes that all tasks involve roughly the same amount of work. Defining tasks with significantly more or less work can impact the number of tasks completed within a fixed time period.
  • Project length: This report shows the length of each project (in months). Use it to help identify projects that might need attention because they are taking significantly more or less time than the others.

Requirement dashboard

Managing requirements is an essential process for an efficient project. Because requirements can be submitted at any time and can change, the team needs to respond. Use the Requirement dashboard to evaluate how effective the team is at satisfying requirements, controlling the amount of change, and responding to requests promptly. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Enhancement request backlog: This report monitors the average number of enhancement requests that are received and closed over time, and the number of outstanding enhancement requests. This data contributes to the enhancement request backlog for each project.
  • Requirement churn: This report indicates the trends in changes to the definition of system requirements. It also provides insight into the stability of system definition for a product.
  • Requirement distribution by status: This report shows the growth of requirements by status. It provides insight into the maturity level of the system definition. It also characterizes the stability and completeness of system requirements, with potential impacts on design and production.

Stakeholder requirement dashboard

The Stakeholder Requirement dashboard shows metrics showing how effective the team is at satisfying functional requirements. The measures included in this dashboard allow you to track requirements changes, monitor and manage enhancement requests, and monitor the quality of requirements being delivered. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Enhancement request backlog: This report monitors the average number of enhancement requests that are received and closed over time, and the number of outstanding enhancement requests. This data contributes to the enhancement request backlog for each project.
  • Requirement churn: This report indicates the trends in changes to the definition of system requirements. It also provides insight into the stability of system definition for a product.
  • Requirement distribution by status: This report shows the growth of requirements by status. It provides insight into the maturity level of the system definition. It also characterizes the stability and completeness of system requirements, with potential impacts on design and production.
  • Test coverage of requirements: This report makes sure that all requirements are validated and that the product works as intended.
  • Defects per requirement: This report indicates the quality of code for each requirement type.

Quality dashboard

The Quality dashboard presents information indicating a project's quality. Overall quality is indicated by the number of defects relative to project size, defect backlog, defect repair latency, plus how responsive the team is to enhancement requests. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Defect density by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Defect distribution by severity: This report shows the total number of defects for a given project. The defect totals indicate components that are defect-prone.
  • Defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Enhancement request backlog: This report monitors the average number of enhancement requests that are received and closed over time, and the number of outstanding enhancement requests. This data contributes to the enhancement request backlog for each project.
  • Test execution status: This report indicates whether planned tests are complete or outstanding. The testing success rate reflects whether the system is working correctly.

Defect dashboard

The Defect dashboard shows defect-related metrics intended to highlight project quality. The pre-ship to post-ship breakdown helps you determine how effective internal testing is, how responsive the team is, and how effectively defects are resolved. These measures are all important in evaluating the overall quality of a project. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Defect density by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Project burndown: A burndown chart shows the team's progress. It shows a trend view of tasks being assigned and completed during a given time.
  • Test coverage of requirements: This report makes sure that all requirements are validated and that the product works as intended.
  • Test execution status: This report indicates whether planned tests are complete or outstanding. The testing success rate reflects whether the system is working correctly.

Defect detection dashboard

The Defect Detection dashboard shows the metrics related to defect prevention. This dashboard monitors how effective and efficient the team is in preventing defects. A high number of defects during development and poor build health are good indicators of poor defect prevention. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Defect distribution by severity: This report shows the total number of defects for a given project. The defect totals indicate components that are defect-prone.
  • Defect density by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Test coverage of requirements: This report makes sure that all requirements are validated and that the product works as intended.
  • Test execution status: This report indicates whether planned tests are complete or outstanding. The testing success rate reflects whether the system is working correctly.
  • Code churn: This report shows the volume of changes in a project over time. An upward slope is normal through the early and middle stages of a project. As the project nears completion, the curve should slope downward. An upward slope late in a project might indicate that the project is not stabilizing.
  • Build health: This report tracks the health of a product build over time. It compares the number of time intervals with a failed build to the time intervals with a clean build.

Defect prevention dashboard

The Defect Prevention dashboard shows the metrics related to defect detection. This dashboard monitors how effective and efficient the team is in detecting defects. A high number of post-ship defects and low test coverage are good indicators of poor defect detection. This dashboard contains the following reports:
  • Defect backlog: This report indicates the number of defects during development, based on defect status. You can see how many defects remain in the system. This data contributes to the defect backlog for each project.
  • Defect distribution by severity: This report shows the total number of defects for a given project. The defect totals indicate components that are defect-prone.
  • Defect density by severity: This report indicates the quality of code attained during development across a project and each deliverable, based on the relative number of defects and code size. This data contributes to the defect density by severity for each project.
  • Build health: This report tracks the health of a product build over time. It compares the number of time intervals with a failed build to the time intervals with a clean build.
  • Fixes failing verification: This report indicates the percentage of defects with reports of fixes that fail verification tests.

Feedback