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Department of Defense Software Factbook

Technical Report
In this report, the Software Engineering Institute has analyzed data related to DoD software projects and translated it into information that is frequently sought-after across the DoD.
Publisher

Software Engineering Institute

CMU/SEI Report Number
CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004

Abstract

This Department of Defense (DoD) Software Factbook provides an analysis of the most extensive collection of software engineering data owned and maintained by the DoD, the software resources data report (SRDR). The SRDR is the primary source of data on software projects and their performance.

The Software Engineering Institute analyzed the SRDR data and translated it into information that is frequently sought-after across the DoD. Basic facts are provided about software projects, such as averages, ranges, and heuristics for requirements, size, effort, and duration. Factual, quantitatively derived statements provide easily digestible and usable benchmarks.

Findings are also presented by system type or super domain. The analysis in this area focuses on identifying the most and least expensive projects and the best and worst projects within three super domains: real time, engineering, and automated information systems. It also provides insight into the differences between system domains and contains domain-specific heuristics.

Finally, correlations are explored among requirements, size, duration, and effort and the strongest models for predicting change are described. The goal of this work was to determine how well the data could be used to answer common questions related to planning or replanning software projects. 

Cite This Technical Report

Clark, B., Miller, C., McCurley, J., Zubrow, D., Brown, R., & Zuccher, M. (2017, July 11). Department of Defense Software Factbook. (Technical Report CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004). Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/.

@techreport{clark_2017,
author={Clark, Brad and Miller, Christopher and McCurley, Jim and Zubrow, David and Brown, Rhonda and Zuccher, Mike},
title={Department of Defense Software Factbook},
month={{Jul},
year={{2017},
number={{CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004},
howpublished={Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library},
url={https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/},
note={Accessed: 2024-Dec-9}
}

Clark, Brad, Christopher Miller, Jim McCurley, David Zubrow, Rhonda Brown, and Mike Zuccher. "Department of Defense Software Factbook." (CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, July 11, 2017. https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/.

B. Clark, C. Miller, J. McCurley, D. Zubrow, R. Brown, and M. Zuccher, "Department of Defense Software Factbook," Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library. Software Engineering Institute, Technical Report CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004, 11-Jul-2017 [Online]. Available: https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/. [Accessed: 9-Dec-2024].

Clark, Brad, Christopher Miller, Jim McCurley, David Zubrow, Rhonda Brown, and Mike Zuccher. "Department of Defense Software Factbook." (Technical Report CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004). Carnegie Mellon University, Software Engineering Institute's Digital Library, Software Engineering Institute, 11 Jul. 2017. https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/. Accessed 9 Dec. 2024.

Clark, Brad; Miller, Christopher; McCurley, Jim; Zubrow, David; Brown, Rhonda; & Zuccher, Mike. Department of Defense Software Factbook. CMU/SEI-2017-TR-004. Software Engineering Institute. 2017. https://insights.sei.cmu.edu/library/department-of-defense-software-factbook/