The modern field of software metrics emerged from the computer modeling and "statistical thinking" services of the 1980s. As the field evolved, metrics programs were integrated with project management, and metrics grew to be a major tool in the managerial decision-making process of software companies. Now practitioners in the software industry have a reference that validates software metrics as a crucial tool for efficient and successful project management and execution. Software Metrics: A Guide to Planning, Analysis, and Application simplifies software measurement and explains its value as a pragmatic tool for management. Ideas and techniques presented in this book are derived from best practices. The ideas are field-proven, down to earth, and straightforward, making this volume an invaluable resource for those striving for process improvement. This overview helps readers enrich their knowledge of measurements and analysis, best practices, and how ordinary analysis techniques can be applied to achieve extraordinary results. Easy-to-understand tools and methods are applied to demonstrate how metrics create models that are indispensable to decision-making in the software industry.