xvii
Preface
is book is a tribute to great Statisticians, scholars, and teachers whose ideas are
quoted throughout this book in various contexts. ese pearls of wisdom have
helped us to connect our book with the evolution of science, knowledge and engi-
neering. Eventhough there are many books on statistics, there are few dedicated
to the application of statistical methods to software engineering. Pure textbooks
provide scholarly treatment, whereas practitioners need basic understanding and
application knowledge. Very few statistical books provide application knowledge to
software engineers. We have been working toward bridging this gap for about two
decades and have come out with the current book.
Statistical methods are often discussed in the context of six sigma, Capability
Maturity Model Integrated (CMMI), establishing capability baselines, and con-
structing process performance models. Driven by CMMI auditors, such practices
have become rituals that rely heavily on automated statistical packages, which are
rarely well understood. We have been promoting excel-based solution to statistics
and have presented practical solutions, such as those achieved in this book.
Statistics is the grammar of science.
Karl Pearson
We also realize that sophisticated statistics is not the ideal approach to solve
problems. Simpler techniques provide easy solutions that connect with the intu-
ition of problem solvers. Although sophisticated techniques sound impressive but
merely academic, simpler techniques are exible and can easily penetrate to the root
of the problem. In this book, we have consciously selected simpler tools. We have
also simplied several standard techniques.
e techniques presented in this book appear to us as a minimum set of intel-
lectual tools for software engineers and managers. True software engineering
xviii ◾ Preface
can happen only when data are collected and these statistical methods are used.
Moreover, the statistical management of processes is possible only when managers
master these techniques.
Learning these techniques in the context of software engineering will certainly
help budding engineers and fresh recruits. e examples provided in this book will
provide a deep insight into software engineering and management.
is book can be used extensively as a guidebook for training software engi-
neers and managers at dierent levels. It will be a very valuable asset in the hands
of quality professionals who collect data and create models.
is book also exposes practical software engineering problems and solutions to
aspiring engineering graduates and make them industry ready.
Generally, this book is a guide for professionals to think objectively with data.
It will help them to mine data and extract meanings. Some of the techniques pro-
vided in the book are excellent prediction tools, which would give foresight to those
who apply them.
MATLAB
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