Re: Metrics for OSS performance

MedCommons is pursuing the Quality (as in ISO9001-2000 or FDA) aspects 
of OSS performance. Formalized quality management systems are  focused 
on performance measurement - stated broadly to include risk, fitness for 
intended use and business performance as well - and the continuous 
improvement of everything that can be measured. Adapting the tools and 
business practices of proprietary quality systems to the F/OSS community 
development process is a core part of MedCommons. Our intent is to 
configure and possibly modify some of the tools (e.g.: source code and 
document management) that are already in use by the community to assist 
in the quality system process.

MedCommons is not an academic bunch. We're playing the role of vendor to 
health care providers that wish to use F/OSS in a clinical setting. 
Collaboration is most welcome.

Adrian Gropper

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>Today's Topics:
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>   1. Metrics for OSS performance (Jorge)
>   2. Re: Metrics for OSS performance (James Howison)
>
>--__--__--
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>Message: 1
>Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 07:24:29 -0800 (PST)
>From: Jorge <jorgelin-/[email protected]>
>To: [email protected]
>Subject: [F/OSS-Community] Metrics for OSS performance
>
>Hi there,
>This is my first visit to the list, and I am thrilled
>to find such a knowledgeable group!
>Does anyone know of any reference with a good (valid
>and reliable) mesure of "performance of Open Source
>Software"?
>
>Thanks a lot
>Jorge - Ivey - Western
>
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>Message: 2
>From: James Howison <[email protected]>
>Date: Mon, 19 Jan 2004 10:58:05 -0500
>To: FLOSS Community <[email protected]>
>Subject: [F/OSS-Community] Re: Metrics for OSS performance
>
>
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>On Jan 19, 2004, at 10:24 AM, Jorge wrote:
>
>  
>
>>Does anyone know of any reference with a good (valid
>>and reliable) mesure of "performance of Open Source
>>Software"?
>>    
>>
>
>This is an interesting question and AFAIK there isn't a canonical 
>answer.
>
>Kevin Crowston, Hala Annabi and I presented a paper on a related topic 
>at ICIS late last year.  It is a survey of success measures which I 
>think will be of use to you.  I just realized that this wasn't posted 
>to opensource.mit.edu which I'll do now.
>
>Meanwhile the project and paper is available here:
>
>http://crowston.syr.edu/floss/
>
>Is performance the same as success? Not exactly, but some of the issues 
>(and probably measures) are the same. And this is something that I want 
>to add to the Success Paper.
>
>Measuring success is hugely dependent on the goals of of the one doing 
>the measuring.  In Proprietary software development this defining power 
>rested almost wholly with the Executive management, who largely relied 
>on the advice of accounts.  While commercial performance is still 
>relevant in FLOSS projects the cross-institutional nature of FLOSS 
>means that the power to define success lies much more directly with the 
>developers.
>
>I think that any definition or measure of performance will need to take 
>into account this element.
>
>Please keep in touch because performance is of great interest to us as 
>well.
>
>Best regards,
>James Howison
>
>--
>
>PhD Student
>Information Studies
>Syracuse University
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