Measurement of software quality

This paper analyses our ability to measure software quality. The analysis is based on the representational theory of measurement. We analyse three assumptions on software quality measurement and recommend an increased measurement focus on establishing empirical relational systems (models of what we measure) in software quality related work. Applying measurement theory on the measurement of software quality related properties means that we have a powerful tool to understand what we measure, what the meaningful operations on the measured values are, and how to interpret the results.