Metrics to mesure the impact of continuous integration- An empirical study

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the continuous integration in large global organizations and find suitable metrics to measure these impacts. Continuous integration is a practice within agile movement in which members of a team integrate their work frequently, at least daily. Metrics are needed to measure the impacts of the continuous integration and compare them with other development process. This measurement allows managers within the organizations to assess the progress and impact of process changes and make data driven decisions. The research has been conducted as an empirical case study in a large software organization using a qualitative research approach and the result has been analyzed using thematic analysis. A total of 12 interviews were conducted with highly qualified software professionals about the impact of continuous integration in their organization. Several experienced positive and negative impacts are identified and ways to measure these impacts are investigated. The findings in this paper can be used by organizations to justify their continuous integration process or to predict and counter problems already during the introduction stage of that process.