Personal 'progress functions' in the software process

Individual developers can expect improvement in software productivity as a consequence of (i) a growing stock of knowledge and experience gained by repeatedly doing the same task (first-order learning) or (ii) due to technological and training programs supported by the organization (second-order learning). Organizations have used this type of progress behavior in making managerial decisions regarding cost estimation and budgeting, production and staff scheduling, product pricing, etc. Such progress is studied in productivity, product-quality and personal skills, in an experiment involving a sample of 12 software developers, who complete one project every week for ten weeks. Second-order training is provided to the subjects through Humphrey's Personal Software Process. A modified GQM method for measurement is used to execute the research method.