Measuring productivity and quality in model-based design

In a computing device, a method of automatically measuring productivity in a graphical modeling environment, the method comprising:

• identifying a task for which a user wishes to measure the productivity, the task comprising designing or modifying at least one of a block, a subsystem, and a model using the modeling environment;
• providing, using the computing device, a plurality of entities from the modeling environment for use with the task, wherein each entity has a type;
• measuring, using the computing device, time spent for the user to complete the task;
• automatically tracking and storing usage of different types of entities, using the computing device, while the user is working on the task;
• and
• determining, using the computing device, the productivity in the graphical modeling environment based on the usage of the different types of entities and the time.

In a computing device, a computer-readable medium holding computer executable instructions, the instructions when executed causing a computer to perform:

• providing a graphical modeling application;
• identifying a task for which a user wishes to automatically measure productivity, the task comprising designing or modifying at least one of a block, a subsystem, and a model using the modeling application;
• assigning a weight for each type of a plurality of entities provided from the modeling application for use with the task and calculating a weighted content metric from the plurality of entities;
• and
• evaluating effort put into the task from the weighted content metric and by automatically tracking use of the input device.

In a graphical modeling environment, a system for measuring productivity of a task, the system comprising:

• an input device;
• and
• a processor configured to process:
• a task to be completed in said modeling environment, the task involving designing or modifying one of a block, a subsystem, and a model, and
• a metric tool comprising:
• an input device tracker for automatically tracking use of the input device,
• a productivity evaluator for determining the productivity of the task based on the use of the input device, and
• a detector for detecting a defect or a model characteristic in the task.

In a graphical modeling environment, a system for measuring productivity of a task, the system comprising:

• a processor configured to process:
• a plurality of entities for use in the modeling environment;
• a task to be completed in the modeling environment, the task comprising designing or modifying at least one of a block, a subsystem, and a model;
• a time predictor for setting a predicted time period required to complete the task;
• and
• a metric tool comprising an entity calculator automatically tracking usage of the plurality of entities in the task and a productivity evaluator determining the productivity of the task based on the usage of the plurality of entities.

A productivity management method comprising:

• tracking, using a computing device, productivity data of a user within a managed group by measuring effort and time spent for each task, the each task comprising designing or modifying at least one of a block, a subsystem, and a model in a graphical modeling environment, and the effort being measured by a weighted content metric and usage of an input device;
• assigning, using the computing device, a weight for each type of a plurality of entities provided from the modeling environment for use with the each task and calculating the weighted content metric from the plurality of entities;
• storing the productivity data in a storage device;
• and
• predicting time and effort required to complete a future task, using the computing device, based on the productivity data.

A method of improving an application program comprising:

• monitoring, using a computing device, user activity with an application program by automatically tracking usage of an input device;
• recording, using the computing device, time spent on a plurality of tasks, wherein the plurality of tasks comprises at least one of an application program task performed by the application program and a user task performed by the user, the user task comprising designing or modifying at least one of a block, a subsystem, and a model;
• determining, using the computing device, effort in working on the plurality of tasks based on the time spent;
• and
• generating, using the computing device, a report including the time spent on the plurality of tasks and the usage of the input device.