Visibility index for quality assurance in software development

A method for determining a level of attention a project should be given comprising:

• assigning, by a computational component stored as a set of computer readable instructions in a computer readable storage media and executed by a processor, a first score based on a size of the project, a second score based on a complexity of the project, a third score based on a priority of the project, a fourth score based on a schedule flexibility of the project, and a fifth score based on a duration of the project;
• multiplying, by the computational component, the first score by a first weight to form a first product, wherein the first weight reflects a relative importance of project size;
• multiplying, by the computational component, the second score by a second weight to form a second product, wherein the second weight reflects a relative importance of project complexity;
• multiplying, by the computational component, the third score by a third weight to form a third product, wherein the third weight reflects a relative importance of project priority;
• multiplying, by the computational component, the fourth score by a fourth weight to determine a fourth product, wherein the fourth weight reflects a relative importance of project schedule flexibility;
• multiplying, by the computational component, the fifth score by a fifth weight, to determine a fifth product, wherein the fifth weight reflects a relative importance of project duration;
• adding, by the computational component, the first product, the second product, the third product, the fourth product, and the fifth product to derive a visibility index;
• and
• correlating, by the computational component, the visibility index with the level of attention the project will be given,
• wherein the visibility index is used to evaluate the project in respect to a plurality of different projects.

A system to enhance project development comprising:

• one or more computers including one or more data stores comprising:
• a plurality of categories of a project, each of which characterizes an aspect of the project, wherein the plurality of categories comprises a size of the project, a complexity of the project, a priority of the project, a schedule flexibility of the project and a duration of the project;
• a plurality of assessments of the project, each of which assesses a corresponding one of the plurality of categories of the project, wherein the plurality of assessments comprise an assessment of the size of the project, an assessment of the complexity of the project, an assessment of the priority of the project, an assessment of the schedule flexibility of the project, and an assessment of the duration of the project;
• a plurality of scores of the project that each quantify a corresponding one of the plurality of assessments, wherein the plurality of scores comprise a first score that quantifies the assessment of the size of the project, a second score that quantifies the assessment of the complexity of the project, a third score that quantifies the assessment of the priority of the project, a fourth score that quantifies the assessment of the schedule flexibility of the project, and a fifth score that quantifies the assessment of the duration of the project;
• a plurality of weights that each quantify a relative importance of each of the plurality of categories, wherein the plurality of weights comprise a first weight that reflects a relative importance of project size, a second weight that reflects a relative importance of project complexity, a third weight that reflects a relative importance of project priority, a fourth weight that reflects a relative importance of project schedule flexibility, and a fifth weight that reflects a relative importance of project duration;
• a plurality of weighted scores calculated based on the plurality of scores and the plurality of weights;
• and
• a visibility index;
• the one or more computers further including a computational component stored as a set of computer readable instructions in a computer readable storage media and executed by a processor to compute a first of the plurality of weighted scores by multiplying the first score by the first weight, to compute a second of the plurality of weighted scores by multiplying the second score by the second weight, to compute a third of the plurality of weighted scores by multiplying the third score by the third weight, to compute a fourth of the plurality of weighted scores by multiplying the fourth score by the fourth weight, to compute a fifth of the plurality of weighted scores by multiplying the fifth score by the fifth weight, and further operable to compute the visibility index by adding at least two of the plurality of weighted scores;
• and
• the one or more computers further including a component stored as a set of computer readable instructions in a computer readable storage media and executed by a processor, to promote association of a quality advisor with the project to assist in complying with a quality assurance standard to ensure the project meets a desired level of quality when the visibility index exceeds a threshold.