衡量软件生产力类似于衡量其他形式的生产力；也就是说，它被测量为输出单位除以输入单位的比率。输入包括为产生给定的输出而付出的努力。对于软件来说，有形的输出是源代码和文档。当然，软件的产品是一个过程，一个驱动计算机工作的算法。不幸的是，对软件产品中包含的功能的理解还很初级。只有理解什么是可以测量的，才有可能理解软件过程的本质。为此，本文档标准化了软件生产力度量术语，以确保理解代码和文档生产的度量数据。 它定义了一组度量输出产品和输入努力的单位。本标准中定义的最低测量水平称为原始测量。测量的输出原语是软件源语句、文档页面，以及可选的功能点。输入原语衡量软件产品开发人员的努力程度。自动化支持工具的能力和能力并不是通过本标准直接衡量的，而是通过使用它们的人的生产力的提高间接衡量的。本标准规定了描述软件过程特征的测量方法，并由此提供了改进软件过程的见解。本标准不建立软件生产率规范，也不建议将生产率测量作为评估软件项目或软件开发人员的方法。 虽然产品的整体价值不能与产品的质量分开，但本标准并不衡量软件的质量。测量质量的问题超出了本标准的范围，因为它涵盖了软件过程的不同方面。然而，生产率指标应该在产品整体质量的背景下进行解释。本标准的用户可以查看其他标准，这些标准涵盖了该信息的质量指标。本标准选择了生产率的定义，即产品与努力的比率，因为它比产品与货币单位或生产与销售等价值关系更稳定。通货膨胀对货币单位价值的影响，或市场对销售的反复无常，导致这些指标的变化不可预测。 因此，随着时间的推移，它们无法提供稳定的衡量标准。然而，产品的数量和生产产品所花费的时间是更一致的衡量标准，随着时间的推移，这些衡量标准将更好地衡量软件的生产率。用户可能希望将生产力转换为货币等价物，但结果应以本标准规定的单位报告。本标准中的指标同样适用于现有软件产品的开发和增强或维护。为了应用这些指标，对已发布或交付的软件产品的后续发布或更改应视为新产品。本标准定义了一种一致的方法来衡量计算软件生产率的要素。 一致的度量过程将导致更好地理解软件开发过程，更好的理解将导致改进。这个标准并不是为了提高生产力，只是为了衡量它。

Measuring software productivity is similar to measuring other forms of productivity; that is, it is measured as the ratio of units of output divided by units of input. The inputs consist of the effort expended to produce a given output. For software, the tangible outputs are source code and documentation. Of course the product of software is a process, an algorithm that drives a computer to do work. Unfortunately, understanding of the functionality incorporated into a software product is still rudimentary. Only by understanding what can be measured will it be possible to understand the essence of the software process. Toward this end, this document standardizes software productivity metrics terminology to ensure an understanding of measurement data for both code and documentation production. It defines a set of units to measure the output products and input effort. The lowest level of measurement defined in this standard is called a primitive. The output primitives measured are software source statements, documentation pages, and, optionally, function points. The input primitives measure the efforts of those developing the software products. The capacity and capability of automated support tools are not directly measured by this standard, but are indirectly measured by the improvements in the productivity of the people who use them. This standard prescribes measurements to characterize the, software process, and in doing so gives insight for improving it. This standard does not establish software productivity norms, nor does it recommend productivity measurements as a method to evaluate software projects or software developers. Although the overall value of a product cannot be separated from the quality of what is produced, this standard does not measure the quality of software. The issue of measuring quality is beyond the scope of this standard, because it covers a different aspect of the software process. Nevertheless, productivity metrics should be interpreted in the context of the overall quality of the product. It is left to the user of this standard to look to other standards covering quality metrics for that information. The definition of productivity as the ratio of product to effort was selected in this standard because it is more stable than value relationships like product to monetary units or production to sales. The effects of inflation on the value of monetary units, or the caprice of the marketplace on sales, cause these measures to vary unpredictably. As a result, they do not offer a stable measure over time. However, the quantity of the product and the effort in hours expended to produce it are more consistent measures, and over time these measures will provide a better gauge of software productivity. Users may wish to translate productivity into monetary equivalents, but results shall be reported in the units specified in this standard. The metrics in this standard apply equally well to now development and to the enhancement or maintenance of an existing software product. Subsequent releases or changes to a released or delivered software product should be viewed as a new product for the purpose of applying these metrics. This standard defines a consistent way to measure the elements that go into computing software productivity. A consistent measurement process will lead to a better understanding of the software development process, and a better understanding will lead to improvement. This standard does not claim to improve productivity, only to measure it.