Theory of Measurement Lecture 3

Theory of Measurements
in Software Engineering
Dr. Shazia Shoaib
Content
• Reliability in Measurement Quality
• How We Measure Reliability in Quality Metrics
• MTBF
• MTTF
• Failure Rate (λ)
• MTTR
• Availability
Reliability in Measurement
Quality
• Reliability is about repeated success. While accuracy refers to how
close a measurement or performance is to the true or expected
value, reliability is concerned with how consistently the same result is
achieved over multiple trials or time periods.
In other words:
• Accuracy: How close is the result to the true value?
• Reliability: How consistently does the system produce the same
result?
How We Measure Reliability in
Quality Metrics
• Reliability is commonly measured using several key metrics and
statistical tools, especially in fields like engineering, manufacturing,
software development, and product testing.
1. Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF)
2. Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)
3. Failure Rate (λ)
4. Mean Time to Repair
5. Availability
1. Mean Time Between Failures
(MTBF)
• MTBF is one of the most widely used metrics to assess reliability. It is
the average time that a system or product operates before a failure
occurs.
• For example, if a machine operates for 1000 hours and experiences 2

failures, the MTBF would be:
2. Mean Time to Failure (MTTF)
• MTTF is similar to MTBF but is often used for systems that are not
repairable after failure (e.g., light bulbs, disposable devices). It
measures the average time a system or product operates until it fails
permanently
• For example, if 10 identical devices are tested for a total of 1000

hours and 5 of them fail, the MTTF would be:
3. Failure Rate (λ)
• The failure rate is the probability that a system or product will fail
during a specific period. It’s often expressed as the number of failures
per unit of time (e.g., failures per hour).
• If the MTBF of a system is 500 hours, the failure rate would be:
4. Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
• MTTR is the average time taken to repair a system or component after

it fails. It includes the time from when the failure is first detected until
the system is fully restored and operational.
• Total Downtime is the cumulative time spent in repairing the system

over a specific period.
• Number of Failures refers to the total number of failures or
breakdowns over the same period.
4. Mean Time to Repair (MTTR)
Example:
• Suppose a company operates a piece of machinery that fails 5 times
over a month. The total downtime for all repairs is 10 hours. To
calculate MTTR:
• Total Downtime = 10 hours
• Number of Failures = 5
5. Availability
• Availability measures the proportion of time that a system is
operational and available for use, compared to the total time. It’s an
important metric in real-world applications where downtime due to
maintenance or failures can impact reliability.
• If a system has an MTBF of 500 hours and an MTTR of 10 hours, the

availability would be:
Example: Measuring Reliability
in a Production Line
• Let’s consider a production line that produces light bulbs. The
reliability of the light bulbs can be measured using the following
metrics:
• MTBF: If the light bulbs operate for 10,000 hours in total before
experiencing 5 failures
• Failure Rate (λ)

• Availability: If the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR) for the production
line is 2 hours
Scenario 1:
• A power plant control system manages various processes within a plant,
including turbines, cooling systems, and fuel flow. The system consists of
several components such as sensors, control units, and backup systems, all
designed to maintain a high level of reliability to avoid plant shutdowns.
• System Operation Time: The system is operational for 12 months, equivalent
to 8,760 hours (365 days * 24 hours).
• Failures Recorded: The system experienced 4 failures over the year.
• Total Downtime for Repairs: The total downtime due to these failures was 12
hours.
• Component Lifetimes: Individual components such as sensors and control
units were replaced after a total runtime of 5,000 hours before complete failure.
Scenario 2:
• An automated manufacturing system in a factory produces car engine

components. The system includes robotic arms, conveyor belts, and quality
control sensors, all operating 24/7. The factory collects reliability data over a 6-
month period.
• System Operation Time: 6 months (4,380 hours)
• Number of Failures: 5 failures in 6 months
• Downtime for Repairs: Total of 15 hours of downtime due to repairs
• Component Lifetimes: Sensors fail after running for 8,000 hours and are not
repairable (MTTF for sensors).
Results of Scenario 1
• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 2,190 hours

• MTTF (Mean Time to Failure): 5,000 hours for sensors
• Failure Rate (λ): 0.000456 failures per hour
• MTTR (Mean Time to Repair): 3 hours
• Availability: 99.86%
Results of Scenario 2
• MTBF: 876 hours

• MTTF: 8,000 hours (for sensors)
• Failure Rate: 0.00114 failures per hour
• MTTR: 3 hours
• Availability: 99.66%
Thank You

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Theory of Measurements

• For example, if a machine operates for 1000 hours and experiences 2

• For example, if 10 identical devices are tested for a total of 1000

• MTTR is the average time taken to repair a system or component after

• Total Downtime is the cumulative time spent in repairing the system

• If a system has an MTBF of 500 hours and an MTTR of 10 hours, the

• Failure Rate (λ)

• An automated manufacturing system in a factory produces car engine

• MTBF (Mean Time Between Failures): 2,190 hours

• MTBF: 876 hours

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