About QSM

Pioneers and innovators since 1978.

Our Team

Larry Putnam, Sr., Founder and President Emeritus

As a pioneer and top problem solver in the software estimation and measurement field, Larry founded Quantitative Software Management (QSM), Inc. and has been President since 1978. Larry broke new ground in software estimation and measurement by developing SLIM (Software Life-Cycle Management), a suite of measurement tools for software development. He has been refining and expanding its capabilities ever since. SLIM is widely used throughout the government and private industry in the United States and abroad. Larry has worked on software cost estimating projects for government agencies that include the Department of Defense, US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, Department of Labor, General Accounting Office, U.S. Postal Service, National Archives and Records Agency, FAA and NASA. He has also performed work for domestic and international clients, including Computer Sciences Corporation, Lockheed Martin Co., IBM, British Telecom, Electronic Data Systems, and Motorola. Larry possesses a keen understanding of the needs of QSM’s military clients, having served more than 25 years as an Army Officer. He retired with the rank of Colonel. Larry is the first recipient of the Freiman award, the highest-level award given by the International Society of Parametric Analysts. He has published five books including, Five Core Metrics: The Intelligence Behind Successful Software Management, and has written numerous articles for various publications. Larry is sought internationally as a speaker and management consultant. For the past 30 years, he has been teaching public seminars in software cost estimating throughout the United States, Western Europe, Japan and Australia.

Douglas T. Putnam, Co-Chief Executive Officer

As a Co-CEO for QSM, Doug has 33 years of experience in the software measurement field and is considered a pioneer in the development of this industry. Doug has been instrumental in directing the development of the SLIM Suite of software estimation and measurement tools, and he has trained more than 1,000 software professionals in the use of the SLIM Suite. Doug’s responsibilities at QSM include managing the delivery of QSM software measurement services, defining requirements for the SLIM Product Suite, and overseeing the research activities derived from the QSM project history repository. He has performed work for clients that include the New York Stock Exchange, Honeywell, General Motors, and Bank of America. Doug is also a sought-after international author and speaker. He has published numerous articles and white papers and delivered more than 100 speeches on software estimation and measurement. Doug has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Hobart College.

Lauren Thayer, Co-Chief Executive Officer

Lauren has more than 35 years of experience in software development, 27 of which have been spent working with QSM as a software developer and manager of QSM’s SLIM Tools Suite. Lauren’s primary responsibilities include requirements analysis, design, quality assurance, documentation review, software publishing, planning, estimating and managing QSM development projects. Lauren also manages the QSM software development team, coordinates new client requirement requests, and defect reports with the development team to ensure requirements are incorporated into future tool releases. Lauren has participated in research studies of the QSM Database of more than 10,000 projects that lead to new and refined algorithms in the SLIM Tools Suite. Lauren has a bachelor’s degree in Business-Government from Skidmore College, where she was an honor student.

Lawrence H. Putnam, Jr., Co-Chief Executive Officer

Larry has 26 years of experience using the Putnam-SLIM Methodology. He has participated in more than 80 estimation and oversight service engagements, and is responsible for product management of the SLIM-Suite of measurement tools and customer care programs. Since becoming the Managing Partner of Products and Customer Care, Larry has developed a new customer care program that has increased customer satisfaction levels by 50 percent and increased client license renewals by 46 percent. Larry is a member of and active participant in numerous organizations, including the Quality Assurance Institute, Software Program Managers Network, International Function Point Users Group, and International Society of Parametric Analysts. Larry has delivered more than 27 speeches at conferences on software estimation and measurement, and has trained – over a five-year period – more than 1,000 software professionals in the use of the SLIM-Suite.

Keith Ciocco, Vice President

Keith Ciocco has more than 30 years of experience working in sales and customer service, with 25 of those years spent with QSM. As Vice President, his primary responsibilities include supporting the QSM client base with their software estimation and measurement goals, managing business development, and managing existing client relations. He has developed and directed the implementation of the sales and customer retention process within QSM and has played a leading role in communicating the value of the QSM tools and services to professionals in the software development, engineering, and IT industries.     

Kate Armel, Customer Support Manager

Kate Armel has 14 years of experience in customer service, 9 of which have been at QSM. In addition to her work in technical and consultative customer support in software estimation, tracking and benchmarking, she is responsible for collection and validation of data for the QSM database, trend line analysis and production, as well as web site design, maintenance and development. She has also been the primary technical writer for the software documentation (print manuals and online help) for the SLIM Suite and the Express Suite of applications. In 2006 Ms. Armel served as Editor-in-Chief and was one of three researchers and co-authors of the QSM Software Almanac.

Ethan Avery, Director

Ethan has 18 years of experience designing metrics measurement solutions for Fortune 100 clients, as well as boutique companies, and all in between.  While well-versed in business development and product awareness in the software metrics measurement community, Ethan assesses and recommends solutions for IT project estimating and IT portfolio cost optimization. Daily responsibilities for Ethan include managing existing clients and introducing the QSM concept of software metrics measurement to organizations.  

Richard Pelaez, Director

Richard has been in software sales for the last 17 years with 14 years spent at qsm, focusing on business development, managing existing client relations, customer retention and creating product awareness in both the government and commercial software community. As a director, Richard works with prospective and existing clients in the areas of IT budgeting, portfolio estimation, and demand vs. capacity planning.