Cultivation and engineering of a software metrics program

Abstract. This paper reports from a case study of an organization that implements a software metrics program to measure the effects of its improvement efforts. The program measures key indicators of all completed projects and summarizes progress information in a quarterly management report. The implementation turns out to be long and complex, as the organization is confronted with dilemmas based on contradictory demands and value conflicts. The process is interpreted as a combination of a rational engineering process in which a metrics program is constructed and put into use, and an evolutionary cultivation process in which basic values of the software organization are confronted and transformed. The analysis exemplifies the difficulties and challenges that software organizations face when bringing known principles for software metrics programs into practical use. The article discusses the insights gained from the case in six lessons that may be used by Software Process Improvement managers in implementing a successful metrics program.     

Prospects for an engineering discipline of software

Although software engineering is not yet a true engineering discipline, it has the potential to become one. Older engineering fields are examined to ascertain the character that software engineering might have. The current state of software technology is discussed, covering information processing as an economic force, the growing role of software in critical applications, the maturity of development techniques, and the scientific basis for software engineering practice. Five basic steps that the software engineering profession must take to become a true engineering discipline are described. They are: understanding the nature of expertise, recognizing different ways to get information, encouraging routine practice, expecting professional specializations, and improving the coupling between science and commercial practice     

Toward an engineering discipline of software reuse

This article stems from a panel session at the 1997 Symposium on Software Reusability, and discusses open research issues, classified by goal and by approach. Software development cannot possibly become an engineering discipline so long as it has not perfected a technology for developing products from reusable assets in a routine manner, on an industrial scale. Software reuse cannot, in turn, achieve this status unless we make the following provisions: a sound scientific foundation that encompasses relevant design principles, widely acceptable engineering standards that compile these principles into working practical solutions, and coherent managerial standards that enable the deployment of these solutions under acceptable conditions of product quality and process maturity. Although successful software reuse experiments are increasingly common, success is not the norm, software reuse is not a matter of routine practice, the promises of software reuse remain for the most part unfulfilled, and a number of issues remain worthy of further research     

Models in software engineering – an introduction

Modelling is a concept fundamental for software engineering. In this paper, the word is defined and discussed from various perspectives. The most important types of models are presented, and examples are given. Models are very useful, but sometimes also dangerous, in particular to those who use them unconsciously. Such problems are shown. Finally, the role of models in software engineering research is discussed. Received: 21 October 2002 / Accepted: 10 January 2003 Published online: 27 February 2003     

The need for an industrial engineering software library

There is a real need for an Industrial Engineering Software Library. This need has been specified by previous studies and quantified by a widely distributed questionnaire. This article briefly outlines the work that has been accomplished so far towards the establishment of a clearinghouse to which industrial engineers can turn for available software. The question remaining is: How tto support and implement this project which we believe would be of great value to industrial engineers and others interested in quantitative techniques for decision making?     

Developing an educational software framework for distance-less learning

Abstract This paper considers educational technology as both a tool and process. The focus is on a strategy to develop a software framework with reusable components to support a specific teaching/learning (the Question-and-Answer) model. It demonstrates how such a software framework can be used for building educational software systems which can be adapted easily to different levels and subjects of education on top of Internet/Intranet and web technologies. As a result, the developed educational environment is called distance-less, allowing students to have instant support from teachers by way of an existing virtual permanent connection. An example is provided of a teaching/learning model which was built based on the development principles and guidelines proposed in the paper and which shows one possible application for use with an existing learning and teaching system.     

Developing an environment for embedded software energy estimation

The paper presents the results of a novel method for the instruction-level energy consumption measurement and the corresponding modeling approach for embedded microprocessors. According to the proposed method the base and inter-instruction energy costs of the ARM7TDMI embedded processor as well as the energy cost due to different values in the instruction parameters are modeled. These models can be used in the estimation of the energy consumed by the processor to execute real software programs. A software tool has been developed to automate energy estimation.     

From knowledge based software engineering to knowware based software engineering

The first part of this paper reviews our efforts on knowledge-based software engineering, namely PROMIS, started from 1990s. The key point of PROMIS is to generate applications automatically based on domain knowledge as well as software knowledge. That is featured by separating the development of domain knowledge from the development of software. But in PROMIS, we did not find an appropriate representation for the domain knowledge. Fortunately, in our recent work, we found such a carrier for knowledge modules, i.e. knowware. Knowware is a commercialized form of domain knowledge. This paper briefly introduces the basic definitions of knowware, knowledge middleware and knowware engineering. Three life circle models of knowware engineering and the design of corresponding knowware implementations are given. Finally we discuss application system automatic generation and domain knowledge modeling on the J2EE platform, which combines the techniques of PROMIS, knowware and J2EE, and the development and deployment framework, i.e. PROMIS/KW＊＊.     

Management-aided software engineering

Two veteran software managers examine some of today's management best practices for signs of what might become generally accepted practice in the near future. They present these practices from a small sample of healthy organizations. In addition, they envision how software management might mature over the next few decades to produce a new generation of best practices     

Search-based software engineering

This paper claims that a new field of software engineering research and practice is emerging: search-based software engineering. The paper argues that software engineering is ideal for the application of metaheuristic search techniques, such as genetic algorithms, simulated annealing and tabu search. Such search-based techniques could provide solutions to the difficult problems of balancing competing (and some times inconsistent) constraints and may suggest ways of finding acceptable solutions in situations where perfect solutions are either theoretically impossible or practically infeasible.In order to develop the field of search-based software engineering, a reformulation of classic software engineering problems as search problems is required. The paper briefly sets out key ingredients for successful reformulation and evaluation criteria for search-based software engineering.     

Analyzing an automotive testing process with evidence-based software engineering

ContextEvidence-based software engineering (EBSE) provides a process for solving practical problems based on a rigorous research approach. The primary focus so far was on mapping and aggregating evidence through systematic reviews.ObjectivesWe extend existing work on evidence-based software engineering by using the EBSE process in an industrial case to help an organization to improve its automotive testing process. With this we contribute in (1) providing experiences on using evidence based processes to analyze a real world automotive test process and (2) provide evidence of challenges and related solutions for automotive software testing processes.MethodsIn this study we perform an in-depth investigation of an automotive test process using an extended EBSE process including case study research (gain an understanding of practical questions to define a research scope), systematic literature review (identify solutions through systematic literature), and value stream mapping (map out an improved automotive test process based on the current situation and improvement suggestions identified). These are followed by reflections on the EBSE process used.ResultsIn the first step of the EBSE process we identified 10 challenge areas with a total of 26 individual challenges. For 15 out of those 26 challenges our domain specific systematic literature review identified solutions. Based on the input from the challenges and the solutions, we created a value stream map of the current and future process.ConclusionsOverall, we found that the evidence-based process as presented in this study helps in technology transfer of research results to industry, but at the same time some challenges lie ahead (e.g. scoping systematic reviews to focus more on concrete industry problems, and understanding strategies of conducting EBSE with respect to effort and quality of the evidence).     

A graphics interface to an engineering economy program

A general purpose engineering economy problem solving package has been created. This software allows the user to type in equations involving compound interest factors and unknown variables and will calculate the results or solve for the unknowns. The program is also able to compare alternative sets of cash flows using PEX, AEX, and ROR methodology. The program also includes interactive graphics features. This paper describes those features.

For graphical output the program includes the capability to graph up to six equations with respect to one independent variable. This allows for the display of PEX vs. I graphs and breakeven graphs. The program will also draw cash flow diagrams and network diagrams.

Cash flow data can be input graphically, using a mouse, by selecting a cash flow pattern (single amount, uniform series, or gradient series) and pointing to the position on the cash flow time line where the pattern should be placed. The program can calculate the net equivalent worth of the cash flows at any point in time given an interest rate, or find an interest rate at which the equivalent net cash flow is zero.

This software is written in FORTRAN and can be linked to available graphics libraries on various computers. The author currently has versions for the VAX minicomputer, and IBM PC compatibles.     

Unifying software engineering and systems engineering

The author describes CMMI (Capability Maturity Model Integration) and the emerging project methods which demonstrate the opportunities for process improvement gains open to organizations. The organization that changes from separated software and system engineering processes to a more unified approach will find itself far more suited to developing dynamically changing, software-intensive systems. Culture change is never easy, but the alternative is even less palatable     

Developing an information systems infrastructure with open source software

Up to now, most open source software deployments have been in invisible infrastructure applications running on back-office servers (GNU/Linux, Apache, and so on). Beaumont Hospital in Ireland recently started developing its overall information systems infrastructure by deploying more visible desktop and front-office open source applications in addition to GNU/Linux and Apache. In a two-phase open source implementation, Beaumont will save over /spl euro/ 20 million over five years.     

Developing secure software

Building secure software requires a well-selected combination of security testing techniques during the whole software development lifecycle.