Integration issues elucidated in large-scale information systems development

This article explores some basic issues in system integration by examining the integration process with information systems. The article begins with a discussion of the domain of interest. Terms are defined, the software process is reviewed, and two system categories are established. It is shown that software is materially different from hardware. Moreover, these differences present opportunities for reducing the integration effort. Several methods that take advantage of software's special characteristics are identified, and a case study of one environment provides some empirical evidence that reveal the benefits that may follow. The article concludes with some observations regarding the transfer of the lessons learned with information systems to other application domains-both hardware and software.This work was supported in part by the U.S. Navy, Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) under contract N00039-89-C-001, task VMAR9 with the Office of Naval Research (ONR).     

A model-driven and task-oriented method for the development of collaborative systems

Groupware systems are usually difficult to design when following traditional methodologies and approaches for single user systems. In this regard, model-driven approaches have been gaining attention in recent years. In accordance with this paradigm, we developed the SpacEclipse method in a previous work, which is a method for developing collaborative modeling groupware based on the plug-ins in the Eclipse Modeling Project. However, this method presents some deficiencies that we have tried to overcome in this work. In order to achieve this goal, we have chosen the CIAM methodology, which allows the modeling of collaboration, users, tasks, sessions and interactive issues and which is also supported by Eclipse-based tools. In this paper, we explain how the integration of CIAM elements in the SpacEclipse method has been carried out and resulted in a new method with its own methodological, conceptual and technological frameworks. To prove the validity of the method, we have applied it to a re-engineering process in the development of an existing tool.     

Intelligent process monitoring by interfacing knowledge-based systems and multivariate statistical monitoring

An intelligent process monitoring and fault diagnosis environment has been developed by interfacing multivariate statistical process monitoring (MSPM) techniques and knowledge-based systems (KBS) for monitoring multivariable process operation. The real-time KBS developed in G2 is used with multivariate SPM methods based on canonical variate state space (CVSS) process models. Fault detection is based on T ² charts of state variables. Contribution plots in G2 are used for determining the process variables that have contributed to the out-of-control signal indicated by large T ² values, and G2 Diagnostic Assistant (GDA) is used to diagnose the source causes of abnormal process behavior. The MSPM modules developed in Matlab are linked with G2. This intelligent monitoring and diagnosis system can be used to monitor multivariable processes with autocorrelated, crosscorrelated, and collinear data. The structure of the integrated system is described and its performance is illustrated by simulation studies.     

工作流过程模型研究

工作流过程模型是工作流管理系统的基础,对工作流过程模型的研究对于提高我国企业的信息化程度、运行效率以及竞争能力都有重要的意义。文中介绍了工作流过程模型的现状,主要包括WfMC定义的工作流元模型、工作流过程模型的实质、工作流过程模型的建模工具。同时分析了目前工作流过程模型中存在的问题以及未来工作流过程模型的发展方向。     

A meta-model for formulating knowledge-based models of software development

In this paper, we introduce a knowledge-based meta-model which serves as a unified resource model for integrating characteristics of major types of objects appearing in software development models (SDMs). The URM consists of resource classes and a web of relations that link different types of resources found in different kinds of models of software development. The URM includes specialized models for software models for software systems, documents, agents, tools, and development processes. The URM has served as the basis for integrating and interoperating a number of process-centered CASE environments. The major benefit of the URM is twofold: First, it forms a higher level of abstraction supporting SDM formulation that subsumes many typical models of software development objects. Hence, it enables a higher level of reusability for existing support mechanisms of these models. Second, it provides a basis to support complex reasoning mechanisms that address issues across different types of software objects. To explore these features, we describe the URM both formally and with a detailed example, followed by a characterization of the process of SDM composition, and then by a characterization of the life cycle of activities involved in an overall model formulation process.     

Polyphonic Aspects of Software Process Looking for Philosophical Foundation of Software Engineering

This retrospective essay summarizes 50 years experience of a first-generation programmer in Japan focusing on his thoughts on software process issues. It started from strong concern of the structure of program execution processes inside computer hardware, then went out of digital box to think about software development and maintenance processes, namely how to deal with issues between people and software. Finally his main concern turned to the social issues of software evolution processes in the Internet society. The concept of "immaterial labor" seems to be important to think about today''s process issues outside of digital boxes.     

Exception handling in the development of dependable component‐based systems

Exception handling is a structuring technique that facilitates the design of software systems by encapsulating the process of error recovery. In this paper, we present a systematic approach for incorporating exceptional behaviour in the development of component‐based software. The premise of our approach is that components alone do not provide the appropriate means to deal with exceptional behaviour in an effective manner, hence the need to consider the notion of collaborations for capturing the interactive behaviour between components when error recovery involves more than one component. The feasibility of the approach is demonstrated in terms of the mining control system case study. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Short cycle time systems development

Abstract. An analysis of two studies in the US and Denmark reveals that short cycle time systems development is a new form that can be clearly distinguished among other forms. The distinction consists of a package of five systems development practices. These practices include a focus on completion speed, release‐oriented parallel prototyping, adherence to a fixed architecture, negotiable quality, and an ideal workforce. The package is consistent with amethodical development concepts. Systems are not built in a single project that completes with a delivery, but rather are continually ‘growing’ to adapt to an organizational emergence.     

Software development tool for target systems and EPROM programmers within a Unix environment

A computer running under a Unix operating system is an excellent host on which to develop software for target systems which have the same type of microprocessor as the host computer. Unfortunately, facilities for preparing executable modules able to be sent to an EPROM programmer or to be loaded onto a RAM portion of target memory space are lacking in standard Unix. These facilities can be improved in any version of Unix without the need for expensive software using the set of commands presented in this paper.     

化工模拟软件的应用与开发

化工过程模拟与实验研究的结合是最有效和最廉价的化工过程研究方法。可以大大节约实验成本,加快新产品和新工艺的开发过程。文中综述了化工模拟软件的发展过程,应用领域与开发。对当前流行的国际国内商业化化工过程模拟软件AspenPlus、ChemCAD、PRO/Ⅱ、HYSYS、DesignⅡ、ESCC等进行了全面的介绍。综述了化工模拟软件的研究开发现状及以后的发展方向。根据化工模拟软件的现状对化工模拟软件的发展趋势进行展望。     

Models,metrics, and management of IS development

Two types of models can assist the information system manager in gaining greater insight into the system development process. They are: isomorphic models that represent cause-effect relationships between certain conditions (e.g., structured techniques) and certain observable states (e.g., productivity change); and paramorphic models that describe an outcome but do not describe the processes or variables that influence the outcome (e.g., estimation of project time or cost). The two models are shown to be interrelated since the relationships of the first model are determinants of the parameters of the second model.IS managers can make significant contributions by developing isomorphic models tailored to their own organizations. However, metrics that measure relevant characteristics of programs and systems are required before substantial progress can be made. Although some initial attempts have been made to develop metris for program quality, program complexity, and programmer skill, much more work remains to be done. In addition, other metries must be developed that will require the involvement of personnel, not only in the computer sciences, but also in information systems, the behavioral sciences, and IS management.     

An instrument for measuring the success of the requirements engineering process in information systems development

There exists a strong motivation for evaluating, understanding, and improving requirements engineering practices given that a successful requirements engineering process is necessary for a successful software system. Measuring requirements engineering success is central to evaluation, understanding, and improving these practices. In this paper, a research study whose objective was to develop an instrument to measure the success of the requirements engineering process is described. The domain of this study is developing customer-specific business information systems. The main result is a subjective instrument for measuring requirements engineering success. The instrument consists of 32 indicators that cover the two most important dimensions of requirements engineering success. These two dimensions were identified during the study to be: quality of requirements engineering products and quality of requirements engineering service. Evidence is presented demonstrating that the instrument has desirable psychometric properties, such as high reliability and good validity.This paper is a longer and more detailed version of the study reported in El Emam and Madhavji (1995).This work was supported in part by the IT Macroscope Project and NSERC Canada.     

软件工程综合实训软件过程初探

软件工程综合实训应采用迭代的软件开发过程。基于实训课程目的的分析,提出一个为期20周、分6次迭代的实训模型。学生以小组为单位开展实践,分别任组长、开发经理、计划经理、测试经理及技术支持经理等角色,每完成两次迭代交换角色一次。实训中开展业务分析、需求、分析设计、实现、测试、部署、团队管理、计划管理、配置管理及环境支撑等领域的约30种活动,考核分迭代的考核和角色考核两种。     

The active components approach for distributed systems development

The development of distributed systems is an intricate task due to inherent characteristics of such systems. In this paper these characteristics are categorised into software engineering, concurrency, distribution and non-functional criteria. Popular classes of distributed systems are classified with respect to these challenges, and it is deduced that modern technological trends lead to the inception of new application classes with increased demands regarding challenges from more than one area. One recent example is the class of ubiquitous computing, which assumes dynamic scenarios in which devices come and go at any time. Furthermore, it is analysed to which extent today's prevailing software development paradigms – object, component, service and agent orientation – are conceptually capable of supporting the challenges. This comparison reveals that each of the paradigms has its own strengths and weaknesses and none addresses all of the challenges. The new active component approach is proposed aiming at a conceptual integration of the existing paradigms in order to tackle all challenges in an intuitive and unified way. The structure, behaviour and composition of active components are explained, and an infrastructure for active components is introduced. To underline the usefulness of the approach real-world applications is presented and an evaluation according to the challenges is given.     

基于正反向工程的模型驱动的软件开发过程研究

主要探讨基于正反向工程的模型驱动的软件开发过程。本文把建模过程分为系统建模与数据库建模两个过程,首先介绍了两款主流的建模工具,然后给出这两款建模工具的建模流程,并且阐述在正反向工程中选择建模工具的依据;其次,以PowerDesigner为例叙述了具体的基于建模工具的开发流程;最后,给出结论。     

Soft systems and systems engineering: on the use of conceptual models in information system development

Abstract. Many recent studies have shown that computer-based systems continue to ‘fail’ at a number of different levels (Romtec, 1988; KPMG, 1990) and it is increasingly apparent (Maclaren et al., 1991) that the most serious failures of information technology (IT) lie in the continuing inability to address those concerns which are central to the successful achievement of individual, organizational and social goals. It is the contention of this paper that this failing is precisely because these are the areas which are ignored or inadequately treated by conventional system development methods. There is, of course, a vast body of literature concerned with the understanding of complex human activity systems. This literature often reflects a mass of contradictions at the epistemological and the ontological level about the behaviour of such systems and has also spawned numerous methods (and methodologies) which seek to guide the individual in making successful interventions into organizational situations (Rosenhead, 1989). Despite this multiplicity of viewpoints many writers have posited a dichotomy between so-called 'soft and ‘hard’ approaches to problem situations and use this dichotomy to inform the choice of an appropriate problem-solving methodology (Checkland, 1985). In this paper we characterize these two approaches as being concerned with either the purpose(s) of the human activity system (i.e. ‘doing the right thing’) or with the design of the efficient means of achieving such purpose(s) (i.e. ‘doing the thing right’). It is our belief that much of the literature and work in either area has not concerned itself with the issues of the other. Writers on ‘hard’ engineering methods often assume the question of purpose to be either straightforward (e.g. given in the project brief) or, paradoxically, too difficult (e.g. it is not our concern as mere systems analysts). Writers on ‘soft’ methods on the other hand rarely have anything to say about the design and implementation of well-engineered computer-based systems, giving the impression that this is a somewhat mundane activity better left to technical experts. This paper, therefore, attempts to set out a rationale for the bringing together of principles from both ‘hard’ engineering and ‘soft’ inquiry methods without doing epistemological damage to either. To illustrate our argument we concentrate on JSD (Jackson system development) as an example of system engineering (Cameron, 1983) and SSM (soft systems methodology) as an example of system inquiry (Checkland, 1981; Checkland & Scholes, 1990). Our general thesis, however, does not depend upon either of these two approaches per se but applies to the overall issue of bringing together insights from two apparently opposed epistemological positions in an effort better to harness the power of IT in pursuit of purposeful human activity.     

信息化工程中软件系统的组建与开发评估

在组建信息化工程中的软件系统时，无论选择业务外包或内包的组建方式，都必须重视软件开发能力及过程评估，以确保软件产品的质量和项目的成功。文中为此探讨和研究了SEI CMM和ISO／IEC TR 15504等国际通用的评估标准以及评估实施方法。     

The lean gap: A review of lean approaches to large-scale software systems development

Lean approaches to product development (LPD) have had a strong influence on many industries and in recent years there have been many proponents for lean in software development as it can support the increasing industry need of scaling agile software development. With it's roots in industrial manufacturing and, later, industrial product development, it would seem natural that LPD would adapt well to large-scale development projects of increasingly software-intensive products, such as in the automotive industry. However, it is not clear what kind of experience and results have been reported on the actual use of lean principles and practices in software development for such large-scale industrial contexts. This was the motivation for this study as the context was an ongoing industry process improvement project at Volvo Car Corporation and Volvo Truck Corporation.     

A temporal perspective of the computer game development process

Abstract.  This paper offers an insight into the games software development process from a time perspective by drawing on an in-depth study in a games development organization. The wider market for computer games now exceeds the annual global revenues of cinema. We have, however, only a limited scholarly understanding of how games studios produce games. Games projects require particular attention because their context is unique. Drawing on a case study, the paper offers a theoretical conceptualization of the development process of creative software, such as games software. We found that the process, as constituted by the interactions of developers, oscillates between two modes of practice: routinized and improvised, which sediment and flux the working rhythms in the context. This paper argues that while we may predeterminately lay down the broad stages of creative software development, the activities that constitute each stage, and the transition criteria from one to the next, may be left to the actors in the moment, to the temporality of the situation as it emerges. If all development activities are predefined, as advocated in various process models, this may leave little room for opportunity and the creative fruits that flow from opportunity, such as enhanced features, aesthetics and learning.