A framework for developing measurement systems and its industrial evaluation

As in every engineering discipline, metrics play an important role in software development, with the difference that almost all software projects need the customization of metrics used. In other engineering disciplines, the notion of a measurement system (i.e. a tool used to collect, calculate, and report quantitative data) is well known and defined, whereas it is not as widely used in software engineering. In this paper we present a framework for developing custom measurement systems and its industrial evaluation in a software development unit within Ericsson. The results include the framework for designing measurement systems and its evaluation in real life projects at the company. The results show that with the help of ISO/IEC standards, measurement systems can be effectively used in software industry and that the presented framework improves the way of working with metrics. This paper contributes with the presentation of how automation of metrics collection and processing can be successfully introduced into a large organization and shows the benefits of it: increased efficiency of metrics collection, increased adoption of metrics in the organization, independence from individuals and standardized nomenclature for metrics in the organization.     

Web服务互操作性测试系统的研究

Web服务互操作性是面向服务的软件系统测试内容的一个重要方面.本文分析了Web服务及其互操作性问题,介绍了协议互操作性测试的基本方法及协议互操作性测试系统的基本框架,在此基础上提出了一个Web服务互操作性测试系统的结构框架,并对该测试系统进行了形式化定义,最后指出了需要进一步研究的方向.     

Quality of data standards: framework and illustration using XBRL taxonomy and instances

The primary purpose of data standards is to improve the interoperability of data in an increasingly networked environment. Given the high cost of developing data standards, it is desirable to assess their quality. We develop a set of metrics and a framework for assessing data standard quality. The metrics include completeness, relevancy, and a combined measure. Standard quality can also be indirectly measured by assessing interoperability of data instances. We evaluate the framework on a data standard for financial reporting in United States, the Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) Taxonomy encoded in eXtensible Business Reporting Language (XBRL), and the financial statements created using the standard by public companies. The results show that the data standard quality framework is useful and effective. Our analysis also reveals quality issues of the US GAAP XBRL taxonomy and provides useful feedback to taxonomy users. The Securities and Exchange Commission has mandated that all publicly listed companies must submit their filings using XBRL. Our findings are timely and have practical implications that will ultimately help improve the quality of financial data and the efficiency of the data supply chain in a networked business environment.     

Standards harmonization: theory and practice

As software engineering (and other) standards are developed over a period of years or decades, the suite of standards thus developed often begins to lose any cohesion that it originally possessed. This has led to discussions in the standards communities of possible collaborative development, interoperability and harmonization of their existing standards. Here, I assess how such harmonization efforts may be aided by recent research results to create better quality standards to replace the status quo.     

软件结构化文档编制工具的研究与实现

软件文档的编制是软件工程中的重要环节。本文描述了一个为软件工程实践教学平台所设计的文档工具SEEP-Doc，它采用了可扩展置标语言XML和Microsoft Word字处理工具，保证了文档开发的正确性和完备性，并做到了式样与内容的分离。Schema架构既保证了软件文档遵循相应的文档规范，又确保了可移植性和可扩充性，使用户可以动态加载或重新定义文档的结构而无须改动文档系统。VBA格式转换工具使XML文档可以按一致的：方式得以显现和打印。     

Where next in software standards?

A large number of software standards have been developed concerned with software products and processes, terminology and more general fraework standards. While the need for software standards is not disputed, it is felt that many standards fail to take into account the essential differences, and occasionally the similarities, between software products and processes and other engineering products and processes. Ideally, standards should be useful, testable and represent a consensus view. It appears that some software standards fall significantly short of these objectives. Further progress in developing useful software standards requires a better understanding of the potential benefits which standards have, and do not have, to offer the software industry. The relevant issues are discussed and the next steps which should be taken in developing software standards suggested.Robin Hunter is a Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at the University of Strathclyde. His research interests include software quality and metrics, and he has particular interests in the rigorous definition of source code metrics and in software standards. He is currently working on the ESPRIT project SCOPE on software product certification and serves on several BSI working groups. He is also interested on software process assessment and he is a member of the Expert Group working on the ImproveIT initiative. He has published a number of text books and papers on software quality and compiler construction.     

Metrics in the software engineering curriculum

As a recognized discipline, software engineering traces its roots back to the 1968 NATO conference where the term was first used extensively to highlight the need for an engineering approach to the development of software. In the 30 years since that first “software engineering” conference, significant attempts have been made to improve the overall effectiveness of the software development process, and thus reduce the frequency and severity of software project failures. A major part of this improvement effort has been the attempt to develop quantitative measures which can be used to more accurately describe and better understand and manage the software development life cycle. Thus, many software metrics and models have been introduced during this period. In this article, we briefly trace the history of the development of software metrics and models, and then summarize the current state of the field. For discussion purposes, this entire development period is then arbitrarily divided into an Introductory Period (1971–1985), Growth Period (1985–1997) and the Current Period (1997–?). The development of metrics during each of these periods is then related to the treatment of software metrics and models in software engineering curricula during that same period. Our conclusion is that software engineering curricula have indeed reflected the state of software engineering as the work in software metrics and models has progressed. Furthermore, software engineering curricula of the future should reflect the relatively mature state that software metrics have attained, by covering the basic concepts of metrics in appropriate core courses, and more advanced metrics topics in a specialized, elective metrics course.

     

构件软件的回归测试复杂性度量

基于构件的软件构建方法目前被广泛使用在软件开发中,用于减少软件开发的工程成本和加快软件开发进度.在软件维护过程中,由于构件更新或者新版本的发布,基于构件的系统会受到影响,需要进行回归测试.对于指定的软件修改需求,维护者可以实施不同的修改手段.不同的修改手段会导致不同的回归测试复杂性,这种复杂性是软件维护成本和有效性的重要因素.目前的研究没有强调构件软件的回归测试复杂性问题.基于修改影响复杂性模型和度量,提出一种回归测试的复杂性度量框架.该度量框架包括两个部分:基于图的模型和形式化度量计算.该度量可以有效表示构件软件分别在构件和系统层面的回归测试复杂性因素,可视化地体现复杂性变化.然后根据模型,提出具体的度量计算方式.最后,通过实验研究,针对同一个构件软件的相同修改需求,利用若干个实验组进行独立修改实施,然后比较回归测试的复杂性.实验结果表明,所提出的度量方式是可行和有效的.     

静态软件缺陷预测方法研究

静态软件缺陷预测是软件工程数据挖掘领域中的一个研究热点.通过分析软件代码或开发过程,设计出与软件缺陷相关的度量元;随后,通过挖掘软件历史仓库来创建缺陷预测数据集,旨在构建出缺陷预测模型,以预测出被测项目内的潜在缺陷程序模块,最终达到优化测试资源分配和提高软件产品质量的目的.对近些年来国内外学者在该研究领域取得的成果进行了系统的总结.首先,给出了研究框架并识别出了影响缺陷预测性能的3个重要影响因素:度量元的设定、缺陷预测模型的构建方法和缺陷预测数据集的相关问题;接着,依次总结了这3个影响因素的已有研究成果;随后,总结了一类特殊的软件缺陷预测问题(即,基于代码修改的缺陷预测)的已有研究工作;最后,对未来研究可能面临的挑战进行了展望.     

A Model-Based Approach to Object-Oriented Software Metrics

The need to improve software productivity and software quality has put forward the research on software metrics technology and the development of software metrics tool to support related activities.To support object-oriented software metrics practice efectively,a model-absed approach to object-oriented software metrics is proposed in this paper.This approach guides the metrics users to adopt the quality metrics model to measure the object-oriented software products .The development of the model can be achieved by using a top-down approach.This approach explicitly proposes the conception of absolute normalization computation and relative normalization computation for a metrics model.Moreover,a generic software metrics tool-Jade Bird Object-Oriented Metrics Tool(JBOOMT)is designed to implement this approach.The parser-based approach adopted by the tool makes the information of the source program accurate and complete for measurement.It supports various customizable hierarchical metrics models and provides a flexible user interface for users to manipulate the models.It also supports absolute and relative normalization mechanisms in different situations.     

Testing scientific software: A systematic literature review

ContextScientific software plays an important role in critical decision making, for example making weather predictions based on climate models, and computation of evidence for research publications. Recently, scientists have had to retract publications due to errors caused by software faults. Systematic testing can identify such faults in code.ObjectiveThis study aims to identify specific challenges, proposed solutions, and unsolved problems faced when testing scientific software.MethodWe conducted a systematic literature survey to identify and analyze relevant literature. We identified 62 studies that provided relevant information about testing scientific software.ResultsWe found that challenges faced when testing scientific software fall into two main categories: (1) testing challenges that occur due to characteristics of scientific software such as oracle problems and (2) testing challenges that occur due to cultural differences between scientists and the software engineering community such as viewing the code and the model that it implements as inseparable entities. In addition, we identified methods to potentially overcome these challenges and their limitations. Finally we describe unsolved challenges and how software engineering researchers and practitioners can help to overcome them.ConclusionsScientific software presents special challenges for testing. Specifically, cultural differences between scientist developers and software engineers, along with the characteristics of the scientific software make testing more difficult. Existing techniques such as code clone detection can help to improve the testing process. Software engineers should consider special challenges posed by scientific software such as oracle problems when developing testing techniques.     

Dimensional metrology interoperability and standardization in manufacturing systems

Dimensional metrology is an important part of any manufacturing system. It consists of distinct components and requires a large, diverse, and interconnected knowledge base. How to pass information seamlessly with minimal cost and minimal data loss between different components of a dimensional metrology system is a major issue that concerns software and hardware vendors, standards developers, and customers. This paper focuses on the four main elements of a dimensional metrology system: product definition, measurement process plan definition, measurement process execution, and analysis and reporting of quality data. The activities and software modules that are involved in these elements are discussed. Key issues that cause interoperability problems are identified. These issues are discussed as they relate to the current situation in dimensional metrology standards development. The STEP (ISO 10303) standards are the product of an international effort to achieve interoperability for manufacturing systems. Extending STEP is an appropriate way to solve the interoperability problem within dimensional metrology systems. Further development of STEP standards is proposed so that Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) information already available in STEP can be linked with manufacturing feature information, measurement technology, and measurement results. The proposed STEP data model is an attempt to provide a standard that will support automatic measurement process plan generation for in-process on-machine measurement. Some case studies are under way to test the model.     

Interoperability of manufacturing applications using the Core Manufacturing Simulation Data (CMSD) standard information model

The goal of this paper is to propose an approach to enhance interoperability between manufacturing applications using the Core Manufacturing Simulation Data Information Model (CMSDIM) in order to streamline design and manufacturing activities throughout the product life cycle. To this end, a system framework required to facilitate such interoperability is first presented. The proposed approach, architecture, and developed translators are then illustrated and demonstrated using two separate case studies. The first case study facilitates design for manufacturing and assembly improvements for the development of new products, allowing for part of a discrete event simulation model of a downstream manufacturing and assembly process to be automatically generated from corresponding product assembly information contained in the lean design engineering software. Conceptual design and development of this case study, which extracts outputs from Design Profit™ lean design software and generates a corresponding discrete event simulation model in ProModel™ for a Nikon® L-100 Camera, is then discussed. The second case study demonstrates interoperability of three applications (order and inventory system, Gantt chart scheduler, and discrete event simulation) for a generic job shop operation. Using the considered case studies, this paper also details and demonstrates the benefits of interoperability enhancement using the CMSDIM, which is an important consideration in any product life cycle. Finally, we discuss how future research opportunities integrating additional manufacturing applications can be used to address intellectual challenges present in our current approach.     

Postmodern software development

Art encompasses aesthetic metrics such as beauty, intellectual progression, and quality of workmanship. Engineering includes reliability and economy of construction. We expect our software systems to satisfy a large range of "-ilities," including an aesthetic of understandability; ease of construction, maintenance, and evolvability; an economy of execution; reliability; security from attack; interoperability; and so forth. Psychology's dual role in software systems plays out in both software creation and use. The history of software development includes elements of art, science, engineering, and fashion (though very little manufacturing). In software, the early emphasis on functional development yielded to structured programming, and, over the past 20 years, the rise of computer science's modernism: object-oriented technology.     

A COS study of OSI interoperability

The goal of OSI is the interoperation of computer systems from multiple vendors. The possibility of interoperation is further enhanced through the use of standardized profiles and conformance testing of implementations. While conformance testing is the primary vehicle it employs, in pursuing its primary goal of accelerating the introduction of interoperable OSI and ISDN products, the Corporation for Open Systems has examined how interoperability testing may supplement conformance testing. In the course of COS' interoperability study, formal definitions of interoperability were made, important metrics were identified, and various interoperability test methods were examined. COS believes that there may be a role for explicit interoperability testing to improve the “quality of the breed” and will endeavour to facilitate testing through its I-Lab project and other cooperative testing efforts.     

并行构件技术研究综述

并行构件技术作为并行软件工程的主要内容之一,对提高并行计算软件的生产率具有重要意义,也是并行软件工程的重要研究内容。并行构件技术研究现状包含并行构件模型、并行构件体系结构规范、并行构件框架3个方面。并行构件、接口、框架的定义和实现是区分不同并行构件体系结构规范的主要标准。如何在实现并行构件复用性的同时提高并行构件组成的应用系统性能,是这些技术发展的共同思想。单构件多数据、多构件多数据编程模型、多语言互操作技术、并行远程方法调用、MxN问题的解决方法、不同模型构件间的互操作都是并行构件领域的研究成果。并行构件技术的发展方向是开展对多语言互操作、性能预测、自适应构件、构件模型的互操作、多核硬件上的并行构件体系结构技术的研究。     

Software quality's eight greatest myths

The software quality community has become too satisfied with the “state of the practice”. We face the same problems today that we did a decade ago, but now the urgency for solutions is greater. Our present dilemma can be best explained by walking through the past decade's major software quality trends and their associated myths. By myths, I refer to the claims used to support the numerous software quality “silver bullets” that flourished and faded in the past decade. Although I could add lesser items to my list, I consider the following eight as the main culprits (because these fads are hard to compare fairly and quantitatively, they appear in no particular order): (1) software process improvement and maturity; (2) formal methods; (3) programming languages and object-oriented design; (4) software metrics and measurement; (5) software standards; (6) software testing; (7) computer-aided software engineering; and (8) total quality management     

构件软件测试技术研究进展

软构件技术提供了一种较面向对象方法更为有效的软件设计模式,构件软件被广泛应用并成为一种主流软件形态．然而,构件的内部信息屏蔽、演变速度快以及构件间的异质、松耦合等特点给构件软件系统的测试带来极大的挑战,寻求高效的构件软件测试技术和开发实用的测试工具是当今软件业界一个亟待解决的课题．分析和归纳近年来一些典型的构件、构件软件测试方法和技术并对当前较为有效的测试框架和工具进行总结;最后,对其今后若干研究方向进行了展望．     

基于TTCN-3的宽带载波通信一致性测试系统设计

电力线载波通信技术正在从窄带向宽带发展,宽带载波通信已成为近年来电力线载波通信研发和应用的热点,为保证不同厂商研发的宽带电力线载波通信设备符合协议规范要求并能够互联互通,对其进行一致性测试十分必要。基于TTCN-3测试框架和Titan开发平台设计了宽带载波通信协议一致性测试系统,提出了一致性测试系统软件和硬件设计方案,阐述了测试系统各部分的实现机制及关键技术。在深入研究宽带载波通信协议的基础上,针对物理层、链路层和应用层分别设计了不同的测试用例,构建测试环境并进行一致性测试,可对被测系统协议实现的正确性进行判决。对推进宽带电力线通信的标准化和互联互通具有积极意义。     

Engineering process standards: state of the art and challenges

In the last 20 years, software engineering standards have evolved from documenting processes in the military complex to supporting the total software life cycle. Standards that define software engineering processes are still progressing in terms of the breadth and depth of their coverage and the maturity of the standards themselves. In this regard, they are moving closer to standards in older engineering professions. The shift from many major producers to just a few has changed the industry. As we've moved to a global economy, vendors have put more faith in international standards as a means of selling their products. Reducing the number of major producers has made the remaining more powerful. In this article, we examine the state of the art of software engineering process standards and discuss challenges that the profession must address. Our focus is on all existing software process standards.