Abstract—We report on the sensitivity analysis of a state variable model (Model S) proposed earlier. Model S captures the dominant behavior of the system test phase of the software test process. Sensitivity analysis is a mathematical methodology to compute changes in the system behavior due to changes in system parameters or variables. This is particularly important when parameters are calibrated using noisy or small data sets. Nevertheless, by mathematically quantifying the effects of parameter variations on the behavior of the model, and thereby the STP, one can easily and quickly evaluate the effect of such variations on the process performance without having to perform extensive simulations. In all cases studied, Model S behaved according to empirical observations which serves to validate the model. It is also shown that sensitivity analysis can suggest structural improvements in a model when the model does not behave as expected.

A model is proposed to assist software test managers in controlling the behavior and progress of the Software Test Process (STP) by allowing them to compare predicted behavior against observed progress made at various checkpoints. The model, whose parameters are based on measured data and process characteristics, generates the predicted behavior. An algorithm for the parameter estimation is set forth. The error between the predicted and desired behavior is used to drive a parametric control algorithm that tells the manager how to correct for schedule deviations.

Today's software development projects are confronted with a frequently changing environment like rapidly altering business domains and processes, a fast technology evolution and a great variety of evolving methods and development processes.

A novel approach to modeling the software development process is presented. This approach is based on the use of concepts and techniques from the theory of state variables and feedback control. The reasons to use this approach and its advantages are presented. A model for the Software Test Process is developed to show the approach applicability to the software development process. The assumptions and choice of parameters used in the model are discussed.

The evolution of software engineering has been constant over the past thirty years. Some major technological discontinuities, however, can be identified in this progress, which caused a more radical rethinking of the previous established approaches. This, in turn, generated research for new methods, techniques and

Process oriented activities are present in many daily activities in that everything from getting prepared for work in the morning to baking a cake has a series of steps that are completed to accomplish some goal. While these processes are trivial, many that are involved in daily life are far more complicated. For example, the steps needed to complete a loan application are not readily known or understood to many because of the complexity of the process. Banks and agencies must collaborate and use a specific criteria to determine who is approved. As processes become more complex and people are added to the equation, the exact workings of the process become difficult to understand. At some point, the complexity of the process requires formalization to eliminate confusion. To formalize a process, the important...

This paper describes the usage of descriptive process modeling in the association with simulation for analyzing the dynamic effects of processes. At first a method to build a comprehensive descriptive model is presented, which can build the foundation for the simulation model. Based upon the understanding of the static process, parts of the dynamic model can be modeled can be created.

Software engineering focuses on producing high quality software products in a given time and money budget. Empirical studies and research results have shown that applying a well defined organization-wide standardized software development process has profound influence on the magic triangle of time, costs, and quality. Following an explicit development process helps to increase quality of software products and to make the software production process more predictable and economic (Cugola 1998). However, industrial software vendors compete in a highly dynamic market: Customer requirements have an inevitable tendency to change, perpetually new technologies have to be adopted, and ongoing interaction between developers and customers/clients may imply not only changes of requirements but also demand for a change of the current software development strategy. For example CRC workshops may reveal that a customer has no clear idea of a system’s required functionality. Therefore a change of strategy towards evolutionary prototyping might be advantageous. In fact there are numerous process models providing different development strategies that are suitable in different situations. The Objectory Process (Jackobson 1992), the Unified

A common assumption for many process-centred support environments is that they provide the same process support at different levels of the organization. We believe that the required process support from one level to another of an organization varies. In this paper we propose a framework that divides process support into three levels: Individual, group and team level. Further, we characterize each level and describe the required process support and type of process modelling language for each level. We also look at what interfaces are needed between the levels. Finally we use the framework to characterize an eXtreme Programming (XP) development process. Our framework focuses only on the project level of software development and does not consider management processes above this level.

This chapter presents a framework for differentiated process support in large software projects. Process support can be differentiated in different levels based on the size of the development organization and the need for coordination across different levels of the organization. We have defined four main perspectives; individual, group, team, and project level, where the framework consider essential issues when planning and executing the software development processes in organizations with different levels of management. Further, a guideline is provided that suggests what is required of process support in the various organizational levels.