The development and technology transfer of software engineering technology at NASA. Johnson Space Center

The United State's big space projects of the next decades, such as Space Station and the Human Exploration Initiative, will need the development of many millions of lines of mission critical software. NASA-Johnson (JSC) is identifying and developing some of the Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) technology that NASA will need to build these future software systems. The goal is to improve the quality and the productivity of large software development projects. New trends are outlined in CASE technology and how the Software Technology Branch (STB) at JSC is endeavoring to provide some of these CASE solutions for NASA is described. Key software technology components include knowledge-based systems, software reusability, user interface technology, reengineering environments, management systems for the software development process, software cost models, repository technology, and open, integrated CASE environment frameworks. The paper presents the status and long-term expectations for CASE products. The STB's Reengineering Application Project (REAP), Advanced Software Development Workstation (ASDW) project, and software development cost model (COSTMODL) project are then discussed. Some of the general difficulties of technology transfer are introduced, and a process developed by STB for CASE technology insertion is described

A Review and Analysis of Process at the Nexus of Instructional and Software Design

This dissertation includes a literature review and a single case analysis at the nexus of instructional design and technology and software development. The purpose of this study is to explore the depth and breadth of educational software design and development processes, and educational software reuse, with the intent of uncovering barriers to software development, software re-use and software replication in educational contexts. First, a thorough review of the academic literature was conducted on a representative sampling of educational technology studies. An examination of a 15-year time period within four representative journals identified 72 studies that addressed educational software to some extent. An additional sampling of the initial results identified 50 of those studies that discussed software the development process. These were further analyzed for evidence of software re-use and replication. Review results found a lack of reusable and/or replication-focused reports of instructional software development in educational technology journals, but found some reporting of educational technology reuse and replication from articles outside of educational technology. Based on the analysis, possible reasons for this occurrence are discussed. The author then proposes how a model for conducting and presenting instructional software design and development research based on the constructs of design-based research and cultural-historical activity theory might help mitigate this gap. Finally, the author presents a qualitative analysis of the software development process within a large, design-based educational technology project using cultural-historical activity theory (CHAT) as a lens. Using CHAT, the author seeks to uncover contradictions between the working worlds of instructional design and technology and software development with the intent of demonstrating how to mitigate tensions between these systems, and ultimately to increase the likelihood of reusable/replicable educational technologies. Findings reveal myriad tensions and social contradictions centered around the translation of instructional goals and requirements into software design and development tasks. Based on these results, the researcher proposes an educational software development framework called the iterative and integrative instructional software design framework that may help alleviate these tensions and thus make educational software design and development more productive, transparent, and replicable

Intelligent fault management for the Space Station active thermal control system

The Thermal Advanced Automation Project (TAAP) approach and architecture is described for automating the Space Station Freedom (SSF) Active Thermal Control System (ATCS). The baseline functionally and advanced automation techniques for Fault Detection, Isolation, and Recovery (FDIR) will be compared and contrasted. Advanced automation techniques such as rule-based systems and model-based reasoning should be utilized to efficiently control, monitor, and diagnose this extremely complex physical system. TAAP is developing advanced FDIR software for use on the SSF thermal control system. The goal of TAAP is to join Knowledge-Based System (KBS) technology, using a combination of rules and model-based reasoning, with conventional monitoring and control software in order to maximize autonomy of the ATCS. TAAP's predecessor was NASA's Thermal Expert System (TEXSYS) project which was the first large real-time expert system to use both extensive rules and model-based reasoning to control and perform FDIR on a large, complex physical system. TEXSYS showed that a method is needed for safely and inexpensively testing all possible faults of the ATCS, particularly those potentially damaging to the hardware, in order to develop a fully capable FDIR system. TAAP therefore includes the development of a high-fidelity simulation of the thermal control system. The simulation provides realistic, dynamic ATCS behavior and fault insertion capability for software testing without hardware related risks or expense. In addition, thermal engineers will gain greater confidence in the KBS FDIR software than was possible prior to this kind of simulation testing. The TAAP KBS will initially be a ground-based extension of the baseline ATCS monitoring and control software and could be migrated on-board as additional computation resources are made available

MANAGING USER RESISTANCE TO OPEN SOURCE MIGRATION

A large amount of resources and effort have been devoted to the development of open source software like Linux. The development of Linux as the most well-known open source software with graphical user interface and useful functionalities is expected to result in the high level of Linux adoption by individual users based on the technology adoption model. However, Linux has about one percent of the operating systems market for personal computers. User resistance to switch remains one of the major obstacles in any successful open source migration. Based on the integration of equity implementation model and technology adoption model, this study examines how users form their resistance and the effect of user resistance on the adoption of Linux by individual users for their personal computers. The findings show that the adoption intention is negatively influenced by user resistance to switch. This study discusses the role and effect of user resistance to switch based on the equity implementation model in comparison with the two main determinants of technology adoption. This study contributes toward advancing theoretical understanding of OSS migration and user resistance. The findings also offer OSS community and practitioners suggestion for promoting the use of OSS by individual users

Automating the management of software projects in a developing it economy

Software project management is the control of the transformation of users’ requirements and resources into a successful software result (product). This work automates the management of software projects in an emerging IT economy like Nigeria. It also explores the simulation of management practices such as configuration management and risk management. The COCOMO II model was employed for the estimation process, while the Risk Model from The American Systems Corporation (ASC) was used for risk management. Experimental data was obtained from AcadSoft Solutions, Calabar, Unical Computer Centre, and OmegaBiz.ng Software Solutions & Consultancy, Calabar. The resultant network-based software tool was developed on object-oriented technology using Java. The study established that good management practices may still be applied by the Nigerian software industry that lacks expertise in software management. Multi-site development approach facilitates large projects by using simple network-based application that aids collaboration among team members. Future research could extend to system and real-time software projects, to give a holistic picture of software project management in developing countries

Automating the management of software projects in a developing IT economy

Software project management is the control of the transformation of users’ requirements and resources into a successful software result (product). This work automates the management of software projects in an emerging IT economy like Nigeria. It also explores the simulation of management practices such as configuration management and risk management. The COCOMO II model was employed for the estimation process, while the Risk Model from The American Systems Corporation (ASC) was used for risk management. Experimental data was obtained from AcadSoft Solutions, Calabar, Unical Computer Centre, and OmegaBiz.ng Software Solutions & Consultancy, Calabar. The resultant network-based software tool was developed on object-oriented technology using Java. The study established that good management practices may still be applied by the Nigerian software industry that lacks expertise in software management. Multi-site development approach facilitates large projects by using simple network-based application that aids collaboration among team members. Future research could extend to system and real-time software projects, to give a holistic picture of software project management in developing countries