Configuration management and product lines to enhance the replication process in software engineering

This research is concerned with the experimental software engineering area, specifically experiment replication. Replication has traditionally been viewed as a complex task in software engineering. This is possibly due to the present immaturity of the experimental paradigm applied to software development. Researchers usually use replication packages to replicate an experiment. However, replication packages are not the solution to all the information management problems that crop up when successive replications of an experiment accumulate. This research borrows ideas from the software configuration management and software product line paradigms to support the replication process. We believe that configuration management can help to manage and administer information from one replication to another: hypotheses, designs, data analysis, etc. The software product line paradigm can help to organize and manage any changes introduced into the experiment by each replication. We expect the union of the two paradigms in replication to improve the planning, design and execution of further replications and their alignment with existing replications. Additionally, this research work will contribute a web support environment for archiving information related to different experiment replications. Additionally, it will provide flexible enough information management support for running replications with different numbers and types of changes. Finally, it will afford massive storage of data from different replications. Experimenters working collaboratively on the same experiment must all have access to the different experiments

Definition of a support infrastructure for replicating and aggregating families of software engineering experiments

Experimental software engineering includes several processes, the most representative being run experiments, run replications and synthesize the results of multiple replications. Of these processes, only the first is relatively well established in software engineering. Problems of information management and communication among researchers are one of the obstacles to progress in the replication and synthesis processes. Software engineering experimentation has expanded considerably over the last few years. This has brought with it the invention of experimental process support proposals. However, few of these proposals provide integral support, including replication and synthesis processes. Most of the proposals focus on experiment execution. This paper proposes an infrastructure providing integral support for the experimental research process, specializing in the replication and synthesis of a family of experiments. The research has been divided into stages or phases, whose transition milestones are marked by the attainment of their goals. Each goal exactly matches an artifact or product. Within each stage, we will adopt cycles of successive approximations (generateand- test cycles), where each approximation includes a diferent viewpoint or input. Each cycle will end with the product approval

A model and sensitivity analysis of the quality economics of defect-detection techniques

One of the main cost factors in software development is the detection and removal of defects. However, the relationships and influencing factors of the costs and revenues of defect-detection techniques are still not well understood. This paper proposes an analytical, stochastic model of the economics of defect detection and removal to improve this understanding. The model is able to incorporate dynamic as well as static techniques in contrast to most other models of that kind. We especially analyse the model with state-ofthe-art sensitivity analysis methods to (1) identify the most relevant factors for model simplification and (2) prioritise the factors to guide further research and measurements

Shaping Code

To allow society to intervene and proactively shape code (i.e., the software and hardware of information technologies), we analyze a number of mechanisms and schemes concerning how society can shape the development of code. These recommendations include regulatory and fiscal actions by the government, as well as actions that public interest organizations can take to shape code. These recommendations also include a number of specific policy prescriptions, such as prohibitions on code, using standards or market-based incentives, modifying liability, requiring disclosure, governmental funding for the development of code, government\u27s use of its procurement power to favor open source code, export prohibitions on encryption code, developing an insurance regime for cybersecurity, and fashioning technology transfer policy for code. For each measure, we identify and discuss regulatory and technological issues that affect its effectiveness. The result is a more informed approach in weighing the alterative approaches to shaping code. We do not attempt to determine the comparative efficiency of different approaches to shaping code, because, in part, that analysis is a factually laden inquiry depending on the specific characteristics and issues related to the particular type of code in question. These recommendations will allow policymakers to better anticipate and guide the development of code that contributes to our society and reflects its values and preferences

A process capability profile driven proposal for software process improvement

Orientador: Mario JinoTese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Eletrica e de ComputaçãoResumo: Melhoria de processo de software baseada nos níveis de maturidade fixos da arquitetura estagiada dos modelos SW-CMM e CMMI não atendem à diversidade de contextos e objetivos estratégicos das organizações intensivas em software. Esta pesquisa evoluí a área de melhoria de processo com a utilização da flexibilidade da arquitetura contínua da ISO/IEC 15504 para um melhor alinhamento da melhoria com o contexto e objetivos estratégicos específicos de cada organização, principalmente as micro e pequenas. São identificadas três gerações de arquiteturas de modelos de capacidade de processo (estagiada fixa, contínua fechada e contínua aberta). É proposta uma engenharia de processo, de software e de qualquer outro trabalho humano intensivo em conhecimento, dirigida por perfis de capacidade de processo. É desenvolvida uma abordagem exemplo dessa engenharia com um conjunto de propriedades, um modelo unificado, um ciclo de melhoria e um conjunto de medições, bem como um método para o estabelecimento de perfis de capacidade de processo. As propostas são validadas com análises, aplicações práticas e uma agenda de pesquisaAbstract: Software process improvement based on the staged architecture¿s fixed maturity levels of SWCMM and CMMI models do not support the diversity of software intensive organizations context and strategic objectives. This research evolves the current process improvement area taking advantage of the flexibility of ISO/IEC 15504 continuous architecture towards a better alignment between an improvement with each organization¿s specific context and strategic objectives, especially of micro and small ones. Three generations of architectures for process capability models (fixed staged, closed continuous, open continuous) are identified. A process capability profile driven, software and any other knowledge intensive human work, process engineering is proposed. An exemplar approach for this engineering is developed, with a set of properties, a unified model, an improvement cycle and a measurement set, as well as a method for establishing process capability profile. These proposals are validated by analyses, practical applications and a research agendaDoutoradoEngenharia de ComputaçãoDoutor em Engenharia Elétric