Analysis of the influence to productivity of software corrective maintenance using an economic model

© 2014 IEEE. This paper presents an economic model for productivity of software corrective maintenance. The productivity is modeled using economic value of the maintenance process as the output, and the pre-committed fixed cost and variable cost as input. The relationship of the economic value and these cost components are modeled using analytical theory of investment. The values of corrective maintenance process are analyzed. A simulation approach is demonstrated to analyze the influences to the productivity in corrective maintenance. This approach provides a tool to identify and analyze the optimal parameters in productivity using the economic model and simulation

Analytical model of information system development productivity in adaptive and perfective maintenance phases

Copyright © 2018 Inderscience Enterprises Ltd. This paper presents an analytical model for information system (IS) maintenance productivity in adaptive and perfective phases. The modelling approach is from economic view point. The productivity model considers the economic value of the maintenance phase, pre-committed fixed cost and variable cost consumed in adaptive/perfective maintenance. Influence factors to the productivity are analysed using simulation. The simulation provides a tool for IS project managers to tune the project parameters to obtain the optimal productivity in adaptive/perfective maintenance phases

Software Service Innovation: An Action Research into Release Cycle Management

Fierce competition in the market is driving software vendors to rely on Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) strategies and to continuously match new software versions with customers’ needs and competitors’ moves. Although release management as a recurrent activity related to SaaS arguably shapes how a vendor services its customers, the literature is surprisingly limited on how software releases are managed to support SaaS strategies. Against this backdrop, we present a collaborative action-research study with Software Inc., a large multi-national software provider, focused on improving the release cycle management process for a complex security software service. The study is part of a comprehensive intervention into Software Inc. that combines a perspective rooted in software process improvement and engineering practices with one rooted in service delivery and customer interactions. The part that is reported in this dissertation draws on the service-dominant logic framework to analyze how the release cycle management process was organized to improve Software Inc.’s ongoing value co-creation with its customers. As a result, the study contributed to improving release cycle management at Software Inc. and it expands industry knowledge about the challenges and opportunities for software vendors to manage releases and improve the value delivered to and co-created with their customers. This added knowledge is of interest to both practitioners and researchers as SaaS strategies increasingly shape the industry with important implications for how software is released

Improving Recurrent Software Development: A Contextualist Inquiry Into Release Cycle Management

Software development is increasingly conducted in a recurrent fashion, where the same product or service is continuously being developed for the marketplace. Still, we lack detailed studies about this particular context of software development. Against this backdrop, this dissertation presents an action research study into Software Inc., a large multi-national software provider. The research addressed the challenges the company faced in managing releases and organizing software process improvement (SPI) to help recurrently develop and deliver a specific product, Secure-on-Request, to its customers and the wider marketplace. The initial problem situation was characterized by recent acquisition of additional software, complexity of service delivery, new engineering and product management teams, and low software development process maturity. Asking how release management can be organized and improved in the context of recurrent development of software, we draw on Pettigrew’s contextualist inquiry to focus on the ongoing interaction between the contents, context and process to organize and improve release cycle practices and outcomes. As a result, the dissertation offers two contributions. Practically, it contributes to the resolution of the problem situation at Software Inc. Theoretically, it introduces a new software engineering discipline, release cycle management (RCM), focused on recurrent delivery of software, including SPI as an integral part, and grounded in the specific experiences at Software Inc

Uso do Kanban em um processo de gestão de demandas de manutenção de software por terceiros para um órgão público federal brasileiro

Monografia (graduação)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade UnB Gama, 2015.A publicação do manifesto ágil, em 2001, possibilitou o surgimento de novas metodologias de gerenciamento e desenvolvimento menos engessadas e mais dinâmicas, a exemplo temos os frameworks Kanban e Scrum. Ambos frameworks têm como princípio a entrega constante de produto e a participação constante do cliente no processo. Carente dessa mudança, a indústria de desenvolvimento de software não demorou para avaliar as novas propostas, inclusive órgãos públicos federais. O Kanban e o Scrum podem e devem ser adaptados às necessidades específicas de uma organização. O processo de gestão de manutenção de software se difere do processo de desenvolvimento e, entre suas particularidades, destaca-se o fato desse necessitar de maior flexibilidade para agregar as frequentes mudanças, tanto no escopo da requisição, quanto na sequência de implementação. O framework Kanban vem sendo empregado para auxiliar o processo de gestão, possibilitando otimizar o fluxo de trabalho e permitindo determinar iterações, sem o limite de tempo, o que possibilita alterações nas demandas de acordo com a aceitação da instituição. O Principal objetivo deste trabalho foi apoiar a definição de um processo de gestão de demandas de manutenção de software por terceiros para um órgão do governo federal brasileiro, utilizando o Framework Kanban. A pesquisa empregada foi descritiva. Quanto aos procedimentos, realizou-se pesquisas na literatura de empresas que tenham implementado o Kanban, também se realizou o estudo de duas instituições Públicas (TCU e INEP) que utilizam este framework. Afim de aplicar o Kanban no Ministério X, primeiro foi necessário caracteriza-lo e somente então desenvolver as atividades propostas para implementação. Ao fim, foi possível propor uma modelagem do processo de manutenção, e um quadro kanban adaptado as necessidades do Ministério. A Homologação destes e a conclusão da adaptação do framework está atrelada a trabalhos futuros. ___________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTThe agile manifest published in 2001, enabled the surface of new maintenance and development methodologies, less dense and more dynamic. It is possible quote Kanban and Scrum as examples. Both frameworks have as a principle the constant delivery of product and the client’s constant participation in the process. Lacking this change, the software development industry did not take to evaluate the new proposals, including federal government agencies. Kanban and Scrum can and should be adapted to the organization’s specific needs. The software maintenance management process is different from the development process and, among its singularities, highlights the fact that the process needs greater flexibility to aggregate the frequent changes both in the scope of the request, as in the implementation order. Kanban framework has been used to assist the management process, allowing to optimize the workflow and allowing to define iterations, without a time limit, which allows changes in demands according to the acceptance of the institution. The mainly objective is support the definition of a software management process for maintenance demands by third parties in Brazilian federal government, using the Kanban Framework. This research is classified as descriptive. As the procedures, held research in the literature of companies that have implemented the Kanban. Also was conducted a study in two public institutions (TCU and INEP) that use this framework. In order to apply the Kanban in the Ministry X, first was necessary characterizes it and only then carry out the activities proposed for implementation. In the end, was possible to propose a modeling of the maintenance process, and kanban board adapted the Ministry of needs. The approval of these and the completion of the adjustment of the framework is linked to future work

Business applications development based on software product lines approach

Planski pristup ponovnoj upotrebi (engl.reuse) kod razvoja softvera, koji se naziva linijaza proizvodnju softvera (engl.software product lines), uspješno se primjenjuje u poslovnim sektorima kao što su mobilna telefonija, kućna elektronika, auto industrija, brodogradnja, avio industrija, vojna industrija, medicinska oprema, itd.Područje primjene ovog pristupa nije ograničeno samo na navedene industrije, već se odnosi na razvoj softvera općenito, pa tako i na razvoj poslovnih aplikacija. Međutim, primjena linija za proizvodnju softvera u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije uobičajena. Studije slučaja i znanstvena literatura iz ovog područja, uglavnom opisuju primjenuovog pristupa u navedenim sektorima, dok područje primjene u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije dovoljno istraženo. U ovoj disertaciji definiraju se: (1) funkcionalni zahtjevi referentne arhitekture za poslovne aplikacije prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera, (2) implementiraju se artefakti referentne arhitekture,(3) provjerava korisnost (engl.usefulness) referentne arhitekture, te (4) predlažu i provjeravaju nove metrike za mjerenje utjecaja referentne arhitekture na održavljivost linije za proizvodnju softvera. Istraživanje je provedeno kroz primjenu artefakata predložene referentne arhitekture u jednoj financijskoj instituciji. Znanstveni doprinos odnosi se unaprjeđenje referentne arhitekture poslovnih aplikacija prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera s ciljem njihovog jeftinijeg i bržeg razvoja i održavanja, te povećanja njihove kvalitete.Za mjerenje kvalitete poslovnih aplikacija razvijen je i potvrđen novi model i metrikeza ocjenu održavljivosti linije za proizvodnju softveraza poslovne primjene.A software product lines as a planned approach to reuse in software development, has been successfully applied in business domains such as mobile phones, home electronics, automobile industry, shipbuilding, airline industry, military industry, medical equipment,etc. The use of this approach is not limited to those industries, but it could also be applied to the software development in general, including the development of business applications, which is not usual. Case studies and scientific literature in this area, mainly describe the use of this approach in mentioned domains, while the area of the business applications development has not been addressed enough. This dissertation defines: (1) functional requirements of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach, (2) implementation of the reference architecture artifacts, (3) evaluate the usefulness of the reference architecture, and (4) propose and validate novel metrics to measure the impact of reference architecture on software product lines maintainability.The research wasdone usingthe proposed reference architecture artifacts in a financial institution. The scientific contributionis related to the improvement of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach,with the goalto decrease cost and time of their development and maintenance, and increase the irquality. To measure the qualityof business application swe have developed and validated a new modeland metrics for assessing the maintainability of the software product line for business applications

Business applications development based on software product lines approach

Planski pristup ponovnoj upotrebi (engl.reuse) kod razvoja softvera, koji se naziva linijaza proizvodnju softvera (engl.software product lines), uspješno se primjenjuje u poslovnim sektorima kao što su mobilna telefonija, kućna elektronika, auto industrija, brodogradnja, avio industrija, vojna industrija, medicinska oprema, itd.Područje primjene ovog pristupa nije ograničeno samo na navedene industrije, već se odnosi na razvoj softvera općenito, pa tako i na razvoj poslovnih aplikacija. Međutim, primjena linija za proizvodnju softvera u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije uobičajena. Studije slučaja i znanstvena literatura iz ovog područja, uglavnom opisuju primjenuovog pristupa u navedenim sektorima, dok područje primjene u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije dovoljno istraženo. U ovoj disertaciji definiraju se: (1) funkcionalni zahtjevi referentne arhitekture za poslovne aplikacije prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera, (2) implementiraju se artefakti referentne arhitekture,(3) provjerava korisnost (engl.usefulness) referentne arhitekture, te (4) predlažu i provjeravaju nove metrike za mjerenje utjecaja referentne arhitekture na održavljivost linije za proizvodnju softvera. Istraživanje je provedeno kroz primjenu artefakata predložene referentne arhitekture u jednoj financijskoj instituciji. Znanstveni doprinos odnosi se unaprjeđenje referentne arhitekture poslovnih aplikacija prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera s ciljem njihovog jeftinijeg i bržeg razvoja i održavanja, te povećanja njihove kvalitete.Za mjerenje kvalitete poslovnih aplikacija razvijen je i potvrđen novi model i metrikeza ocjenu održavljivosti linije za proizvodnju softveraza poslovne primjene.A software product lines as a planned approach to reuse in software development, has been successfully applied in business domains such as mobile phones, home electronics, automobile industry, shipbuilding, airline industry, military industry, medical equipment,etc. The use of this approach is not limited to those industries, but it could also be applied to the software development in general, including the development of business applications, which is not usual. Case studies and scientific literature in this area, mainly describe the use of this approach in mentioned domains, while the area of the business applications development has not been addressed enough. This dissertation defines: (1) functional requirements of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach, (2) implementation of the reference architecture artifacts, (3) evaluate the usefulness of the reference architecture, and (4) propose and validate novel metrics to measure the impact of reference architecture on software product lines maintainability.The research wasdone usingthe proposed reference architecture artifacts in a financial institution. The scientific contributionis related to the improvement of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach,with the goalto decrease cost and time of their development and maintenance, and increase the irquality. To measure the qualityof business application swe have developed and validated a new modeland metrics for assessing the maintainability of the software product line for business applications

Business applications development based on software product lines approach

Planski pristup ponovnoj upotrebi (engl.reuse) kod razvoja softvera, koji se naziva linijaza proizvodnju softvera (engl.software product lines), uspješno se primjenjuje u poslovnim sektorima kao što su mobilna telefonija, kućna elektronika, auto industrija, brodogradnja, avio industrija, vojna industrija, medicinska oprema, itd.Područje primjene ovog pristupa nije ograničeno samo na navedene industrije, već se odnosi na razvoj softvera općenito, pa tako i na razvoj poslovnih aplikacija. Međutim, primjena linija za proizvodnju softvera u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije uobičajena. Studije slučaja i znanstvena literatura iz ovog područja, uglavnom opisuju primjenuovog pristupa u navedenim sektorima, dok područje primjene u razvoju poslovnih aplikacija nije dovoljno istraženo. U ovoj disertaciji definiraju se: (1) funkcionalni zahtjevi referentne arhitekture za poslovne aplikacije prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera, (2) implementiraju se artefakti referentne arhitekture,(3) provjerava korisnost (engl.usefulness) referentne arhitekture, te (4) predlažu i provjeravaju nove metrike za mjerenje utjecaja referentne arhitekture na održavljivost linije za proizvodnju softvera. Istraživanje je provedeno kroz primjenu artefakata predložene referentne arhitekture u jednoj financijskoj instituciji. Znanstveni doprinos odnosi se unaprjeđenje referentne arhitekture poslovnih aplikacija prema pristupu linija za proizvodnju softvera s ciljem njihovog jeftinijeg i bržeg razvoja i održavanja, te povećanja njihove kvalitete.Za mjerenje kvalitete poslovnih aplikacija razvijen je i potvrđen novi model i metrikeza ocjenu održavljivosti linije za proizvodnju softveraza poslovne primjene.A software product lines as a planned approach to reuse in software development, has been successfully applied in business domains such as mobile phones, home electronics, automobile industry, shipbuilding, airline industry, military industry, medical equipment,etc. The use of this approach is not limited to those industries, but it could also be applied to the software development in general, including the development of business applications, which is not usual. Case studies and scientific literature in this area, mainly describe the use of this approach in mentioned domains, while the area of the business applications development has not been addressed enough. This dissertation defines: (1) functional requirements of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach, (2) implementation of the reference architecture artifacts, (3) evaluate the usefulness of the reference architecture, and (4) propose and validate novel metrics to measure the impact of reference architecture on software product lines maintainability.The research wasdone usingthe proposed reference architecture artifacts in a financial institution. The scientific contributionis related to the improvement of reference architecture for business applications based on software product lines approach,with the goalto decrease cost and time of their development and maintenance, and increase the irquality. To measure the qualityof business application swe have developed and validated a new modeland metrics for assessing the maintainability of the software product line for business applications