An Exploratory Study of Forces and Frictions affecting Large-Scale Model-Driven Development

In this paper, we investigate model-driven engineering, reporting on an exploratory case-study conducted at a large automotive company. The study consisted of interviews with 20 engineers and managers working in different roles. We found that, in the context of a large organization, contextual forces dominate the cognitive issues of using model-driven technology. The four forces we identified that are likely independent of the particular abstractions chosen as the basis of software development are the need for diffing in software product lines, the needs for problem-specific languages and types, the need for live modeling in exploratory activities, and the need for point-to-point traceability between artifacts. We also identified triggers of accidental complexity, which we refer to as points of friction introduced by languages and tools. Examples of the friction points identified are insufficient support for model diffing, point-to-point traceability, and model changes at runtime.Comment: To appear in proceedings of MODELS 2012, LNCS Springe

Using Dynamic Modeling and Simulation to Improve the COTS Software Process

In the last several years, software industry has undergone a significant transition to the use of existing component products in building systems. Nowadays, more and more solutions are built by integrating Commercial-Off-The-Shelf (COTS) products rather than building from scratch. This new approach for software development has specific features that add new factors that need to be taken into account to successfully face software development. In this paper, we present the first results of developing a dynamic simulation model to model and simulate the COTS-based software development process with the aim of helping to understand the specific features of this kind of software development, and design and evaluate software process improvements. An example of how to use these dynamic simulation models to study how the system integration starting point affects the main project variables is shown.CICYT TIC2001-1143-C03-0

Outsiders: an exploratory history of IS in corporations

This paper is an exploratory study that provides a brief history of information systems (IS) in corporations that are not part of the Information Technology sector, such as retailers, banks, government agencies and so on. It looks at the development of the IS function and the changing roles of IS practitioners in such organisations over the past 60 years, and assesses how they perceived themselves and were perceived by their peers, by business colleagues and by others. It uses the testimony of successful IS practitioners to provide a grounded perspective on the history of the IS worker over this time. The research identifies a trajectory of a gradual diminishment in the role and status of the IS worker in the corporation over the lifetime of the discipline. It observes that the IS worker has experienced changed fortunes: from a position of influence at the outset, leading to a peak of status and reward in the years up to the millennium; and to the present day where the occupation has a much lower profile. It ascribes this to the increasing commoditisation of IS, manifested by phenomena such as end-user computing, outsourcing and cloud computing. The paper is of relevance to academics who are interested in IS in the corporate organisation; to business professionals, who are sometimes bewildered by their IS colleagues; and to those who work in IS. The research is presented as an interpretative study and is intended to help future researchers frame questions and design research projects. It also aims to inform and witness, and provide a perspective on a currently neglected part of the business world

A framework for understanding the factors influencing pair programming success

Pair programming is one of the more controversial aspects of several Agile system development methods, in particular eXtreme Programming (XP). Various studies have assessed factors that either drive the success or suggest advantages (and disadvantages) of pair programming. In this exploratory study the literature on pair programming is examined and factors distilled. These factors are then compared and contrasted with those discovered in our recent Delphi study of pair programming. Gallis et al. (2003) have proposed an initial framework aimed at providing a comprehensive identification of the major factors impacting team programming situations including pair programming. However, this study demonstrates that the framework should be extended to include an additional category of factors that relate to organizational matters. These factors will be further refined, and used to develop and empirically evaluate a conceptual model of pair programming (success)

Policy Brief: UNSCR 1325: The Challenges of Framing Women’s Rights as a Security Matter

While UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 has certainly increased awareness among international actors about women’s and gender issues in armed conflict, opened new spaces for dialogue and partnerships from global to local levels, and even created opportunities for new resources for women’s rights, successes remain limited and notably inconsistent. To understand some of these shortcomings and think creatively about how to move the women, peace and security agenda forward, it is essential to understand the conceptual assumptions underscoring UNSCR 1325

The Pervasiveness of Global Data in Evolving Software Systems

Abstract. In this research, we investigate the role of common coupling in evolving software systems. It can be argued that most software de-velopers understand that the use of global data has many harmful side-effects, and thus should be avoided. We are therefore interested in the answer to the following question: if global data does exist within a soft-ware project, how does global data usage evolve over a software project’s lifetime? Perhaps the constant refactoring and perfective maintenance eliminates global data usage, or conversely, perhaps the constant addi-tion of features and rapid development introduce an increasing reliance on global data? We are also interested in identifying if global data usage patterns are useful as a software metric that is indicative of an interesting or significant event in the software’s lifetime. The focus of this research is twofold: first to develop an effective and automatic technique for studying global data usage over the lifetime of large software systems and secondly, to leverage this technique in a case-study of global data usage for several large and evolving software systems in an effort to reach answers to these questions.

Superhard Phases of Simple Substances and Binary Compounds of the B-C-N-O System: from Diamond to the Latest Results (a Review)

The basic known and hypothetic one- and two-element phases of the B-C-N-O system (both superhard phases having diamond and boron structures and precursors to synthesize them) are described. The attention has been given to the structure, basic mechanical properties, and methods to identify and characterize the materials. For some phases that have been recently described in the literature the synthesis conditions at high pressures and temperatures are indicated.Comment: Review on superhard B-C-N-O phase

Implementing Reliability: The Interaction of Requirements, Tactics and Architecture Patterns

An important way that the reliability of a software system is enhanced is through the implementation of specific run-time measures called runtime tactics. Because reliability is a system-wide property, tactic implementations affect the software structure and behavior at the system, or architectural level. For a given architecture, different tactics may be a better or worse fit for the architecture, depending on the requirements and how the architecture patterns used must change to accommodate the tactic: different tactics may be a better or worse fit for the architecture. We found three important factors that influence the implementation of reliability tactics. One is the nature of the tactic, which indicates whether the tactic influences all components of the architecture or just a subset of them. The second is the interaction between architecture patterns and tactics: specific tactics and patterns are inherently compatible or incompatible. The third is the reliability requirements which influence which tactics to use and where they should be implemented. Together, these factors affect how, where, and the difficulty of implementing reliability tactics. This information can be used by architects and developers to help make decisions about which patterns and tactics to use, and can also assist these users in learning what modifications and additions to the patterns are needed.</p

Prediction of Mechanical Properties of Polymers With Various Force Fields

The effect of force field type on the predicted elastic properties of a polyimide is examined using a multiscale modeling technique. Molecular Dynamics simulations are used to predict the atomic structure and elastic properties of the polymer by subjecting a representative volume element of the material to bulk and shear finite deformations. The elastic properties of the polyimide are determined using three force fields: AMBER, OPLS-AA, and MM3. The predicted values of Young s modulus and shear modulus of the polyimide are compared with experimental values. The results indicate that the mechanical properties of the polyimide predicted with the OPLS-AA force field most closely matched those from experiment. The results also indicate that while the complexity of the force field does not have a significant effect on the accuracy of predicted properties, small differences in the force constants and the functional form of individual terms in the force fields determine the accuracy of the force field in predicting the elastic properties of the polyimide