Flexible and Low-Cost Measurements for Space Software Development - The Measurements Exploration Framework

Abstract

Verification and validation is an important part of software development and accounts for significant amounts of the costs associated with such a project. For developers of life or mission critical systems, such as software being developed for space applications, a balance must be reached between ensuring the quality of the system by extensive and rigorous testing and reducing costs and allowing the com- pany to compete. Ensuring the quality of any system starts with a quality development process. To evaluate both the software development process and the product itself, measurements are needed. A balance must be then struck between ensuring the best possible quality of both process and product on the one hand, and reducing the cost of performing requirements on the other. A number of measurements have already been defined and are being used. For some of these, data collection can be automated as well, further lowering costs associated with implementing them. In practice, however, there may be situations where existing measurements are unsuitable for a variety of reasons. This paper describes a framework for creating low cost, flexible measurements in areas where initial information is scarce. The framework, called The Measurements Exploration Framework, is aimed in particular at the Space Software development industry and was developed is such an environment