Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Using Simulation to Visualise and Analyse Product-Process Dependencies in Software Development Projects

  • Conference paper
Product Focused Software Process Improvement (PROFES 2000)

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Computer Science ((LNCS,volume 1840))

Abstract

The core element of the PROFES improvement methodology is the concept of product-process dependency (PPD) models. The purpose of PPD models is to help focus process improvement activities to those development technologies and processes that are most effective with regards to achieving specific customer-defined product quality goals. This paper describes how system dynamics simulation models can be used to check the plausibility of achieving positive effects on software product quality when implementing improvement actions derived from PPD models. Basically, this is done through extending an existing generic software project simulation model with structures that represent expected local cause-effect mechanisms of the PPD models. By running simulations with the extended software project simulation model, the potential effects of the PPD models on product quality can be investigated at low cost before conducting pilot applications in real projects.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 39.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 54.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  1. Abdel-Hamid, T.K., Madnick, S.E.: Software Projects Dynamics - an Integrated Approach. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aranda, R.R., Fiddaman, T., Oliva, R.: Quality Microworlds: modeling the impact of quality initiatives over the software product life cycle. American Programmer, 52–61 (May 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  3. Barlas, Y.: Multiple Tests for Validation of System Dynamics Type of Simulation Models. European Journal of Operational Research 42, 59–87 (1989)

    Article  MATH  Google Scholar 

  4. Basili, V.R., Caldiera, G.: Improve Software Quality by Reusing Knowledge and Experience. Sloan Management Review, 55–64 (Fall 1995)

    Google Scholar 

  5. Birk, A., Järvinen, J., Komi-Sirviö, S., Kuvaja, P., Oivo, M., Pfahl, D.: PROFES- A Product Driven Process Improvement Methodology. In: Proceedings of the European Conference on Software Process Improvement (SPI 1998), Monte Carlo, December 1 - 4 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  6. Birk, A., Järvinen, J., Oivo, M., Pfahl, D.: Product-Driven Process Improvement Using the PROFES Improvement Methodology. In: Ruhe, G., Bomarius, F. (eds.) SEKE 1999. LNCS, vol. 1756. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  7. Birk, A., Järvinen, J., van Solingen, R.: A Validation Approach for Product- Focused Process Improvement. In: Proceedings of First International Conference on Product Focused Software Process Improvement (Profes 1999), VTT Symposium, Espoo, Finland, 1999. VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland, vol. 195, pp. 29–48 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  8. Birk, A., Solingen, R., van Järvinen, J.: Business Impact, Benefit, and Cost of Applying GQM in Industry: An In-Depth, Long-Term Investigation at Schlumberger RPS. In: Proceedings of the Fifth International Symposium on Software Metrics (Metrics 1998), Bethesda, Maryland, November 19 - 21 (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  9. Boehm, B.W.: Software Engineering Economics. Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs (1981)

    MATH  Google Scholar 

  10. Briand, L.C., Differding, C., Rombach, H.D.: Practical Guidelines for Measurement-Based Process Improvement. Software Process Improvement and Practice 2(4), 253–280 (1996)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Cartwright, M., Shepperd, M.: On building dynamic models of maintenance behaviour. In: Kusters, R., Cowderoy, A., Heemstra, F., van Veenendaal, E. (eds.) Project Control for Software Quality. Shaker Publishing, Ithaca (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  12. Christie, A.M.: Simulation: An Enabling Technology in Software Engineering. CROSSTALK - The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, 2–7 (April 1999)

    Google Scholar 

  13. Cooper, K.G., Mullen, T.: Swords and Ploughshares: the Rework Cycles of Defence and Commercial Software Development Projects. American Programmer 6(5), 41–51 (1993)

    Google Scholar 

  14. Fagan, M.: Design and Code Inspections to Reduce Errors in Program Development. IBM Systems Journal 15(3), 182–211 (1976)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Forrester, J.W.: Industrial Dynamics. Productivity Press (1961)

    Google Scholar 

  16. Forrester, J.W.: Principles of Systems. Productivity Press (1971)

    Google Scholar 

  17. Humphrey, W.S.: Managing the Software Process. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Reading (1990)

    Google Scholar 

  18. ISO/IEC 9126 Standard. Information technology - Software product evaluation - Quality characteristics and guidelines for their use. International Organisation for Standardisation (Ed.), Case Postale 56, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland, first edition December 15 (1991)

    Google Scholar 

  19. ISO/IEC TR 15504 Standard. Information technology - Software process assessment - Part 1-9. Technical Report type 2, International Organisation for Standardisation (Ed.), Case Postale 56, CH-1211 Geneva, Switzerland (1998)

    Google Scholar 

  20. Kellner, M.I., Madachy, R.J., Raffo, D.M.: Software process simulation modeling: Why? What? How? Journal of Systems and Software 46(2/3), 91–105 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Kuvaja, P., Similä, J., Krzanik, L., Bicego, A., Saukkonen, S., Koch, G.: Software Process Assessment & Improvement - The BOOTSTRAP Approach. Blackwell Publishers, Malden (1994)

    Google Scholar 

  22. Lebsanft, K., Pfahl, D.: Knowledge Acquisition for Building System Dynamics Simulation Models: An Experience Report from Software Industry. In: Ruhe, G., Bomarius, F. (eds.) SEKE 1999. LNCS, vol. 1756, pp. 378–387. Springer, Heidelberg (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  23. Lehman, M.M., Ramil, J.F.: The impact of feedback in the global software process. Journal of Systems and Software 46(2/3), 123–134 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Lin, C.Y., Abdel-Hamid, T., Sherif, J.S.: Software-Engineering Process Simulation Model (SEPS). Journal of Systems and Software 38, 263–277 (1997)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Madachy, R.J.: System Dynamics Modeling of an Inspection-Based Process. In: Proceedings of the 18th International Conference on Software Engineering (ICSE 1996), Berlin, Germany. IEEE Computer Society Press, Los Alamitos (1996)

    Google Scholar 

  26. Oivo, M., Birk, A., Komi-Sirviö, S., Kuvaja, P., van Solingen, R.: Establishing Product Process Dependencies in SPI. In: Proceedings of European Software Engineering Process Group Conference (European SEPG 1999), Amsterdam, The Netherlands, June 7-10 (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  27. Paulk, M.C., Curtis, B., Chrissis, M.B., Weber, C.V.: Capability Maturity Model, Version 1.1. IEEE Software, 18–27 (July 1993)

    Google Scholar 

  28. Pfahl, D., Lebsanft, K.: Using Simulation to Analyse the Impact of Software Requirement Volatility on Project Performance. In: To appear in the Proceedings of the European Software Control and Metrics Conference (ESCOM), Munich, April 17- 20 (2000)

    Google Scholar 

  29. Powell, A., Mander, K., Brown, D.: Strategies for lifecycle concurrency and iteration: A system dynamics approach. Journal of Systems and Software 46(2/3), 151–162 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  30. PROFES PPD Repository at URL http://www.iese.fhg.de/projects/profes/PPDRepository

  31. PROFES User Manual, can be downloaded from URL http://www.profes.org

  32. PROFES web site at URL http://www.profes.org

  33. Raffo, D.M., Harrison, W., Kellner, M.I., Madachy, R.J., Martin, R., Scacci, W., Wernick, P.: Special Issue on: Software Process Simulation Modeling. Journal of Systems and Software 46(2/3) (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  34. Richardson, G.P., Pugh, A.L.: Introduction to System Dynamics Modeling with DYNAMO. Productivity Press, Cambridge (1981)

    Google Scholar 

  35. Rus, I., Collofello, J., Lakey, P.: Software process simulation for reliability management. Journal of Systems and Software 46(2/3), 173–182 (1999)

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Software Engineering Institute. C4 Software Technology Reference Guide - A Prototype. Handbook CMU/SEI-97-HB-001, Software Engineering Institute (1997)

    Google Scholar 

  37. Solingen, R., van Berghout, E.: The Goal/Question/Metric method: A practical guide for quality improvement of software development. McGraw-Hill Publishers, New York (1999)

    Google Scholar 

  38. Tvedt, J.D., Collofello, J.S.: Evaluating the Effectiveness of Process Improvements on Development Cycle Time via System Dynamics Modeling. In: Proceedings of the Computer Science and Application Conference (COMPSAC), pp. 318–325 (1995)

    Google Scholar 

  39. Waeselynck, H., Pfahl, D.: System Dynamics Applied to the Modelling of Software Projects. Software Concepts and Tools 15(4), 162–176 (1994)

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering, Sauerwiesen 6, D-67661, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Dietmar Pfahl & Andreas Birk

Authors
  1. Dietmar Pfahl
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andreas Birk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Fraunhofer Institute for Experimental Software Engineering (IESE), Fraunhofer Platz 1, 67663, Kaiserslautern, Germany

    Frank Bomarius

  2. Department of Information Processing Science, University of Oulu, P.O. Box 3000, FIN-90014, OULUN YLIOPISTO

    Markku Oivo

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2000 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this paper

Cite this paper

Pfahl, D., Birk, A. (2000). Using Simulation to Visualise and Analyse Product-Process Dependencies in Software Development Projects. In: Bomarius, F., Oivo, M. (eds) Product Focused Software Process Improvement. PROFES 2000. Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol 1840. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45051-1_11

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45051-1_11

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-67688-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45051-1

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation