A Critical Look at the Process of Tool Development: An Industrial Perspective

Abstract

Tools, while having a large potential benefit, are expensive and risky to develop. In this paper, some factors are identified that are necessary properties of successful tools. Tools must be supported, easy to use, easy to learn, reliable, modifiable, and culturally compatible with the development environment. An evolutionary model of development is presented which places strong emphasis on interactive design and design iteration. The need for early consideration of success criteria is discussed along with some points for management consideration.