A first step toward the creation of a software maintenance process

Abstract

This paper makes the case for the use of System Dynamics as a software engineering processes modeling tool. The case is made, first, by demonstrating the dependency software engineering has on Systems Engineering concepts and principles, and second, by showing that essential characteristics of software engineering processes are amenable to be modeled using System Dynamics. The paper also develops the background for modeling the software maintenance process by considering underlying factors that determine the dynamics of the process. Some of these factors are then used in the creation of a high-level core model of the software maintenance process. Using the core model, four basic subprocesses that drive the dynamics of the software maintenance process are examined. The subprocesses studied are: corrective maintenance, adaptive maintenance, error detection and error generation. The model is then used to investigate the effect of the number of initial errors in a program on the maintenance process, the effect of system complexity on manpower allocations, and the effect of critical delays on the maintenance subprocesses encompassed by the core model. A final discussion lists remaining tasks necessary for the creation of the complete software maintenance process model.