Software Process Research and Software Design Studios

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Software Process Research andSoftware Design
Studios

• Dr. Scott Henninger
• Computer Science and Engineering
• University of Nebraska-Lincoln
• (Visiting Professor, Univ. Maryland)

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Overview

• Software process research
• the BORE system and methodology
• from process to a repository of best practices
• Software Design Studios
• The JD Edwards Honors program
• education through real-world experiences

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BORE

• Building a Organizational Repository of
  Experiences (BORE)
• using process to organize and manage knowledge
• delivering best practices
• capturing the context for using different
  techniques
• support process diversity through rule-based
  tailoring
• Process adaptation
• deviation process when current rules/tasks dont
  apply
• create new activity, encode rationale in rules
• allow subsequent projects to use tailored
  processes
• i.e. follow the precedent
• allow the SDM to grow organically

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BORE Methodology
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Key Features

• Case-based repository
• hierarchical representation of project activities
• each project creates an instance of the process
• instantiation of activities are cases
• Definition of process domains
• set of domain activities
• rules for applying activities
• Document management
• documents associated with activities
• Web-based delivery
• http//cse-ferg41.unl.edu/bore.html

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BORE Project Interface
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Tailoring Rules

• Iterative disclosure of detail
• any project activity can have process decisions

• decisions define increasingly detailed project
  tasks

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Next Steps

• Evaluation
• apply to some pilot projects
• evaluate feasibility
• refine the models
• We need some volunteers!
• Research
• CMM compatibility
• metrics-based process with Boehm and Basili
• applying case-based planners
• i.e. software process as a planning activity
• workflow research

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JD Edwards Honors Program

• Combine business and computer science curriculums
• undergraduate and graduate program
• an interesting lesson in culture!
• C.S. a domain-specific computer science
  curriculum
• Business a techno-MBA (or undergrad equivalent)
• Challenge from the donor (Ed McVaney)
• MIS students lack the technical skills
• Computer Science students lack critical business
  knowledge

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The Fundamentals Have Changed

• Programmer algorithm programming language
  system
• ...is no longer valid
• Working with clients on requirements
• engineers fantasy Requirements just fall out
  of a tree, right?
• What makes an effective solution?
• Software engineering
• working with large software systems
• software process cannot fully be taught through
  textbooks

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Fundamentals (cont)

• Working in teams
• always cited, but educators dont give enough
  attention
• Enhancing existing systems
• must learn to understand the work of others
• no matter how poorly documented

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Software Design Studios

• Major component of the program
• 2-year continuous course
• students in involved in long-term projects
• Analogy with architecture
• key component of their curriculum
• similar concerns with software development
• building materials, structural soundness
  (programming)
• aesthetics, use of the building (HCI, software
  design)
• Design Studio instruction
• critique existing designs
• instructor as a mentor
• the answers are not in the back of the book

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Studio Projects

• A software company inside the University
• provide low-cost consulting services
• student salaries are paid through JDE fellowships
• custom software development
• IT consulting
• incubator for entrepreneurial efforts
• Use real projects
• company provides end-to-end solutions
• including maintenance contracts

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Industry Involvement

• Solicit projects from local industry
• negotiate contract, milestones, etc.
• 9-month projects to begin with
• company liaison is most critical element
• Fee for Studio services
• rationale need industry commitment!!!
• revenue stream to maintain staff, operating costs

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Projects

• We need projects!!!!
• will be named JDEHP Design Studio Director
• scotth_at_cse.unl.edu
• 2001-2002 AY projects solicited in Summer

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BORE Domains

• Domains in BORE
• define activities for projects
• define when a given activity applies
• Domain Cases
• case-based paradigm
• principles contain general rules or knowledge
• cases specialize the principles
• domain cases play the role of principles
• projects belong to a domain
• domain defines all cases for that domain

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Domain Rules

• Tailoring to specific project needs
• capture context in rules
• under these conditions, assign this task
• can be as high-level as an SDM, or very detailed
• really capturing project decisions, requirements
• Rule-based engine
• preconditions question/answer pairs
• actions assign tasks, other actions

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• Capturing detailed information
• case-based architecture
• software process defined by activities
• activities are assigned to projects
• projects document, adapt the activities to their
  needs
• i.e. provide context-specific information
• project cases cross-referenced with the
  activities
• easy reference to project experiences