The influence of global factors on software system evolution
File(s)
Technical report
Author(s)
Lehman, MM
Ramil, JF
Wernick, PD
Type
Report
Abstract
The FEAST/1 project is investigating a hypothesis that the software process is a multi-level feedback system. Using a number of complementary approaches to model, analyse and interpret metric and other data records of the evolution of systems from various application areas, the project has made significant advances in detecting the effect of feedback and related dynamics in their evolution. Results obtained to date, supported by theoretical reasoning, support the view that software process improvement must focus on the global process including its feedback mechanisms. In addition to technical aspects of the process, organisation, management, marketing, user support and other factors must also be considered. This paper discusses the conceptual framework within which this question is raised, presents preliminary evidence to support tentative conclusions and indicates how the issue might be further investigated.
Date Issued
1998-01-01
Citation
Departmental Technical Report: 98/11, 1998, pp.1-10
Publisher
Department of Computing, Imperial College London
Start Page
1
End Page
10
Journal / Book Title
Departmental Technical Report: 98/11
Copyright Statement
© 1998 The Author(s). This report is available open access under a CC-BY-NC-ND (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/)
Publication Status
Published