Name
Abstract | ||
|---|---|---|
Many important phenomena within software engineering are difficult to define and measure. One example is software maintainability, which has been the subject of considerable research and is believed to be a critical determinant of total software costs. We propose using concept mapping, a well-grounded method used in social research, to operationalize the concept of software maintainability according to a given goal and perspective in a concrete setting. We apply this method to describe four systems that were developed as part of an industrial multiple-case study. The outcome is a conceptual map that displays an arrangement of maintainability constructs, their interrelations, and corresponding measures. Our experience is that concept mapping (1) provides a structured way of combining static code analysis and expert judgment; (2) helps in the tailoring of the choice of measures to a particular system context; and (3) supports the mapping between software measures and aspects of software maintainability. As such, it constitutes a useful addition to existing frameworks for evaluating quality, such as ISO/IEC 9126 and GQM, and tools for static measurement of software code. Overall, concept mapping provides a systematic, structured, and repeatable method for developing constructs and measures, not only of maintainability, but also of software engineering phenomena in general. |
Year | DOI | Venue |
|---|---|---|
2009 | 10.1109/ESEM.2009.5314234 | ESEM |
Keywords | Field | DocType |
program diagnostics,software maintenance,software metrics,concept mapping,expert judgment,software costs,software engineering,software maintainability,software measures,static code analysis | Systems engineering,Software engineering,Computer science,Software system,Software metric,Software construction,Software development,Software sizing,Maintainability,Software measurement,Social software engineering | Conference |
Citations | PageRank | References |
1 | 0.36 | 29 |
Authors | ||
6 | ||
Name | Order | Citations | PageRank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aiko Fallas Yamashita | 1 | 80 | 4.29 |
| Hans Christian Benestad | 2 | 121 | 8.60 |
| Bente Anda | 3 | 669 | 37.60 |
| Per Einar Arnstad | 4 | 1 | 0.36 |
| Dag I. K. Sjøberg | 5 | 904 | 95.31 |
| Leon Moonen | 6 | 1432 | 72.21 |