Simulations for very early lifecycle quality evaluations
Eliza Chiang, Tim Menzies · Software Process Improvement and Practice · 2002
Abstract Chunget al.have proposed a graphical model that captures the interdependencies between design alternatives in terms of synergy and trade‐offs. This model can assist in identifying quality/risk trade‐offs early in the lifecycle of software development, such as architectural design and testing process choices. The Chunget al.method is an analysis framework only: their technique does not include an execution or analysis module. This paper presents a simulation tool developed to analyze such a model, and techniques to facilitate decision making by reducing the space of options worth considering. Our techniques combine Monte Carlo simulations to generate options with a machine learner to determine which option yields the most/least favorable outcome. Experiments based on the above methodology were performed on two case studies, and the results showed that treatment learning successfully pinpointed the key attributes among uncertainties in our test domains. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.