An integrated solution for creating dependable software
W. Eric Wong · 2002
Software testing and maintenance are the two most expensive phases of the software life cycle. Why, in general, are customers not satisfied with the quality of software? Studies have shown that approximately 20% of a software system is responsible for 80% of the faults and over the lifetime of an average software system as much as 70% of the cost is estimated to be dedicated to testing and maintenance. Clearly an appropriate methodology ought to be employed to address these high-leverage concerns. With the increased emphasis on software quality and the pressure to deliver software faster and cheaper such a methodology should encompass software design, architecture, development, testing, and maintenance as a whole and provide an integrated solution that leads to the creation of more dependable software. In addition, it is also crucial to have a set of effective tools with user-friendly interfaces available to software practitioners to apply this methodology in real-life contexts. We explain how to take advantage of sophisticated analysis of the dynamic behavior of the software being developed to help programmers, as well as testers, accomplish their assignments more effectively and efficiently.