A design-based model for the reduction of software development time
Ken W. Collier · 1993
Many organizations have relatively mature, effective software-development processes in place and have employed talented software engineers and managers to implement these processes. In such organizations, it is appropriate to question whether each software-development effort is performed at peak efficiency and effectiveness. One of the primary goals of any organization is to release high quality software in as little time as possible. Therefore, an increase in software-development efficiency may be manifest as a reduction in development time. However, simply reducing development time is not good enough. It is important that these reduction efforts maintain high levels of both process and product quality. This research effort addresses the issue of process efficiency. Particular attention is paid to improving development time during the design phase of software development. Although much has been written about improving software quality and programmer productivity, current literature is almost void of research directly aimed at reducing the software development time. Ideas will be borrowed from industrial engineering and manufacturing technology, since professionals in these fields have long been concerned with product development times. One of the objectives of this work is the identification of the elements of software development that impact the time to release. A second is to assess the role that the software design plays in determining the development time. The primary goal, however, is to develop a model for improving software development time during the design phase of development.