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TIM: a tool insertion method

Published: 31 October 1994 Publication History

Abstract

Software tools play an important role in the software development process. Some tools are used by users taking on one specific role, in very specific activities and to process documents of a specific type (e.g., a compiler). Other tools are used by users in multiple roles, during many activities and for processing documents of multiple types (e.g., a configuration management system). Inserting a tool of the latter type into a process may have a significant impact on the development process. In order to control the insertion of such tools it is desirable to use a tool insertion method. Today, no such method exists. We propose such a method called "Tool Insertion Method (TIM)". The key elements of TIM are a method for customizing the tool to fit the organization's development process and a comprehensive measurements program that is used to quantify the goal of inserting a tool, tracking the progress of tool insertion and analyzing cost and benefit of the tool insertion. We also briefly describe how TIM was used to improve the process in an industrial software project. The projects's requirements planning process was re-engineered, and a commercially available tool was customized to support the improved process. This process spans multiple activities, operates on artifacts of several types and is carried out by multiple developers taking on different roles. The paper offers a formal model of TIM along with sample data gathered and experience gained during its application.

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Cited By

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  • (1996)Software project management and measurement on the World-Wide-Web (WWW)Proceedings of the 5th International Workshops on Enabling Technologies: Infrastructure for Collaborative Enterprises (WET ICE'96)10.5555/832310.837296Online publication date: 19-Jun-1996
  • (1995)Analyzing CASE impactProceedings of the 1995 conference of the Centre for Advanced Studies on Collaborative research10.5555/781915.781925Online publication date: 7-Nov-1995

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cover image DL Hosted proceedings
CASCON '94: Proceedings of the 1994 conference of the Centre for Advanced Studies on Collaborative research
October 1994
781 pages

Sponsors

  • Industry Canada
  • Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council
  • IBM Canada: IBM Canada
  • NRC: National Research Council - Canada

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IBM Press

Publication History

Published: 31 October 1994

Author Tags

  1. CASE adoption
  2. TIM
  3. cost control
  4. process engineering
  5. process improvement
  6. process management tools
  7. process measurements
  8. process metrics
  9. process modeling
  10. requirements planning process
  11. risk reduction
  12. tool insertion

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Overall Acceptance Rate 24 of 90 submissions, 27%

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Cited By

View all
  • (1996)Software project management and measurement on the World-Wide-Web (WWW)Proceedings of the 5th International Workshops on Enabling Technologies: Infrastructure for Collaborative Enterprises (WET ICE'96)10.5555/832310.837296Online publication date: 19-Jun-1996
  • (1995)Analyzing CASE impactProceedings of the 1995 conference of the Centre for Advanced Studies on Collaborative research10.5555/781915.781925Online publication date: 7-Nov-1995

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