Clarindo Isaías P. S. Pádua

Synergia: a software engineering laboratory to bridge the gap between university and industry

This paper describes a case of cooperation between university and industry in which a software and systems engineering laboratory housed in a public university acts as a technology solution provider to several public agencies in Brazil. This is an interesting cooperation model for the Brazilian scenario, where the best universities are almost fully dependent on federal government funding - which is usually scarce - and the software community in general still lacks the desired capability maturity.Although this laboratory, named Synergia, is internally organized as a traditional software development company, it also retains important academic characteristics. Such model provides both unique cooperation opportunities and significant management challenges, as will be discussed throughout the text.

Requirements for information systems model-based testing

In order to develop systems with a high level of quality and low costs it is necessary to have adequate testing tools and methods. We believe that the definition of a requirements catalog is one of the steps in such direction. This work presents a requirements catalog for information systems model-based testing that can be used as a basis for improving methods as well as a guide for the development of new methods and tools. The catalog was prepared based on the literature of the area and on the experience of several information systems developers.

A method for information systems testing automation

This paper presents MODEST, a MethOD to hElp System Testing. MODEST can reduce the overall effort required during software construction, using an extended design specification produced in a UP-like software process. This specification is used to automate test generation and execution, decreasing the effort required during test activities. The method deals with Information Systems that follow an architecture composed of a user interface layer, a business rule layer and a storage mechanism abstracted by a persistence layer.

FASENG: A framework for development of Software Engineering simulation games

Simulation games can help teaching and learning in several areas of Software Engineering. One important research issue is providing support for simulation games development, making the results of their adoption successful in Software Engineering courses. In this work, we identify a set of requirements focusing on some of the Constructivist learning theories. These requirements were used to evaluate Software Engineering simulation games. Based on these requirements, we created FASENG, a framework for development of Software Engineering simulation games. FASENG has three main components: simulation model, simulator, and simulation engine. Since there is a clear structural and conceptual separation among them, they can be reused in other development environments. In order to check the framework flexibility, we developed two distinct Software Engineering simulation games. The two main results of this research are a better understanding of Software Engineering simulation games requirements and the development of FASENG.

Evaluating software engineering simulation games: The UGALCO framework

The increasing interest in Software Engineering simulation games leads to the problem of how to assess these games in order to measure their real benefits. Until the current days, few attempts were proposed in order to support practitioners evaluating simulation games. This paper introduces UGALCO, a five-dimension framework for simulation games evaluation. Besides a detailed assessment of players learning, usability, motivation, and user experience, we also included a communicability evaluation from the Human Computer Interaction field. Since our framework is not prescriptive, there are no restrictions regarding its attributes, evaluation perspectives or techniques. Instead, we present how a set of tools and attributes can be used together, bringing more effective results for assessing the game as a whole. We applied this framework for the evaluation of a specific simulation game. Results indicate that this framework can be used to gain better and more understanding of simulation games aspects.

An evaluation of a model-based testing method for information systems

This work presents an experimental study of a model-based testing method. We evaluate the use of the method and its tool, during the development of part of an information system. In this study we verified that the use of the method can generate benefits related to cost reduction, from the reduction of test effort and, at the same time, benefits related to test quality, from the failure detection capability improvement.

ReMoFP: a tool for counting function points from UML requirement models

Function Point Analysis (FPA) is a widely used technique for measuring software size. It measures software functionality from the users perspective, usually based on a requirements description. In many software processes, these requirements are represented by UML models. Although there have been attempts to automate the measurement process, FPA counting requires a considerable amount of interpretation which, to be reliable, should be made by experts. On the other hand, fully manual counting methods usually fail to keep synchronized with the requirements model, since requirements frequently change during the development cycle. This paper describes an approach for counting FPA and a compliant tool. This approach makes use of UML requirement models. The tool, called ReMoFP (Requirement Model Function Point counter), leaves all the counting decisions to the analyst, but supports him by ensuring consistency with the requirements represented in the models. The ReMoFP was developed by a software development laboratory in Brazil, and helped it to improve counting productivity, consistency, and maintainability.

How to welcome software process improvement and avoid resistance to change

Pressures for more complex products, customer dissatisfaction and problems related to cost and schedule overruns increase the need for effective management response and for improvement of software development practices. In this context, cultural aspects can influence and interfere in a successful implementation of a software process improvement program. This paper explores cultural issues, discussing in a detailed way one de-motivator factor to implement successfully a software process improvement action. The analysis was carried out in a software development organization and provided some insights into how this organization would overcome it. We backed our studies conducting a process simulation. Our findings suggest that other than finance, technology and other issues, the cultural aspects should be among the first concerns to be taken into account when implementing a Software Process Improvement program. Our main contribution is to give evidences that a small change in the behavior of the software development team members can improve the quality of the product and reduce development rework.

An educational simulation model derived from academic and industrial experiences

Simulation games are gaining increased interest among academic researchers and practitioners where conventional teaching approaches are not adequate. In the Software Engineering field, simulation games are commonly used for enhancing the learning and understanding of complex themes such as software processes. This complexity is represented by intrinsic software development characteristics such as multiple feedback loops and cause-effect delays. One fundamental aspect for the development of a simulation game is the definition of its simulation model. A simulation model contains some dynamic features and phenomena of the system it represents. It typically involves a set of assumptions concerning the system operation and it is used to translate the underlying system model, with given inputs, producing its behavior pattern. In this work, we describe an approach to create an educational simulation model derived from academic and industrial experiences. We focus on the systematic activities executed during its development. The created model was applied in a Software Process Improvement simulation game, named SPIAL (Software Process Improvement Animated Learning Environment). A set of important issues were identified. Our work can help developers during the creation of simulation games for educational purposes.

Using UML stereotypes to support the requirement engineering: a case study

In this paper we discuss the transition of an educational process to real-life use. Specifically, a Requirements Engineering (RE) process was tailored and improved to comply with the organization business goals. We discuss challenges faced and proposed solutions, focusing on automation and integration support for RE activities. We use stereotypes to enhance UML diagram clarity, to store additional element properties, and to develop automated RE process support. Stereotypes are one of the core extension mechanisms of the Unified Modeling Language (UML). The benefits founds in their use in a software development organization support the claims that stereotypes play a significant role in model comprehension, reduce errors and increase productivity during the software development cycle.