Daniela Cristina Cascini Peixoto

Semiotic inspection method in the context of educational simulation games

Software process simulation is increasingly being used as an approach for analyzing complex business, for supporting management planning, for helping with software process training and learning and for supporting the software process improvement. In addition to providing to users a simulation tool that supports all these aspects, it is also important to consider some other requirements during the tools design, such as efficient and effective communication of the designers message to the user. In this way, we show how semiotic concepts can be used in the analysis and generation of knowledge through the application of the Semiotic Inspection Method (SIM), a semiotic engineering evaluation method. In this paper we present a scientific application of SIM to a Software Engineering simulation game focusing the analysis on feedback aspects and issues. The results go beyond the system analyzed and point to considerations regarding simulation games used in educational contexts.

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.

The Issues of Solving Staffing and Scheduling Problems in Software Development Projects

Search-Based Software Engineering (SBSE) applies search-based optimization techniques in order to solve complex Software Engineering problems. In the recent years there has been a dramatic increase in the number of SBSE applications in areas such as Software Test, Requirements Engineering, and Project Planning. Our focus is on the analysis of the literature in Project Planning, specifically the researches conducted in software project scheduling and resource allocation. SBSE project scheduling and resource allocation solutions basically use optimization algorithms. Considering the results of a previous Systematic Literature Review, in this work, we analyze the issues of adopting these optimization algorithms in what is considered typical settings found in software development organizations. We found few evidence signaling that the expectations of software development organizations are being attended.

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.

An Experience with Software Engineering Education Using a Software Process Improvement Game.

Educational games offer different ways for representing complex themes. However, creating a game that precisely addresses the subject being taught and effectively provides students’ learning and engagement is a complicated task. With this in mind, we researched and created an educational game for improving students’ Software Process Improvement (SPI) knowledge. The aim of this game is to bring practices from the software development industry to the students. In an attempt to provide a better guidance, this work describes the issues and challenges associated with the creation and validation process of a Software Engineering educational game. We adopted an incremental and iterative approach, where each step involves different knowledge, allowing us to point out a set of important aspects that should be taken into account during the development. These aspects can guide new developers and instructors in the design and selection of educational games.

A Framework for Architectural Description of Embedded System

In this paper a new approach for describing embedded systems is presented. The approach is based on the composition of hardware and software components with the addition of an interface between them. Non-functional constraints for components and their interfaces can also be modeled and verified. As such, the component-based view presented here differs from traditional component-based views, where focus is laid on the functional part. The ideas discussed in this paper have been implemented in a tool. This tool enables the description of an embedded system through a specific language. It can also allow the behavioral simulation and the non-functional verification of the hardware and software components.