Shane Sharpe

A framework for software maintenance: a foundation for scientific inquiry

This manuscript develops a framework for software maintenance. The development is based on an approach called ‘grounded theory’, which is an iterative process of theory formation and empirical assessment. The frameworks purpose is to unite past theoretical concepts and scientifically observed facts. The result is a four-component model consisting of programmers, source code, maintenance requirement, and organizational influences. The interaction of these four components provides 16 distinct areas of software maintenance inquiry. The manuscript concludes by providing sample uses and implications for the use of the framework.

Human-centered knowledge acquisition: a structural learning theory approach

Abstract This paper develops the application of structural learning theory (SLT) to support the knowledge engineer (KE) in the knowledge acquisition process and the development of expert systems. The underlying research focuses on the knowledge to elicit from skilled domain problem solvers, and the structure (i.e. form and type) of this knowledge using SLT to guide elicitation and interpretation. SLT explicitly models both declarative and procedural knowledge, while presuming an innate backward-chaining mechanism. Guidelines based on SLT allow knowledge engineers to concentrate on the human-centered knowledge of domain specific problem solvers. In fact, the SLT model presumes that skilled problem solvers do not automatically divulge all rules. This human-centered, needs-based approach provides a point of departure from previous knowledge acquisition methods and serves as a distinguishing feature of this knowledge acquisition method. Specifically grounded in SLT, distinct rule types are developed to be extracted from skilled domain problem solvers. Based on these rule types, guidelines are developed to aid the KEs in the acquisition process.

Computer engineering, computer science and management information systems: partners in a unified software engineering curriculum

This paper describes the development of a new software engineering curriculum at the University of Alabama. This curriculum is jointly administered by three separate academic programs: computer engineering, computer science and management information systems. These programs have combined to develop a unified software engineering track, consisting of an optional sequence of courses for majors in the three programs. Our software engineering track is characterized by two key elements: the use of software component engineering as a technical foundation, and the integration of students from the three participating programs into a single capstone laboratory. The capstone laboratory involves the development of a multifaceted product, requiring the interdisciplinary cooperation of all three groups of students to complete. This paper describes the design and conceptual foundations of this program, which has received funding from the National Science Foundation.

An inter-disciplinary software engineering track emphasizing component engineering

This paper describes the establishment of an integrated track in software engineering for three distinct academic disciplines at the University of Alabama, USA-computer science, computer engineering and management information systems. This integrated track focuses on component engineering, and is being developed by a team of faculty from all three programs.