widget framework

© Fraunhofer-Institut für Angewandte Informationstechnik FIT

A Software Process Framework for PLE Development to Reduce Time and Costs of Widget Creation and Evolution

Christian Prause


Software changes continuously

Continuous change for improvement

Changing requirements

Bug fixes

...

Usability improvement


Realization of change

Change realized by developers

Change has a cost

Lower cost, more change

Better software


Usability improvement requires change...in accordance with ISO-9126 view Developers must understand first

Project knowledge must be learned

– “understanding the problem is the problem”

– 40% to 60% of efforts for (re-)understanding software to change

Goal: Learnability of project knowledge


Development framework to support understanding of PLE software

Algorithmic information theory view:

– Full information = structural knowledge plus details

Resulting framework for managing knowledge:

Structure: exploit conceptual structure using patterns

Preserve: improve preservation of detail knowledge


Structure: exploit conceptual structure

Modifiable library of design patterns

Collected best practice wisdom

Common-grounds or lingua franca for PLE widget design

Named concepts carry meaning for developers

Reflected in various software project material


Preserve: motivate documenting activities

Documentation preserves and communicates knowledge

Purpose: impart knowledge

Wiki articles, requirements, bug tracker, source code

But: documentation is missing in practice

Technical debt: interest can grind development to halt


Three reasons for documentation problem

Developers do not like to write documentation

It has few value for the individual

Lack of enforcement structures

Especially in distributed, multi-partner projects

Low acceptance of software engineering rigor in research

smiled upon and seen as overly bureaucratic

“we can't afford bug, they have to be fixed”


Motivating developers to document

Management issue

Advertise advantages, create awareness

Set up documentation-friendly environment, good software process

Support through reputation systems

Keep developers on track

Reward good behavior with social games


Conclusion

Reduced cost of change leads to better usability Cost reduction through better knowledge management

Framework based on algorithmic information theory:

Structure and preserve

Structure: Pattern library for PLE widget design

Preserve: Promote documentation activities with reputation systems

widget framework

Documents