Towards using simulation for enhancing web information systems' utility

Abstract

The awareness for quality of Web information systems is increasing. Utility is a quality aspect that is of particular importance with respect to the economical sustainability of Web information systems. Like other quality aspects, utility can be focused at a priori, at run-time, or a posteriori. A priori and runtime considerations of utility appear as not really appropriate with respect to utility. An a posteriori focus on utility however is dangerous, as maintaining an already deployed system is particularly expensive. We therefore suggest using simulation as a quasi a posteriori approach for utility enhancement. In the paper, we discuss a generic model of Web information system use. We furthermore discuss an algorithm for generating a simulation model out of that usage model. We also discuss the foundations of a heuristic for analysing the respective simulation model. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2005.