Evaluating software engineering methods and tool part 1

Abstract

In the last five issues of SIGSOFT Notes, Shari Lawrence Pfleeger has discussed the use of formal experiments to evaluate software engineering methods and tools [1]. Shari's articles were based on work she performed for the U.K. DESMET project which aimed to develop a methodology for evaluating software engineering methods and tools.The DESMET project identified a number of useful evaluation methods in addition to formal experiments, and Shari asked me to continue this column by describing some of other methods. As a starting point, I will give an overview of the scope of the DESMET methodology in this article and describe the nine different evaluation methods DESMET identified. In the next few articles I will discuss criteria for selecting a specific method in particular circumstances. Later I will present the DESMET guidelines for performing quantitative case studies and feature analysis.