The Added Value of Software Engineering: A Research Proposal

The Added Value of Software Engineering A RESEARCH PROPOSAL

2010

LAWRENCE O. EMEAGWALI MANAGEMENT 602

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Lawrence O. Emeagwali [email protected] http://strategy‐lawrence.blogspot.com

The Added Value of Soft ware Engineering A Research proposal

by

Lawrence Okechukwu Emeagwali

Research Proposal in partial fulfillment of the Course Requirements for MNGNT 602

Girne American University

JANUARY, 2010.

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1. Introduction

Historically, software engineering activities, whether it be in practice or research, has been

carried out without giving much consideration to the added value the end product is supposed

to provide for not only the end user (individuals/organizations) but also for all stakeholders

involved.

In the past, software engineers treated each requirement in the software engineering process

such as object, defect and use‐case with the same degree of importance; applying a purely

logical approach in methods of presentation as well as in practice activities. All of these

therefore implied that the focus of software engineering activities in the past was solely the

conversion of software requirements to verified code.

However, the rapidly increasing pace of change in the global information technology field

necessitates the essentiality of feedback control mechanisms. To enable organizations sense,

evaluate and adapt to the ever changing value requirements and propositions in their

competitive market place.

Also since the definition of engineering according to Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary is “the

application of science and mathematics by which the properties of matter and sources of

energy in nature are made useful to people”; it can then be seen that a value‐neutral approach

to software engineering is deficient in the provision of the required guidance necessary for its

products to be useful to people.

Thus this research proposal aims to understudy the importance of the added value of software

engineering to all the major stakeholders. This aim led me to offer the following research

questions.

1.1 Research Questions:

RQ1: What is the importance of Value‐based software engineering?

RQ2: What approaches already exist in Value‐based software engineering?

RQ3: What are the particular value elements of Value‐based software engineering?

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Significance to knowledge

This proposed research work intends to provide findings which will further research into the

benefits of value‐based software engineering since very little literature is available to advance

this nascent field of value engineering research. Specifically it would contribute to efforts by

value engineers to ensure that software engineering is actually useful to the end users in a way

that adds value to both the engineers and to the organizations who are end users of the

software.

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2. Literature Review

Early research on value based software engineering, was found to have emanated out of the

broader field of value engineering. According to the ISCID Encyclopedia of Science and

Philosophy, value engineering is the field of engineering concerned with the intensive and

comprehensive processes involved in the analysis and evaluation of each aspect of a system or

product in order to determine its cost efficiency. Value engineers are then known to carry out

post inspection activities such as developing, recommending and implementing ways to reduce

the operational or production costs of the system or product under their supervision. In effect

value engineering aims to achieve maximum product performance and product functionality at

the minimum price possible.

It is as a result of the above that value engineering has been closely linked to the fields of

project management, Industrial engineering as well as software engineering. The last of which

is the focus of my proposed research.

According to a Wikipedia article, value engineering is believed to have been initially developed

at General Electric Corporation during world war II by a team comprising Lawrence Miles,

Jeffrey Leftow and Harry Erlicher who due to scarcity caused by the war; used low cost

substitutes to labor, raw materials and component parts to either reduce cost, improve the

product or do both.

However, the field of software engineering is a very young one which is believed to have been

pioneered by Barry Boehm of the Center for Software Engineering at the University of Southern

California, in the early 1980’s.

Since the field is a relatively nascent one, it is thus normal to observe that there aren’t a lot of

previous researches already carried out save those carried out by Boehm and his team.

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According to Biffl et al, 2006, there are about five existing theories of value based software

engineering. All of these five theories were all postulated by Barry Boehm as contained in

Boehm, (1981), Boehm, (1989), Boehm & In, (1996) as well as Boehm and Huang, (2003). The

theories which were contained in these separate bodies of research were combined to form the

4+1 theory of value‐based software engineering. This comprises of the Utility theory, Decision

theory, Dependency theory, the control theory and the ‘Theory W’ which is central to the other

four theories.

Figure 1 gives a summary of the theories

Figure 1: The 4+1 Theory of Value‐based Software Engineering Culled from Boehm et al (2006)

Theory W: This theory is considered the central engine of the theory of Value‐based software

engineering. It is also called the enterprise success theorem which postulates that businesses

will succeed if and only if it makes winners of its success‐ critical stake holders (SCS).

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The Dependency Theory: This is the theory which helps us to identify all of the success‐critical

stake holders (SCS). A key technique in carrying his out is the Results chain suggested by Thorp,

(1998)

The Utility Theory: According to Dupruit, (1952); Debreu, (1959); Fishburn, (1982) is the part of

the general 4+1 theory which focuses on understanding how the Success‐ Critical Stake holders

want to win.

Decision Theory: This is part of the general theory which emphasizes on having the SCS,

negotiate win‐win plans. The decision theory gets the stake holders involved in the overall

value proposition process to enable the engineers fully understand the software needs of the

client organization. The decision theory also involves other theories as the game theory,

negotiation theory, multiple‐attribute decision theory, statistical decision theory and the buying

of information to reduce risk; the real options theory as well as the theory of justice (Keeny and

Raiffa, 1976).

Control Theory: the control theory on the other hand is part of the general 4+1 theory

concerned with controlling progress towards the success‐critical stakeholder (SCS) win‐win

realization (Lee, 1996). This theory depends on various factors and conditions for a successful

enterprise control process. These factors include: observability, predictability, controllability

and stability (Brogan 1974).

Importance and significance of my proposed research project.

Since previous research work and practice in software engineering focused on Value‐neutral

approaches to software engineering, and also with the availability of only one comprehensive

theory guiding the new software engineering school of thought pioneered by Barry Boehm (The

4+1 theory of value‐based software engineering). My proposed research focuses on discovering

the relevance of value based research by finding answers to the research questions I posed

earlier on using the 4+1 theory of value‐based software engineering as a conceptual frame

work.

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3. Research Methodology

In carrying out my research, initially, I’ll consider in extensive details, all previous and related

research findings from available literature, related to value added software engineering.

Secondly, my proposed research will be carried out, using the case study research methodology

which in itself is a qualitative research technique.

I intend to carry out a case study on Kibris software engineering company which has adopted

the value‐based software engineering approach, in order to find answers to the research

questions I posed earlier on.

I’ll be examining the importance of the value based software engineering approach through the

analysis of the importance and impact of its key elements which includes: Requirements

engineering, Architecting, Design and development, Verification and validation, Planning and

control, Risk management, Quality management, People management as well as principles and

practices; on the software engineering company, as well as its value to the stakeholders.

The case study approach appears the most suitable research methodology here, because they

help to explain complex causal links in real‐life; to describe the real‐life context in which the

process occurred; to describe the process itself; to explore those situations in which the process

being evaluated has no clear set of outcomes.

Also the case study approach has been identified to be the ideal research methodology, when a

holistic, in‐depth investigation is needed (Feagin, Orum & Sjoberg, 1991). Also, according to

Stake, (1995) case studies are best suited to this type of research because they are usually

designed to reveal the details, by using multiple sources of data. Case studies also allow for

triangulation of findings. Triangulation is the protocol used to ensure accuracy and alternative

explanations.

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3.1 Data Needs and Data Collection

While gathering data to be analyzed, initially, I will construct my case study research plan, then

I will get ready for data collection by making use of the most important sources of evidence for

case study research as suggested by Yin, (1994) and these consist of the direct observation,

indirect observation, documentation of findings, use of archival records, interviews, the

collection of direct artifacts and the conduction of surveys

Documents I would need for the case study research will include operational blue prints,

historic cost benefit analytic systems, control and feedback records, and other relevant

software engineering items which would aid the successful conduct of the research. I would

also carefully review the validity of the documents so as to prevent the inclusion of incorrect

data into the research data base. Since one of the most important advantages of having access

to these documents is to find corroborating evidence between the information gathered from

the software engineering company and the 4+1 value based software engineering conceptual

framework postulated by Boehm, (1989)

Archived records from the organization would be used to compare recent findings from the

period they adopted the value‐based software engineering approach and past records of when

they were using the value‐neutral software engineering approach.

I will also conduct different interviews at different stages. These interviews could take one of

several forms: open‐ended, focused, or structured. I will also carry out a formal survey as

required. At some point, I will also make use of tape recorders during the interviews although

this will be subject to the permission of the officials of the company to be interviewed.

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3.2 Analytical Techniques

In analyzing the data I collected for the Kibris software engineering company, I will use the 4+1

theory of value‐based software engineering as a conceptual framework after employing an

initial data analysis technique which will comprise of examining, categorizing, tabulating, or

rearranging the evidence to address the relevant research questions and propositions of my

proposed research work, as advised by (Yin, 1994).

In particular I would be analyzing in details for the software engineering company’s earned‐

value system, its real earned value feedback control, its order processing processes, its

benefits‐realization results chain as well as costs of operations and production as well as

benefits and Return on Investments (ROI)

From an engineering perspective, I will rely on my experience and knowledge of previous

literature examined, to present the evidence in different suitable manners, using diverse

suitable interpretations. This is necessary because of the absence of numerical representation

in most case study research methods. However, diagrammatic representation of data shall be

made to clearly summarize research findings and to provide a clear picture of the logical

sequence of events .This case study will however, employs a series of statistical tests to aid in

the effective presentation of the data to the final audience.

I will also make use of the alternative analytical technique suggested by Miles and Huberman

(1984), such as using arrays to display the interview and archived data, creating displays,

tabulating the frequency of events and information documented from interviews with the

officials, events, ordering the information, and other methods. I will be careful so as to conduct

the analysis in a way that will not bias the results.

Further, I will use additional techniques suggested by Yin (1994) such as pattern‐matching,

explanation‐building, and historical time‐series analysis as well as flow charts to represent the

http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-3/tellis2.html#yin94

http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-3/tellis2.html#miles

http://www.nova.edu/ssss/QR/QR3-3/tellis2.html#yin94

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data analyzed. In general, the analysis will rely on the theoretical propositions and conceptual

frame works that led to the research questions posed in my proposed research work.

3.3 Plan for Interpreting results

A combination of clear tabulation and the case study explanation‐building approach will be

used in conveying the results of my findings. The explanation building method is a method in

which the findings from the analysis of the case study are interpreted by building an

explanation of the case where necessary (Yin, 2003). Intrinsic trends will be discovered from the

various analytical processes and flow chart representations will be made to reflect such trends

and processes.

3.4 Expected Results

At the end of my research, I expect to find that the company integrated feedback controls of

software intensive projects, programs, portfolios and sub‐organizations with the aid of such

systems as benefits realization approach and the balanced score card system. I also expect to

find that there is a wide scale integration of value based methods into all phases involved in

software engineering such as requirements, design, development, test, planning and control.

In relation to the research questions I expect to find that value based software engineering is

crucial not only to the software engineering company but also to all of its success‐ critical

stakeholders (SCS) as well as revealing the vital elements involved in the value based software

engineering process

.

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REFERENCES

Boehm, B. et al.,(2002) “Achieving CMMI Level 5 Improvements with MBASE and the CeBASE Method,”CrossTalk, pp. 9‐16. Boehm, B. and Sullivan, K.(2000)“Software Economics: A Roadmap,” The Future of Software Economics, A. Finkelstein (ed.),ACM Press, pp. 319‐343. Brogan, W. (1974). Modern Control Theory, 3rd Edition . Prentice hall 1991. Feagin, J., Orum, A., & Sjoberg, G. (Eds.). (1991). A case for case study. Chapel Hill, NC:

University of North Carolina Press.

Miles, M., & Huberman, M. (1984). Qualitative data analysis: A source book for new methods. Beverly

Hills, CA: Sage Publications

Sjoberg, G., Williams, N.,Vaughan, T., & Sjoberg, A. (1991). The case study approach in social

research. In Feagin, J., Orum, A., & Sjoberg, G. (Eds.), (1991). A case for case study (pp. 27‐79).

Chapel Hill, NC: University of North Carolina Press.

Thorp, J and DMR, (1998). The Information Paradox, McGraw Hill,1998.

Stake, R. (1995). The art of case research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications.

Yin, R. (1993). Applications of case study research. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publishing.

Yin, R. (1994). Case study research: Design and methods (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage

Publishing.

Internet References

http://www.iscid.org/encyclopedia/Value_Engineering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_engineering

http://www.iscid.org/encyclopedia/Value_Engineering

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Value_engineering

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