Extending the Computer-Aided Software Evolution System (CASES) with Quality Function Deployment (QFD)

摘要

This thesis extends the Computer Aided Software Evolution System (CASES) with Quality Function Deployment (QFD) to enhance dependency traceability (type and degree) between software development artifacts. Embedding Quality Function Deployment (QFD) in the Relational Hypergraph Software Evolution Model to prototype a Holistic Framework for Software Engineering (HESE) is the major task achieved by this thesis. CASES is implemented by using Java Development Kit (JDK) 1.3.1 and an open software architecture. The primary contributions of this research include: (1) Embedding QFD into CASES to record and track artifact dependencies, (2) Providing engineering views of QFD dependencies, and (3) Providing a stakeholder Graphical User Interface (GUI) to define and manage any software evolution process. These major contributions allow a software engineer to: (1) Input, modify, and analyze dependency characteristics between software artifacts within a QFD framework; (2) Make decisions based upon views of dependency information; and (3) Design a custom software evolution model through the use of a GUI.