Management overview of software reuse

Management overview of software reuse

Special Abstracts Report ware quality and to mitigate runaway software costs. This technical plan unifies and focuses the STARS program by emphasizin...

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Special Abstracts Report

ware quality and to mitigate runaway software costs. This technical plan unifies and focuses the STARS program by emphasizing the use of ADA and related software engineering technology and introducing the software first systems acquisition approach. AD-A 173

856/6/WCC PC AO3/MF AO1. Managing the Data Analysis Process. W.L. Nicholson, P.J. Cowley, D.B. Carr and M.A. Whiting. Data analysis is a sequential process which evolves as a network or as analysis paths, some fruitful and some unproductive. Each node o f the network represents a milestone of the analysis or a "data analysis save-state." Data analysis savestates and associated interactive software provide tools for effective management o f the data analysis process. Save-states may be restored to review previous results, to verify what was done, or to continue the analysis. This paper describes the process o f data analysis and its management and software tools developed for managing data analysis. (ERA citation 10:047991) DE85016617/WCC PC AO3/MF AOI. Annotated Bibliography on Software Maintenance. IV.M. Osborne and R. Raigrodski. The annotated bibliography contains summaries o f 285 software maintenance articles or papers from computer science journals, books, proceedings, Federal publications, computer newspapers, and other technical reports. It covers 15 year period between 1972 and 1986, and presents an overview o f the various aspects of software maintenance including problems and issues faced in most software maintenance environments. It identifies

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techniques, procedures, methodologies, and tools that have been effectively employed throughout the software system lifecycle to improve the quality of that system.

PB87- 109849/WCC PC A 07/MF A01. Management Overview o f Software Reuse. W. Wong. With skyrocketing software costs, both federal and private sector organizations are increasingly interested in finding ways to improve software quality and productivity, and reduce software risks. Software reuse is one promising method of accomplishing the objective. The report presents a management overview of the problems and issues related to software reuse. It provides a description of software reusability and its scope. The necessity of technical and management involvement to achieve greater levels of software reuse is emphasized. PB87-109856/WCC PC AO3/MF AOI. Informationstechnik aus der Sicht der Benutzer im Wandel des letztenJahrezehnts (Information Technology from the Point o f the User during the Last Decade). D. Mueller-Boeling. A survey of views on information technology is based on the statements of 443 employees in 1974 and 1145 employees in 1983. Then, as now, users want to work with the aid o f computers, which make their work easier. Computer-aided easing of routine work did not find a majority of supporters. In 1974, only 14% of users believed that information technology caused unemployment, while the percentage now is 58%. It is regarded as an advantage of information technology that it creates order in work-

ing, is economical and makes work easier overall. It is regarded as a disadvantage that it makes one dependent on machines, produces boring empty work and causes unemployment. Information technology is regarded more critically in 1984 than in 1974. The reasons for this change of attitude are given (unemployment, media and associations of interested parties), information is given on information technology used at present, the introduction and development of techniques are described and stock is taken (advantages and consequences). TIB /A86-

80436/WCC PC EOZ Understanding User Attitudes: The Cornerstone o f Computer D o c u m e n t a t i o n . J . M . Hugeordand C.A. Ramsey. Understanding user attitudes is key to the design, development, and production of online and printed computer documentation. User needs for documentation can be addressed best by classifying users according to the attitudes they bring to computing, rather than by their computing knowledge or skill level only. Attitudes are reflected in all types o f computer users including scientists, engineers, programmers, administrative assistants, and managers. Attitudes are independent of computing skill level and frequency of use; they apply equally to new users, casual users, or expert users. Identified are three user attitudes at Los Alamos: notime-to-learn attitude--users simply want to get the job done and have no time to learn about the topic; want-to-learn attitude-users want to learn everything about a topic; know-what-I-want attitude--users are already familiar with similar computing topics and