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Innovations in Software Engineering for Defense Systems (2003) / Chapter Skim
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5 Next Steps
Pages 51-55

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From page 51...
... evaluation of software development and performance. While it seems clear that the methods described at the workshop, if utilized, would generally improve defense software development, the costs of adoption of many of the techniques need to be better understood in 51
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From page 52...
... Recommendation 1: Given the current lack of implementation of state-of-the-art methods in software engineering in the service test agencies, initial steps should be taken to develop access to either in-house or in a closely affiliated relationship state-of-the-art software engineering expertise in the operational or developmental service test agencies. Such expertise could be acquired in part in several ways, especially including internships for doctoral students and postdoctorates at the test and evaluation agencies, and with sabbaticals for test and evaluation agency staff at industry sites where state-of-the-art techniques are developed and used.
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From page 53...
... This would go well beyond collection of problem reports, in that substantial environmental information would also be collected that would support an understanding of the source of any defects. Recommendation 2: Each service's operational or developmental test agency should routinely collect and archive data on software performance, including test performance data and data on field performance.
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From page 54...
... Clearly, both Markov chain usage testing and combinatorial design-based testing are promising for DoD applications and are likely to result in reduced software development time and higher-quality software systems. More generally, model-based testing is a general approach that could provide great advantages in testing defense software systems.
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From page 55...
... Recommendation 5: DoD should allocate general research and development funds to support pilot and demonstration projects of the sort recommended in this report in order to identify methods in software engineering that are effective for defense software systems in development. The panel notes that constraints hinder DoD from imposing on its contractors specific state-of-the-art techniques in software engineering and development that are external to the technical considerations of the costs and benefits of the implementation of the techniques themselves.
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Key Terms

  • service test
  • test agencies
  • defense test
  • test agency
  • software development

  • evaluation community
  • developmental test
  • dod acquisition
  • techniques described
  • statistically oriented

  • engineering expertise
  • oriented techniques
  • defense software
  • closely affiliated
  • widespread implementation

  • field performance
  • acquisition community
  • evaluation officials
  • initial steps
  • improve defense

  • contractors specific
  • sort recommended
  • typical industrial
  • training required
  • engineers familiar

  • especially including
  • acquisition process
  • constraints hinder
  • agency staff
  • throughout development


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