Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment

dc.contributor.advisorSchach, S Ren_ZA
dc.contributor.authorVan der Poel, Klaas Goverten_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-01-20T12:53:08Z
dc.date.available2016-01-20T12:53:08Z
dc.date.issued1982en_ZA
dc.descriptionBibliography: pages 162-182.en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThe development of software for data processing systems has, during the last 25 years, grown into a large industry. Thus the efficiency of the software development process is of major importance. It is indicative of the level of understanding of this activity that no generally accepted measure of the efficiency of software development currently exists. The purpose of this study is to derive such a measure from a set of principles, to determine criteria for the acceptability of this measure, to test it according to the criteria set, and to describe inefficiencies obtained in a number of software projects. The definition of data processing software is based on the concepts of Management Information Systems. Flows, files and processes are identified as the main structural elements of such systems. A model of the software development life cycle describes these elements in detail and identifies the main resources required. A review of the literature shows that lines of code per programmer man-month is commonly proposed as a measure of efficiency of software development, but this measure is generally found to be inaccurate. In defining efficiency as the ratio of the prescribed results of a process divided by the total resources absorbed, a number of desirable properties of a practical measure of efficiency of software development are then put forward. Based on these properties a specific model is proposed which consists of the sum of flows, files and processes, divided by total project costs. Various other models are also considered. Validity and reliability are identified as the most important criteria for the acceptability of the proposed measure. Its reliability is tested in a separate experiment and found to be adequate. A field survey is set up to collect data to test its validity. The survey design chosen is a purposive sample of twenty software development projects. The main result of the survey is that the proposed model of efficiency is found to be valid. Other models investigated are less attractive. Efficiencies achieved in the twenty projects included in the sample are found to differ substantially from one another. Apart from achieving its specific objectives, the study also provides a perspective on some of the problems of software development. Several subjects for related research are identified.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationVan der Poel, K. G. (1982). <i>Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16467en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationVan der Poel, Klaas Govert. <i>"Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science, 1982. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16467en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationVan der Poel, K. 1982. Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Van der Poel, Klaas Govert AB - The development of software for data processing systems has, during the last 25 years, grown into a large industry. Thus the efficiency of the software development process is of major importance. It is indicative of the level of understanding of this activity that no generally accepted measure of the efficiency of software development currently exists. The purpose of this study is to derive such a measure from a set of principles, to determine criteria for the acceptability of this measure, to test it according to the criteria set, and to describe inefficiencies obtained in a number of software projects. The definition of data processing software is based on the concepts of Management Information Systems. Flows, files and processes are identified as the main structural elements of such systems. A model of the software development life cycle describes these elements in detail and identifies the main resources required. A review of the literature shows that lines of code per programmer man-month is commonly proposed as a measure of efficiency of software development, but this measure is generally found to be inaccurate. In defining efficiency as the ratio of the prescribed results of a process divided by the total resources absorbed, a number of desirable properties of a practical measure of efficiency of software development are then put forward. Based on these properties a specific model is proposed which consists of the sum of flows, files and processes, divided by total project costs. Various other models are also considered. Validity and reliability are identified as the most important criteria for the acceptability of the proposed measure. Its reliability is tested in a separate experiment and found to be adequate. A field survey is set up to collect data to test its validity. The survey design chosen is a purposive sample of twenty software development projects. The main result of the survey is that the proposed model of efficiency is found to be valid. Other models investigated are less attractive. Efficiencies achieved in the twenty projects included in the sample are found to differ substantially from one another. Apart from achieving its specific objectives, the study also provides a perspective on some of the problems of software development. Several subjects for related research are identified. DA - 1982 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1982 T1 - Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment TI - Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16467 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/16467
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationVan der Poel KG. Measuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environment. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Computer Science, 1982 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/16467en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Computer Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherComputer scienceen_ZA
dc.titleMeasuring the efficiency of software development in a data processing environmenten_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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