Toward an Understanding of Contextual Factors in Software Development

随着软件体系结构、框架、基于组件的软件工程、设计模式和其他软件开发方法的兴起，理解不同软件开发方法和技术最有效的环境变得越来越重要。这项研究将试图提供一个理论框架来理解在不同的软件开发环境中，在成功和失败之间起中介作用的上下文因素和基于领域的因素。将特别强调工具和技术，使各组织能够系统地积累和改进在组织范围内有效的软件开发实践的知识。基于民族方法论和活动理论的经验观察方法将被用来建立和验证理解关键成功和失败因素的科学基础。这项研究的结果将被用来1)开发科学探索的方法，这些方法将导致基于领域和背景分析的软件开发的工程学科，2)更好地理解软件开发活动的知识密集型本质，以及如何将过去的经验作为改进的基础，以及3)开发集成了现代、基于组件和基于框架的技术的方法，以及将应用问题与具有最高成功概率的特定技术相匹配的背景因素。

Proposal CCR-9988540Henninger, Scott R.University of Nebraska-LincolnToward an Understanding of Contextual Factors in Software DevelopmentWith the rise of software architectures, frameworks, component-basedsoftware engineering, design patterns, and other software development methodologies, it is becoming increasingly important to understandthe context in which different software development methods andtechniques are most effective. This research will seek to providea theoretical framework for understanding the contextual anddomain-based factors that mediate between success and failure fordifferent software development contexts. Particular emphasis willbe placed on tools and techniques that allow organizations tosystematically accumulate and improve knowledge of effective softwaredevelopment practices within an organizational context. Methodsfor empirical observation based on ethnomethodology and activitytheory will be developed to establish and validate a scientificbasis for understanding critical success and failure factors.Results of this research will be used to 1) Develop methods forscientific inquiry that will lead to engineering disciplines forsoftware development based on domain and context analysis, 2) Betterunderstand the knowledge-intensive nature of software developmentactivities and how past experiences can be used as the basis forimprovement, and 3) Development of methodologies that integratemodern, component and framework-based techniques, with contextualfactors that match application problems to specific techniques withthe highest probability of success.