The Virtual Software Production Laboratory(VPSL): an innovative approach to accelerate theory building in software engineering

提出的研究目标是通过补充和整合虚拟软件生产实验室（VSPL）当前的实证研究来加速软件工程的理论建设。VSPL由系统开发的一套可重用的软件过程仿真模块组成，这些模块可以进行组合和定制，以进行面向目标的仿真实验。特别是，在探索技术替代方案时，经常需要涵盖不同影响因素的实验的多种变化，可以很容易地通过模拟以受控的方式进行。因此，学习周期可以缩短，因为可以很容易地产生不同的起始条件、外部影响或过程特征。VSPL的主要目的是根据已定义的产品质量目标，产生关于软件开发技术和工具有效性的（广义的）假设。根据收集到的（个别）经验证据，将通过结合蒙特卡罗和过程模拟，通过环境因素（即，所有其他相关方法、工具和技术的集合，以及人员能力和技能）的系统变化来创建假设。模拟的结果将汇总成有效性概况，作为定义良好的假设，可以进行系统的经验检验。由于提议的研究旨在提供概念的证明，它将集中于支持理论的建立，并与有限的技术和工具类联系起来，例如，集中于需求工程和架构设计。

The objective of the proposed research is to accelerate theory building in software engineering by complementing and integrating current empirical research by a Virtual Software Production Laboratory (VSPL). A VSPL consists of a systematically developed set of reusable software process simulation modules which can be composed and tailored in order to run goal-oriented simulation experiments. In particular, the multitude of variations of an experiment, which is often necessary to cover different impact factors when exploring technology alternatives, can easily be performed in a controlled manner by simulation. Consequently, learning cycles can be shortened, as different starting conditions, external influences, or process characteristics can easily be generated. The main purpose of the VSPL is to produce (generalized) hypotheses about the effectiveness of software development techniques and tools with regards to defined product quality goals. Based upon the collected (individual) pieces of empirical evidence, hypotheses will be created by systematic variation of context factors (i.e., the set of all other relevant methods, tools and techniques in place, combined with people competencies and skills) through combined Monte-Carlo and process simulation. The results of the simulations will be aggregated into effectiveness profiles which serve as well-defined hypotheses that can be exposed to systematic empirical testing. Since the proposed research aims to deliver a proof-of-concept, it will focus on supporting theory building linked to a restricted class of techniques and tools, e.g., focusing on requirements engineering and architectural design.