Parallel system development: a reference model for CASE tools

An ongoing study and enhancement program is being conducted on Smith Industries´ development process. The findings are being applied to real projects, and the results are being closely tracked. The author summarizes some of the results so far and shows how they provide a reference model for CASE (computer-aided-software-engineering) tools. From the study results it is concluded that no simple sequential model can describe the development process and that a parallel model, adaptable to the needs of the particular project, is more realistic. This parallel model encompasses all of the disciplines involved in development: systems, hardware, software, reliability, testing, manufacturing, and so on. A project database is needed to accommodate all the many products of development and their complex relationships across all these disciplines. Such a model and database provide a reference for evaluating existing CASE tools and developing new ones. Existing CASE tools fall far short of meeting the needs of this model