A Simulation Model for Process-Centered Software Engineering Environments Using Sensitivity Analysis

Software development is a high risk activity that requires planning to reduce costs and meet deadlines. This paper presents a simulation model, integrated to a tool that supports project management centered processes, uses the information in the PSEE database, offers resources to manipulate process data in a deterministic or stochastic way (simulation), allows testing various scenarios and identifies the variables that have most impact on the final result (sensitivity analysis). The results achieved by implementing this model, using the information of a real case study, were able to provide important data to improve the process under study.