The business of objects

The application of Object Oriented Technology to the generation of automatic test programs holds great promise for the reduction of test program development costs. Standards and practices to enable this cost reduction through Object Technology are evolving through the Institute of Electronic and Electrical Engineers (IEEE) initiative known as ABBET-"A Broad Based Environment for Test" Objects are inherently more reusable due to the elimination of hardware dependencies that are found in most procedural test codes. To initiate this reuse will require a changing of acquisition practices and the building of an object friendly infrastructure (legal guidelines, business practices, test development tools and methods) to foster and promote reuse. This paper is intended to discuss the anticipated needs to accomplish this and, perhaps, establish some priority in meeting those needs.