Feedback, Evolution & Software Technology
This group focuses on the study of feedback and business process as systems in the system theoretic sense and seeks to identify empirical and theoretical foundations that contribute to the intellectual and managerial mastery of such processes. In particular the group has been studied the impact of feedback loops and, in particular, feedback control mechanisms in software evolution processes by conducting metric-based black box and white box modelling and analysis. The group seeks to characterise the growth dynamics and other attributes of evolving software systems and processes to support managers in estimation, planning and control of such processes. Results to date include the Laws of Software Evolution (1974-1998), role of Process Models within the Software Process (1989), a Principle of Uncertainty (1989-1990), the FEAST hypothesis (1994) and an inverse square models of growth(1996). Current work includes estimation techniques in the context of software maintenance and evolution, generic system dynamic models of software evolution processes and exploration of the role of quantitative modelling to support sustained improvement of software evolution processes.
Current Projects
Current projects in this field include:
Key Publications
For an up-to-date list of papers in this area, please refer to the FEAST group page