Software Process Dynamics

Welcome to the website for owners of Software Process Dynamics by Raymond J. Madachy and published by Wiley-IEEE Press. It supplements the book with models, tools, updates, discussion and additional information.

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Models

The following models are referenced in the book and can be downloaded. These are tables from Appendix C with links to additional models. The iThink/Stella *.itm models have been converted to v. 9 format, and are compatible with the isee Player available on the Tools page. The .itm files can be renamed to have the .stm extension to run with Stella. Contact the author for earlier versions of these iThink/Stella models, some ranging from v. 3 to v. 7.

The Vensim files are compatible with the Vensim reader tool available on the Tools page. We welcome submissions of Vensim and other formats of these models for downloading.

Chapter 1 - Introduction

Model Filename	Description
brooks.itm	example Brooks’s Law model

Chapter 2 – The Modeling Process with System Dynamics Models

Model Filename	Description
dynamic behaviors.itm	example structures that produce typical dynamic behaviors
delay tests.itm	demonstrates different time delay structures

Chapter 3 – Model Structures and Behaviors for Software Processes

Model Filename	Description	External Source
rayleigh.itm	Rayleigh curve staffing rate
resource allocation.itm	resource allocation infrastructure where tasks with the greatest backlog receive proportionally greater resources (“squeaky wheel gets the grease”)	modified from isee systems
production.itm	simple software production structure with single stock for personnel
reuse.itm	demonstrates reuse economy
example1.itm	example project that combines software product development (see production.itm) with personnel chain
example1 reuse.itm	adds software reuse to product development and personnel pool in example1.itm
example1 incremental.itm	adds incremental development structure to example1.itm
system development.itm	detailed model of combined hardware/software development includes competition and market factors	modified from isee systems
product.itm	product production infrastructure includes target inventory and experience effects	modified from isee systems
perceived quality.itm	models perceived quality with delay for adjusting perceptions	modified from isee systems
single tier personnel chain.itm	single tier hiring and quitting infrastructure with target growth percentage and replacing for attritions	modified from isee systems
interact.itm	detailed organizational model showing interactions between human resources, finance, product quality and clients	modified from isee systems
two tier personnel chain.itm	two tier hiring and quitting infrastructure	modified from isee systems
rookie.itm	simple rookie and pro personnel chain	modified from isee systems
wrkchain.itm	work flow main chain infrastructure whereby tasks undergo inspections with applied resources	modified from isee systems
hrprod.itm	human resources productivity infrastructure with levels for motivation, knowledge and experience	modified from isee systems
hrchain.itm	human resources main chain infrastructure with 3 levels of personnel experience, promotion delays, and quitting fractions	modified from isee systems

Chapter 4 – People Applications Models

Application Area	Model Filename	Description and External Source
Project Workforce Modeling	human resource management.itm	human resource sector from Abdel-Hamid's integrated software project dynamics model Provided by Margaret Johnson
	rookie.itm	simple rookie and pro personnel chain modified from High Performance Systems
	hrprod.itm	human resources productivity infrastructure, includes levels for motivation, knowledge and experience modified from High Performance Systems
Motivation	overtime.itm	effect of overtime on productivity relationship
Exhaustion and Burnout	exhaustion.itm	exhaustion submodel from Abdel-Hamid's integrated software project dynamics model
Exhaustion and Burnout	burnout.itm	alternate model of burnout dynamics modified from High Performance Systems
Learning	learning curves.itm	demonstration and comparison of learning curve formulations
Personnel Hiring and Retention	hiring delay.itm	simple hiring delay model
	single tier personnel chain.itm	single tier hiring and quitting infrastructure, includes target growth and attrition replacement modified from High Performance Systems
	two tier personnel chain.itm	two tier hiring and quitting infrastructure modified from High Performance Systems
	hrchain.itm	human resources main chain, includes three levels of experience, promotion, and quitting modified from High Performance Systems
Team Communication	brooks.itm	Brooks Law example

Chapter 5 – Process and Product Applications

Application Area	Model Filename	Description and External Source
Peer Reviews	inspections.itm	dynamic project effects of incorporating formal inspections
	insp.itm	version of Abdel-Hamid's integrated software project dynamics model (includes switch for inspections) (also see base.itm for incremental processes and inspections) Provided by John Tvedt
	wrkchain.itm	simple work flow chain where tasks undergo inspections using a conveyer model modified from isee systems
Software Reuse	reuse and language level.itm	Impact of reuse and language levels Provided by Kam Wing Lo
Global Process Feedback	global feedback.itm	illustration of global feedback to software process (simplified version of Wernick-Lehman 98 model) Provided by Paul Wernick
COTS-based Systems	COTS glue code integration.itm	Dynamics of glue code development in COTS-based systems Provided by Jongmoon Baik
Incremental and Iterative Processses	base.itm	dissertation model for incremental development and inspections Provided by John Tvedt
	project increments.itm	three increment project model Provided by Doug Sycamore
	simple iterative process.itm	highly simplified software development structure using arrays to model iterations
Software Architecting	MBASE architecting.itm	software architecting using the MBASE framework; also includes iterations Provided by Nikunj Mehta
Quality	COQUALMO.xls	spreadsheet version of the Constructive Quality Model (COQUALMO) Provided by the USC Center for Software Engineering
Software Process Improvement	SEASauth.itm	organizational process improvement Provided by Steven Burke
Software Process Improvement	Xerox SPI.itm	Xerox adaptation of Burke’s process improvement model Provided by Jason Ho
Other – System Testing	STEAM.zip	System test and evaluation model (Extend model files and other assets) Provided by Greg Twaites

Chapter 6 – Project and Organization Applications Models

Application Area	Model Filename	Description and External Source
Integrated Project Modeling	integrated project.itm (and all sector submodels)	Abdel-Hamid's integrated software project dynamics model translated into Ithink Provided by Margaret Johnson
Earned Value	earned value.itm	earned value project simulator and trainer
Staffing	rayleigh.itm	Rayleigh curve staffing model
	rayleigh interactive.itm	interactive user control of requirements influx to gauge impact on Rayleigh curve staffing rate
	rayleigh incremental.itm	Rayleigh curve model with array structure to model incremental development
	rayleigh COCOMO.itm	Rayleigh curve calibrated to COCOMO with parameterized staffing shapes
	external concurrence.itm	generalized external process concurrence model
	1phase.itm	single phase dynamic development project model (with process concurrence and iteration) Provided by David Ford
	DNFProjProcess.mdl	multiple phase dynamic development project model (with process concurrence and iteration) Provided by David Ford
Personnel Resource Allocation	proportional resource allocation.itm	resource allocation infrastructure where tasks with the greatest backlog receive proportionally greater resources (“squeaky wheel gets the grease”) modified from isee systems
Personnel Resource Allocation	project contention.itm	models the contention of senior developers between projects in terms of project transference losses
Product Line Strategy	COPLIMO.xls	spreadsheet version of the Constructive Product Line Model (COPLIMO) Provided by the USC Center for Software Engineering
Product Line Strategy	core product line reuse.itm	top level, non-executable model of product line core software reuse
Business Case Analysis	value based product.itm	value- based product model with software process, quality, market/sales and financial models
	system development.itm	detailed model of combined hardware/software development with competition and market factors modified from isee systems
	interact.itm	detailed organizational model showing interactions between human resources, finance, product quality and clients modified from isee systems

Contact the author at madachy@usc.edu for queries or submissions to this site.