On using formal software engineering techniques in an academic environment

A large software simulation system for emission tomography (SimSET) is being developed using structured analysis and design (SAD), a software engineering technique. Most of the researchers in the project were not familiar with formal software engineering. Thus several team organizations and SAD approaches were tried before a productive one was found: the computer scientists work on the software definition; the other scientists anticipate problems that will be encountered developing the simulations and work on solutions to them. Utilizing this modified SAD approach it has been possible to integrate the diverse expertise necessary to produce a large scientific software package