Handbook-based high unit-value software reliability prediction method

Modern electronic systems typically contain significant amounts of software. Therefore, for a system reliability prediction to be accurate, it must include software reliability predictions. Many of the commonly used software reliability prediction methods are based on estimation models that require empirical test data. Typically, however, this kind of data is not readily available when a software reliability prediction is needed. For this reason, handbook-based methods, such as the Software Capability Maturity Model (CMM^®) developed by the Software Engineering Institute (SEI), are commonly used throughout industry. This paper discusses an enhancement to traditional handbook-based software reliability prediction method that facilitates obtaining repeatable results as well as overcoming limitations in modeling initial reliability of the software. This enhancement results in a handbook-based software reliability prediction method that is appropriate for use on high unit-value software components.