Improving Change Impact Analysis with a Tight Integrated Process and Tool

Change impact analysis plays an immanent role in the maintenance and enhancement of software systems, especially for defect prevention. In our previous work we have developed approaches to detect logical dependencies among artifacts in repositories and calculated different metrics. But that is not enough, because in order to use change impact analysis a detailed process with guidelines on the one hand, and appropriate tools on the other hand will be needed. To show the importance of such an approach, we have gathered problems and analyzed requirements in the field of a social insurance company. Based on these requirements we have developed a process and a tool which helps analysts in performing activities along the defined process. In this paper we present the tool for change impact analysis and the significance of the tight integration of the tool into the process.