Toward new techniques to assess the software implementation process

The author presents the concept of software boundaries and their automated detection. He describes an objective, high-level assessment technology to support process control of software development. The technique is largely independent of underlying design and development methods. An example illustrates an automated system partitioning application. The technique analyzes the end product and the delivered software code. By suitable adjustment of the analysis goals, measures, and criteria, the technique can help evaluate the effectiveness of many software implementation methods. The author discusses the technique´s potential for increasing confidence in the fault-tolerating properties of a system