THE IMPLEMENTATION OF APPLICATION FRAMEWORKS IN SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS: A SYSTEM DYNAMICS MODEL

Abstract

Technology selection is a critical decision in projects and organizations. In the software industry, reuse technologies aim to reduce projects costs and duration. Among these technologies, application frameworks or frameworks stand out due to their potential to reuse high level designs and components via code.

Before introducing a framework, it is necessary to analyze its expected benefits and difficulties. Once the coding phase in a development project has been initiated with a framework, it is not possible to eliminate it, unless the development is restarted. System dynamics simulation models make it possible to analyze the impacts of a new technology before its implementation; furthermore, it is possible to analyze the selection not only in terms of the technology itself, but also in how the decision could affect other aspects of the project.

The objective of this article is to study the effects of implementing a framework using system dynamics model simulations. Using the proposed model it is possible to analyze the expected benefits and difficulties from this technology under different scenarios.