TY - GEN
T1 - Complexity and uncertainty in software design
AU - Mathiassen, Lars
AU - Stage, Jan
PY - 1990/12/1
Y1 - 1990/12/1
N2 - The authors focus on two modes of operation, namely, rational and experimental, and on two means of expression, namely, specifications and prototypes, as key features of approaches to software design. The discussion is based on an examination of relevant trends in software development and on reappreciation of well-known principles of human problem-solving. They conclude that the effectiveness of a design effort is restricted by what they we call the principle of limited reduction: relying on rational behavior to reduce complexity introduces new sources of uncertainty and this requires experimental countermeasures. Correspondingly, relying on experimental behavior to reduce uncertainty introduces new sources of complexity requiring rational countermeasures. One important implication of this principle is that effective software design requires a systematic effort combining rational and experimental modes of operation, independently of whether specifications or prototypes are used.
AB - The authors focus on two modes of operation, namely, rational and experimental, and on two means of expression, namely, specifications and prototypes, as key features of approaches to software design. The discussion is based on an examination of relevant trends in software development and on reappreciation of well-known principles of human problem-solving. They conclude that the effectiveness of a design effort is restricted by what they we call the principle of limited reduction: relying on rational behavior to reduce complexity introduces new sources of uncertainty and this requires experimental countermeasures. Correspondingly, relying on experimental behavior to reduce uncertainty introduces new sources of complexity requiring rational countermeasures. One important implication of this principle is that effective software design requires a systematic effort combining rational and experimental modes of operation, independently of whether specifications or prototypes are used.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0025587166&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article in proceeding
AN - SCOPUS:0025587166
SN - 0818620412
T3 - Proc 1990 IEEE Int Conf Comput Syst Software Eng COMPEURO 90
SP - 482
EP - 489
BT - Proc 1990 IEEE Int Conf Comput Syst Software Eng COMPEURO 90
PB - IEEE Press
T2 - Proceedings of the 1990 IEEE International Conference on Computer Systems and Software Engineering - COMPEURO '90
Y2 - 8 May 1990 through 10 May 1990
ER -