CIS 375 Project #6

University of Michigan-Dearborn                         Handed out: 4/2/97
Computer and Information Science Department             Due date: 4/9, 4/21
Professor Ken Modesitt                                  Points: 30 * n
CIS 375:  Introduction to Software Engineering          TEAMS: 4-5

SOFTWARE PROJECT #6
EVALUATION OF STATE-OF-THE-ART CASE TOOLS
BY NEW SOFTWARE ENGINEERS OF JKM & ASSOCIATES

Objectives
Evaluate several commercially-available tools for computer-aided software engineering (CASE), including their ease of installation, ease of learning and use, cost, and associated documentation. These will include very simple ones (such as BriefCASE III and Netforum), as well as industrial strength ones. You have undoubtedly noticed that the word "CASE" appears frequently throughout the text. Here is your chance to have some real hands-on experience. Bloom's cognitive level 6 will be of paramount interest in this concluding project for the term.

Context of Project
You are well aware of the rapidly-growing number of commercial software systems which are billed as "CASE" ones, as well as project management. Thanks to the generosity of several vendors, the Dean of the School of Engineering and the Department of Computer and Information Science faculty (over $6M worth of product!), this course will have access to a number of products which the developers have loaned to us for educational purposes. Hence, the materials are not to be copied!!

This evaluation will allow your team to use several tools for several weeks. The evaluations will be collected and made available to the entire class and to the respective vendors. Your exposure will include the very small tool BriefCASE, to serve as a baseline for structured front-end CASE tools. Therefore, after this project, you will be able to make a more intelligent choice of tools, and get some hands-on experience with industrial- strength ones. Moreover, after you leave the course and are exposed to a much wider variety of such tools, you will have done some preliminary work on constructing a model for evaluating such products.

Relevant material to peruse appears in various texts which discuss analysis and design. Use these references in your MECCA evaluation. Such use will be part of the project grade! Some obvious features include cost (initial and maintenance), machine features required, performance, flexibility, ease of installation, ease of learning, ease of use, power, etc.

Project Summary

Select your teammates, based on earlier project work.
Develop a DRAFT SPMP, making sure to include a Person-loading and Gantt charts. The roles played will vary from previous projects. If you were a team leader earlier, then you will have another role for this project.
Locate the tools specified, plus the one for analysis you choose.
Evaluate the following: Netforum (groupware); McCabe (complexity metrics)
Evaluate the simple analysis CASE tool: BriefCASE III for Windows, version 1.0.
Choose one of the following analysis tools, for which BriefCASE III will be a baseline: Visible Analyst Workbench, Oracle Designer 2000, Texas Instruments Composer. Clearly ALL of the latter three do much more than BriefCASE -- your evaluation should reflect this fact. That is, do not use only the subset which matches BriefCASE. Your assignment is subject to bargaining. A sign-up sheet will be distributed for actual assignments.
Use the CASE tools to implement the Prescription Management System (PMS) -- the same example in the BriefCASE text. Carry out the process as far as was specified for the BriefCASE tool (DFDs, data dictionary, process specs, reports, screen hierarchies, user interface, structure charts, etc.)
Use the CASE tools to extend the PMS system documentation, insofar as the particular tool permits. IF you wish, you can use the extensions for some domain other than the PMS one -- just let the instructor know prior [EXTRA CREDIT].
Construct a MECCA evaluation model for all CASE tools. In the analysis area, use BriefCASE as a baseline.
Write a cover letter to accompany your four (4) evaluations -- prepare to send to each vendor.
Put the following on Netforum: executive summary, lessons learned, and the zipped files of the final report.
Present the results to your classmates during class in an overview.
Evaluate your teammates in a fashion similar to that in project #3, using a privately- given document (not part of the final report).

Additional Details
We will mutually discuss what should go into the evaluation model for CASE. Make sure to consider ease of installation, cost and the role of documentation, plus other meaningful features. You may also require access to material on the WWW, and in my office. See the various texts and computer magazines and Computer Selects for good ideas, as shown in earlier assignments.

Deliverable in two class days (4/9/97)
Tentative Software Project Management Plan (SPMP), including schedule and person- loading.

Final Deliverables on 4/21/97
1. Originals of signed letters and evaluations (4) to be sent to the vendors + two copies (one for grading and one file copy)
2. Orally-presented executive summary and demonstration -- will be video-taped
3. Two complete hard copies of all remaining documentation: one for grading, one for file copy. Put another set (zipped, except for executive summary and lessons learned), on thee class netforum under "Project 6-- CASE Tools"
4. Individual logbooks. The last item will be an evaluation of your teammate.

Software Tools Required for Use*, Desire to Use
Groupware: Netforum*, FirstClass, Lotus/IBM Notes, etc.
Conferencing: CU-SeeMe*, MS Net Meeting, etc.
CASE: BriefCASE III for Windows*, Oracle Designer*, TI Composer*, Evergreen's EasyCASE
Version Control: MS SourceSafe
Automated Testing: current ones from CompuWare
Programming Languages: HTML, Java, or C++
Mail: pine
Complexity: McCabe demo*
Project Management: MS Project Manager
Productivity: word processor, spread sheets, data bases, presentation
Others: ?

Evaluation
The evaluation of this project will be based on several criteria. You would be wise to review thoroughly the Lessons Learned from previous courses! Some criteria include:

Software Project Management Plan (Estimated vs. Real)
Documentation: requirements, specification, evaluation , etc.
Lessons learned
Presentation of results (report, presentation, etc.): See attached for format
Oral presentation

FORMAT FOR FINAL REPORT
Binder
Cover page: names, class, date, etc.
Three ring binder
Tabbed sections

Table of contents

Executive summary
Concise description of problem addressed and results

Problem statement
Summary of handout

Requirements
Your understanding of what the instructor requires -- informally stated.

Specification
Precise definition of what the deliverables are. Use chapters 7, 8, 9, and 11 for the analysis/design tools and chapter 12 for the complexity one.

Plan
Software Project Management Plan (marked-up original draft and final).
This will include Gantt and person-loading charts. Use chapter 10.

Integration
Product testing. Actual cases must be included.
Use chapters 5 and 13.

Evaluations (MECCA)
Evaluation of all four products [part of what is sent to the vendor]

Reality vs. Predictions
Discuss any discrepancies between estimates and actual results for SPMP components.

Lessons learned
What would you like to have done differently? What tools/methods would you like to use next time?

Logbooks (individual) DO NOT INCLUDE IN THE BINDER!
The last item will be an evaluation of your teammates.

Presentation
Overhead masters, Powerpoint disk, final reports, WWW copy, etc.

Disk pack [in secure plastic sleeves]
Floppy disk(s) containing all the above, labeled with your name, date, project, class
Index to the contents (name, purpose, format- "native application", e.g. Word 6.0)