Prototype dependability model in software: an application using BOCR models

Actual software project feasibility assessment is one of the foremost challenging and vital activities in estimating economics of software before its actual development. Therefore, prototyping in recent years, gradually become an approach to decide various options and possible outcomes before its real implementation and success of the projects. Most of the prototype studies in software engineering acts as a good pointer to envision and reflect upon the final product prediction. However, there has been dearth so far for a detailed economic analysis accountable for benefits, opportunities, risks and costs (BOCR) merits arising from various influencing factors (criteria and sub-criteria…). Further to determine the final possible outcomes (alternatives) through the trade-offs between the BOCR models. The present work attempts to close this gap. The modeling is performed in association with two types of models: analytic network process (ANP) and analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with complex relations between influencing factors. The former is illustrated as BOCR-ANP in the form of a control network and analysed through questionnaire based on expert judgement and historic data. The latter BOCR-AHP as a strategic hierarchy via real time data collected from the defect consolidation log data sets through linguistic variables proposed by same authors in our previous work. Thus we propose to investigate prototype dependability model through the inputs arising from expert judgement and real time data. More importantly our proposed model is realized without constructing actual working model. It is an analytical model based on inputs from past experience. The model can be a replacement for a working model for smaller/medium projects or additional inputs to strengthen working model for larger complex software systems. Thus our paper proposes a holistic model to assess the prototype dependability in software at prototype level in early in the software life cycle process. We carried over a case study to examine the proposed approach and to evaluate the economic feasibility of projects in I.T. industry.