Repository Evaluation of Software Reuse

Abstract

The traditional unit of analysis and control for software managers is the software project, and subsequently the resulting application system. Today, with the emerging ca- pabilities of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) and corresponding changes in the development process, productivity gains can be realized by reusing portions of the organization's inventory of existing application designs and code. With this opportunity, however, comes the need to monitor software reuse at the corporate level, as well as at the level of the individual software development project. Integrated CASE environments can support such monitoring. We illustrate the use and benefits of repository evaluation of software reuse through an analysis of the evolving repositories of two large firms that recently implemented integrated CASE development tools. The analysis shows that these tools have supported high levels of software reuse, but it also suggests that there remains considerable unexploited reuse potential. Our findings indicate that organizational changes will be required before the full potential of the new technology can be realized.