Case

Abstract

Abstract Computer‐aided software engineering (CASE) is both a field of study and a marketplace. As a field of study, it is the collection of research and development over many years in software development management, methods, environments, and software tools. In general terms, CASE is the industrialization of software engineering techniques and computer technology to improve and automate the practice of information systems development. It is an integration technology that incorporates software development techniques, tools, and approaches into common and consistent frameworks. CASE draws on technologies from computer‐aided design, software engineering, operating systems, database, networking, and many other computer disciplines. Thus CASE is not principally a field of new invention. Rather, it is a field of application, integration, and synthesis. As a marketplace, CASE represents a diverse set of products and services for software development and systems integration. The acronym CASE is used as an umbrella for a wide variety of claims regarding software tools and software development productivity. Definitions of CASE are given. CASE evironments, automation of analusis, computer‐supported collaboration, apportunities for quality engineering, maintenance and reengineering are discussed.