Software Standards and Software Failures: A Review With the Perspective of Varying Situational Contexts

Abstract

Software Engineering is a discipline that provides a systematic approach to develop software in a cost-effective manner. Successful software development is challenged by various challenges, such as varying situational contexts, conformity with standards, changing requirements, optimism of schedule, schedule pressure, software complexity, and software invisibility. Varying situational contexts are the changed circumstances that are resulted due to varying situational factors. These situational factors are the root cause of varying situations, which need to be discovered in detail. If these situational factors are left unattended, they can cause software failures. Software standards can help to deal with software failures. In this paper, we have reviewed various software engineering standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Standard Association. These software engineering standards were investigated for the factors and sub-factors that can lead to varying situations among software development team members. As a result we found 12 factors grouped with 52 sub-factors that can lead to varying situations among software development team members. These resulted factors and sub-factors can act as a source for varying situations among team members. Unattended identified situational factors can lead to software failures. This paper provides a guideline for the practitioners to consider these factors and sub-factors while performing software development in order to have a successful software development.