The software life cycle in computer applications

Abstract

Application systems represent considerable assets in many companies today. What they do is essential to the company's activities. New developments in and the replacement of existing systems would often involve greater risks than adaptive maintenance or the extension of functions. Thus the importance of maintenance is growing. Until recently, most approaches to the problem were aimed at reducing maintenance efforts by using software engineering tools. So far, management has had no pertinent way to describe application systems and monitor their use. The results of this study provide an empirically supported model that describes the evolution of an application system already in use. This model can be employed in order to obtain a better understanding of the use of information and communication techniques in a business. One can also obtain a glimpse into possible future developments and derive appropriate management strategies in order to co-ordinate the use of an application system with management goals. This enables the support of tasks related to maintenance, utilization and further development of application systems, which have for the most part evaded management and control (e.g. cost or personnel management).