Date of Award

12-1993

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Abstract

This thesis studied the software maintenance planning and practices of the pilot Integrated Weapon System Management IWSM programs. Before IWSM, a System Program Office SPO acquired an Air Force weapon system then passed it to an Air Logistics Center ALC for follow-on support. The ALC was forced to maintain the software despite its questionable maintainability. The SPO de- emphasized maintainability because maintenance was an ALC responsibility and building maintainable software increased development costs and lengthened schedules. The IWSM philosophy closes the gap between development and maintenance. A System Program Director SPD, who oversees both system development and maintenance, has an inherent interest in developing maintainable software because he or she is now also responsible for supporting it. This research was accomplished through a literature review of current maintainability plans and practices, followed by a survey of the pilot IWSM programs. This information was combined to form draft guidelines for ensuring software maintainability. The draft guidelines were then validated by experts in the field of software maintenance who offered opinions and recommendations on the guidelines. The guidelines stress both up front planning and techniques for improving maintainability during software development. The final guidelines are presented.

AFIT Designator

AFIT-GSS-LAS-93D-1

DTIC Accession Number

ADA276193

Comments

Co-authored thesis.

The authors' Vita pages are omitted.

Presented to the Faculty of the School of Logistics and Acquisition Management of the Air Force Institute of Technology.

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