Thesis (DPhil (Informatics))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2018. / Increasingly, organisations in South African and across the world rely on software for various reasons, such as competitiveness and sustainability. The software are either developed in-house or purchased from the shelf. Irrespective of how the software was acquired, they do encounter challenges, from implementation to support, and use stages. The challenges sometimes hinder and are prohibitive to processes and activities that the software is intended to enable and support. Majority of the challenges that are encountered with software are attributed to the fact that they were not tested or appropriately tested before implementation. Some of the challenges has been costly to many organisations, particularly in South Africa. As a result, some organisations have been lacking in their efforts toward growth, competitiveness and sustainability. The challenges manifest from the fact that there are no testing tools and methods that can be easily customised for an organisation’s purposes. As a result, some organisations adopt more tools and methods for the same testing purposes, which has not solved the problem, as the challenges continue among South Africa organisations. Based on the challenges as stated above, this study was undertaken. The aim was to develop a decision support system framework, which can be used for software testing by any organisation, owing to its flexibility for customisation. The interpretivist and inductive approaches were employed. The qualitative methods and the case study design approach were applied. Three South African organisations, a private, public and small to medium enterprise (SME) were used as cases in this study. A set of criteria was used to select the organisations. The analysis of the data was guided by two sociotechnical theories, actor network theory (ANT) and diffusion of innovation (DOI). The theories were complementarily applied because of their different focuses. The actor network theory focuses on actors, which are both human and non-human, heterogeneity of networks, and the relationship between the actors within networks. This includes the interactions that happen at different moments as translated within the heterogeneous networks. Thus, ANT was employed to examine and gain better understanding of the factors that influence software testing in organisations. The DOI focuses on how new (fresh) ideas are diffused in an environment, with particular focus on innovation decision process, which constitute five stages: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation and confirmation. Findings from the data analysis of the three cases were further interpreted. Based on the interpretation, a decision support system framework was developed. The framework is intended to be of interest to software developers, software project managers and other stakeholders, most importantly, to provide guide to software testers in their tasks of testing software. Thus, this research is intended to be of interest and benefit to organisations and academic through its theoretical, practical and methodological contribution as detailed in the chapter seven (conclusion). In conclusion, even though this research is rigorous, comprehensive and holistic, there are room for future studies. I would like to propose that future research should be in the areas of measurement of software testing. Also, sociotechnical theories like structuration theory and technology acceptance model should be considered in the analysis of such studies.

Thesis (Ph. D. in Software Engineering)--Naval Postgraduate School, Sept. 2004. / Thesis Advisor(s): Luqi. Includes bibliographical references. Also available online.

No description available.

Thesis (MSc)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Computer aided veri cation techniques, such as model checking, can be used to improve the reliability of software. Model checking is an algorithmic approach to illustrate the correctness of temporal logic speci cations in the formal description of hardware and software systems. In contrast to traditional testing tools, model checking relies on an exhaustive search of all the possible con gurations that these systems may exhibit. Traditionally model checking is applied to abstract or high level designs of software. However, often interpreting or translating these abstract designs to implementations introduce subtle errors. In recent years one trend in model checking has been to apply the model checking algorithm directly to the implementations instead. This thesis is concerned with building an e cient model checker for a small concurrent langauge developed at the University of Stellenbosch. This special purpose langauge, LF, is aimed at developement of small embedded systems. The design of the language was carefully considered to promote safe programming practices. Furthermore, the language and its runtime support system was designed to allow directly model checking LF programs. To achieve this, the model checker extends the existing runtime support infrastructure to generate the state space of an executing LF program. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Rekenaar gebaseerde program toetsing, soos modeltoetsing, kan gebruik word om die betroubaarheid van sagteware te verbeter. Model toetsing is 'n algoritmiese benadering om die korrektheid van temporale logika spesi kasies in die beskrywing van harde- of sagteware te bewys. Anders as met tradisionlee program toetsing, benodig modeltoetsing 'n volledige ondersoek van al die moontlike toestande waarin so 'n beskrywing homself kan bevind. Model toetsing word meestal op abstrakte modelle van sagteware of die ontwerp toegepas. Indien die ontwerp of model aan al die spesi kasies voldoen word die abstrakte model gewoontlik vertaal na 'n implementasie. Die vertalings proses word gewoontlik met die hand gedoen en laat ruimte om nuwe foute, en selfs foute wat uitgeskakel in die model of ontwerp is te veroorsaak. Deesdae, is 'n gewilde benadering tot modeltoetsing om di e tegnieke direk op die implementasie toe te pas, en sodoende die ekstra moeite van model konstruksie en vertaling uit te skakel. Hierdie tesis handel oor die ontwerp, implementasie en toetsing van 'n e ektiewe modeltoetser vir 'n klein gelyklopende taal, LF, wat by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch ontwikkel is. Die enkeldoelige taal, LF, is gemik op die veilige ontwikkeling van ingebedde sagteware. Die taal is ontwerp om veilige programmerings praktyke aan te moedig. Verder is die taal en die onderliggende bedryfstelsel so ontwerp om 'n model toetser te akkomodeer. Om die LF programme direk te kan toets, is die model toetser 'n integrale deel van die bedryfstelsel sodat dit die program kan aandryf om alle moontlike toestande te besoek.

A certificação CERTICS foi desenvolvida para ser um instrumento de política pública que busca contribuir para o desenvolvimento nacional sustentável e pode apoiar as empresas nacionais de software na evolução necessária para se tornarem mais competitivas frente aos softwares estrangeiros. No entanto, esta certificação, assim como outras, requer investimento de profissionais e recursos financeiros, o que é um problema notadamente nas pequenas empresas de software. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar o GARREC, Guia para Atendimento dos Requisitos dos Resultados Esperados da CERTICS, que é uma ferramenta desenvolvida para apoiar no processo da certificação CERTICS, atuando em complemento à documentação existente. O GARREC foi construído visando facilitar o entendimento dos conceitos da CERTICS e no atendimento dos resultados esperados por meio de proposição de evidências, considerando cenários de pequenas empresas. Assim, o GARREC contribuirá para reduzir o investimento necessário para a certificação. O método de pesquisa adotado envolveu a análise do Modelo de Referência para Avaliação da CERTICS e o detalhamento dos Requisitos Específicos dos seus Resultados Esperados e, para estes foram propostas evidências para atendimento classificadas por relevância. Desta forma, todos os aspectos avaliados são considerados, garantindo qualidade de cobertura do atendimento aos requisitos da certificação. Para a avaliação do GARREC foi realizado um experimento no qual os participantes o utilizaram para atender a resultados esperados predeterminados e responderam a uma pesquisa. Participaram do experimento três empresas com diferentes níveis de conhecimento da CERTICS, uma empresa certificada, uma em processo de certificação e uma sem conhecimento anterior. A partir dos resultados coletados da pesquisa de avaliação, o GARREC atinge os seus objetivos de auxiliar no entendimento e no atendimento dos requisitos da certificação CERTICS, com 91,3% de aceitação aos itens de efetividade e 97,5% referente aos itens de aplicabilidade. Uma validação mais ampla em campo ainda se faz necessária para uma avaliação mais consistente da ferramenta. / The CERTICS certification was developed to be a public policy tool that seeks to contribute to sustainable national development and it can support national software companies in the evolution required to become more competitive compared to the foreign software. However, this certification, as well as others, requires professional investment and financial resources, which is usually a problem for small software companies. This work aims to present GARREC, Guide for Meeting the Requirements of Results Expected from CERTICS, which is a tool developed to support the understanding and obtaining of the CERTICS certification, working in addition to the existing documentation. GARREC was built to facilitate the understanding of the CERTICS’ concepts and in meeting the expected results through evidence proposition considering small business scenarios.Therefore, GARREC will contribute to reducing the investment required for certification. The research method involved the analysis of the Reference Model for Evaluation of CERTICS and detailing of the Specific Requirements of its Expected Results, and for these, evidence was presented to meet them, classified by relevance. In this way all evaluated aspects are considered, guaranteeing quality of coverage of the attendance to the certification requirements. For the GARREC evaluation, an experiment was carried out in which the participants used it to meet predetermined expected results and answered to a survey. Three companies with different levels of knowledge of CERTICS, a certified company, one in the process of certification and one without previous knowledge participated in the experiment. Based on the results of the evaluation survey, GARREC achieves its objectives of assisting in the understanding and fulfillment of CERTICS certification requirements, with 91.3% acceptance of the items referring to Effectiveness and, 97.5% acceptance of the related items Applicability. Further validation in the field is still necessary for a more consistent evaluation of the tool.

A certificação CERTICS foi desenvolvida para ser um instrumento de política pública que busca contribuir para o desenvolvimento nacional sustentável e pode apoiar as empresas nacionais de software na evolução necessária para se tornarem mais competitivas frente aos softwares estrangeiros. No entanto, esta certificação, assim como outras, requer investimento de profissionais e recursos financeiros, o que é um problema notadamente nas pequenas empresas de software. Este trabalho tem o objetivo de apresentar o GARREC, Guia para Atendimento dos Requisitos dos Resultados Esperados da CERTICS, que é uma ferramenta desenvolvida para apoiar no processo da certificação CERTICS, atuando em complemento à documentação existente. O GARREC foi construído visando facilitar o entendimento dos conceitos da CERTICS e no atendimento dos resultados esperados por meio de proposição de evidências, considerando cenários de pequenas empresas. Assim, o GARREC contribuirá para reduzir o investimento necessário para a certificação. O método de pesquisa adotado envolveu a análise do Modelo de Referência para Avaliação da CERTICS e o detalhamento dos Requisitos Específicos dos seus Resultados Esperados e, para estes foram propostas evidências para atendimento classificadas por relevância. Desta forma, todos os aspectos avaliados são considerados, garantindo qualidade de cobertura do atendimento aos requisitos da certificação. Para a avaliação do GARREC foi realizado um experimento no qual os participantes o utilizaram para atender a resultados esperados predeterminados e responderam a uma pesquisa. Participaram do experimento três empresas com diferentes níveis de conhecimento da CERTICS, uma empresa certificada, uma em processo de certificação e uma sem conhecimento anterior. A partir dos resultados coletados da pesquisa de avaliação, o GARREC atinge os seus objetivos de auxiliar no entendimento e no atendimento dos requisitos da certificação CERTICS, com 91,3% de aceitação aos itens de efetividade e 97,5% referente aos itens de aplicabilidade. Uma validação mais ampla em campo ainda se faz necessária para uma avaliação mais consistente da ferramenta. / The CERTICS certification was developed to be a public policy tool that seeks to contribute to sustainable national development and it can support national software companies in the evolution required to become more competitive compared to the foreign software. However, this certification, as well as others, requires professional investment and financial resources, which is usually a problem for small software companies. This work aims to present GARREC, Guide for Meeting the Requirements of Results Expected from CERTICS, which is a tool developed to support the understanding and obtaining of the CERTICS certification, working in addition to the existing documentation. GARREC was built to facilitate the understanding of the CERTICS’ concepts and in meeting the expected results through evidence proposition considering small business scenarios.Therefore, GARREC will contribute to reducing the investment required for certification. The research method involved the analysis of the Reference Model for Evaluation of CERTICS and detailing of the Specific Requirements of its Expected Results, and for these, evidence was presented to meet them, classified by relevance. In this way all evaluated aspects are considered, guaranteeing quality of coverage of the attendance to the certification requirements. For the GARREC evaluation, an experiment was carried out in which the participants used it to meet predetermined expected results and answered to a survey. Three companies with different levels of knowledge of CERTICS, a certified company, one in the process of certification and one without previous knowledge participated in the experiment. Based on the results of the evaluation survey, GARREC achieves its objectives of assisting in the understanding and fulfillment of CERTICS certification requirements, with 91.3% acceptance of the items referring to Effectiveness and, 97.5% acceptance of the related items Applicability. Further validation in the field is still necessary for a more consistent evaluation of the tool.