Enterprise information systems are increasingly being developed as distributed information systems. Quality attributes of distributed information systems, as in the centralised case, should be evaluated as early and as accurately as possible in the software engineering process. In particular, software measures associated with quality attributes of such systems should consider the characteristics of modern distributed technologies. Early design decisions have a deep impact on the implementation of distributed enterprise information systems and thus, on the ultimate quality of the software as an operational entity. Due to the fact that the distributed-software engineering process affords software engineers a number of design alternatives, it is important to develop tools and guidelines that can be used to assess and compare design artefacts quantitatively. This dissertation makes a contribution to the field of Software Engineering by proposing and evaluating software design measures for distributed enterprise information systems. In previous research, measures developed for distributed software have been focused in code attributes, and thus, only provide feedback towards the end of the software engineering process. In contrast, this thesis proposes a number of specific design measures that provide quantitative information before the implementation. These measures capture attributes of the structure and behaviour of distributed information systems that are deemed important to assess their quality attributes, based on the analysis of the problem domain. The measures were evaluated theoretically and empirically as part of a well defined methodology. On the one hand, we have followed a formal framework based on the theory of measurement, in order to carry out the theoretical validation of the proposed measures. On the other hand, the suitability of the measures, to be used as indicators of quality attributes, was evaluated empirically with a robust statistical technique for exploratory research. The data sets analysed were gathered after running several experiments and replications with a distributed enterprise information system. The results of the empirical evaluation show that most of the proposed measures are correlated to the quality attributes of interest, and that most of these measures may be used, individually or in combination, for the estimation of these quality attributes-namely efficiency, reliability and maintainability. The design of a distributed information system is modelled as a combination of its structure, which reflects static characteristics, and its behaviour, which captures complementary dynamic aspects. The behavioural measures showed slightly better individual and combined results than the structural measures in the experimentation. This was in line with our expectations, since the measures were evaluated as indicators of non-functional quality attributes of the operational system. On the other hand, the structural measures provide useful feedback that is available earlier in the software engineering process. Finally, we developed a prototype application to collect the proposed measures automatically and examined typical real-world scenarios where the measures may be used to make design decisions as part of the software engineering process.

Context. Software evaluation is a research hotspot of both academia and industry. Users as the ultimate beneficiary of software products, their evaluation becomes more and more importance. In the real word, the users’ evaluation outcomes as the reference for end-users selecting products, and for project managers comparing their product with competitive products. A mobile application is a special software, which is facing the same situation. It is necessary to find and test an evaluation method for a mobile application which based on users’ feedback and give more reference for different stakeholders. Objectives. The aim of this thesis is to apply and evaluate AF in mobile application features rating. There are three kinds of people, and three processes are involved in a rating method applying process, rating designers in rating design process, rating providers in the rating process, and end-users in selecting process. Each process has the corresponding research objectives and research questions to test the applicability of AF method and the satisfaction of using AF and using AF rating outcomes. Methods. The research method of this thesis is a mixed method. The thesis combined experiment, questionnaire, and interview to achieve the research aim. The experiment is using for constructing a rating environment to simulate mobile application evaluation in the real world and test the applicability of AF method. Questionnaire as a supporting method utilizing for collecting the ratings from rating providers. And interviews are used for getting the satisfaction feedback of rating providers and end-users. Results. In this thesis, all AF use conditions are met, and AF evaluation system can be built in mobile application features rating. Comparing with existing method rating outcomes, the rating outcomes of AF are correct and complete. Although, the good feelings of end-users using AF rating outcomes to selecting a product, due to the complex rating process and heavy time cost, the satisfaction of rating providers is negative. Conclusions. AF can be used in mobile application features rating. Although there are many obvious advantages likes more scientific features weight, and more rating outcomes for different stakeholders, there are also shortages to improve such as complex rating process, heavy time cost, and bad information presentation. There is no evidence AF can reply the existing rating method in apps stores. However, there is still research value of AF in future work.

Development of a game in the form of software for game-based learning poses significant technical challenges for educators, researchers, game designers, and software engineers. The game development consists of a set of complex processes requiring multi-faceted knowledge in multiple disciplines such as digital graphic design, education, gaming, instructional design, modeling and simulation, psychology, software engineering, visual arts, and the learning subject area. Planning and managing such a complex multidisciplinary development project require unifying methodologies for development and software quality evaluation and should not be performed in an ad hoc manner. This dissertation presents such methodologies named: GAMED (diGital educAtional gaMe dEvelopment methoDology) and IDEALLY (dIgital eDucational gamE softwAre quaLity evaLuation methodologY). GAMED consists of a body of methods, rules, and postulates and is embedded within a digital educational game life cycle. The life cycle describes a framework for organization of the phases, processes, work products, quality assurance activities, and project management activities required to develop, use, maintain, and evolve a digital educational game from birth to retirement. GAMED provides a modular structured approach for overcoming the development complexity and guides the developers throughout the entire life cycle. IDEALLY provides a hierarchy of 111 indicators consisting of 21 branch and 90 leaf indicators in the form of an acyclic graph for the measurement and evaluation of digital educational game software quality. We developed the GAMED and IDEALLY methodologies based on the experiences and knowledge we have gained in creating and publishing four digital educational games that run on the iOS (iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch) mobile devices: CandyFactory, CandySpan, CandyDepot, and CandyBot. The two methodologies provide a quality-centered structured approach for development of digital educational games and are essential for accomplishing demanding goals of game-based learning. Moreover, classifications provided in the literature are inadequate for the game designers, engineers and practitioners. To that end, we present a taxonomy of games that focuses on the characterization of games. / Ph. D.

The research reported in this thesis is an extension and application of the results first introduced by the Procedural Approach to the Evaluation of Software Development Methodologies. The evaluation procedure offers a unique perspective based on the philosophy that a software development methodology should espouse a set of objectives that are achieved by employing certain U principles throughout the software development process, such that the products generated possess certain attributes deemed desirable. Further, definite linkages exist between objectives and principles, and principles and attributes. The work described herein adopts the perspective offered by the evaluation procedure and applies a critical analysis to the process-product relationships in DoD-STD-2l67 and DoD-STD-2l68. In support of the analysis, Augmented Data Flow Diagrams are introduced as an effective tool for concisely capturing the information in both standards. The results of the analysis offer a deeper insight into the requirements for defense system software development, such that one is able to better understand the development process, and more intelligently assess the quality of the software and documentation produced. / Master of Science