Problem Factors and Determinants in Application Software Maintenance.
Abstract
The problems of application software maintenance in 487 data processing organizations were assessed in a survey. Factor analysis resulted in the identification of six problem factors: user knowledge, programmer effectiveness, product quality, programmer time availability, machine requirements, and system reliability. Of these, user knowledge accounted for about 60% of the total problem variance, providing new evidence of the importance of the user relationship, in accounting for system success or failure. Potential of determinants of the problems in maintenance were also analyzed. Problems of programmer effectiveness and product quality were seen to be relatively greater for systems which were older and larger, and where more relative effort in corrective maintenance was spent. All problem factors were positively associated with the level of effort in maintenance. A tendency toward lesser problems in maintenance existed, where the maintenance programmers were also involved in the development of the system. The problem of product quality was seen as lesser, where certain productivity techniques were used in development. Among various organizational controls, only the periodic audit seemed usefully related, by means of its association with lesser problems of user knowledge and product quality.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1979
- Accession Number
- ADA068968
Entities
People
- Bennet P. Lientz
- E. Burton Swanson
Organizations
- University of California, Los Angeles