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The following steps will assist an organization in making the changes necessary to fully exploit the concept of software reusability .
1] Establish an internal software reuse plan, such a plan can help an organization to control both the quality and costs associated with the software.
2]Requirements software reusability be an integral part of any technical and managerial training.
3]Encourage the use of Methods and tools which have been demonstrated to enhance the reuse of software.
Reusable Artefacts
We can define some software artefacts that can be candidate for reuse.
1] Project plans:- This reduces the time required to develop the plan and the uncertainty associated with establishing schedules, risk analysis and other features.
2]Architecture :- It is possible to create a set of generic architectural templates and establish those templates as a reusable framework design.
3]Requirement Models and specifications
4]Source Code: Verified program components written in compatible programming language are candidates for reuse.
5] User and Technical Documentation :-It is often possible to reuse large portions of user and technical documentation.
6] Human Interfaces :- GUI software can be reused.
7]Data can be reused.
8] Test Cases :-Whenever a design or a code component is to be reused relevant test case should be attached to it.
Economics of Software Reuse
Impact on Quality Productivity and Cost
Productivity Increases as less time is spent creating the plans, Model, documents, code etc.
Quality also improves and less time is spent on verification and validation.
Costs:- The net Cost savings for reuse are estimated by projecting the cost of the project if it were developed from scratch (CS) and subtracting the sum of the costs associated with reuse(CR) and the actual cost of the software as delivered.
In Short the economics of software reuse are addressed by a single question is it cost effective to build less and reuse more ? In general the answer is “ yes” but a software project planner must consider the non trivial costs associated with the adaption and integration of reusable components.
The author Suresh Menon is a Subject Matter Expert on ERP and has worked in various capacities as Test Manager, ERP Consultant, Principal Consultant, Implementation Manager and Principal Consultant and can be contacted at suesh@digitalstream.in for comments and queries.
