The impact of software engineering researches on industrial practice — a personal view

Abstract

This paper describes the context within which software research may make an impact. It is clear that it is difficult to gain acceptance for new technology unless it very well directed towards identifiable and significant problems. From the Industrial standpoint a piece of software research can be assessed in terms of three quality criteria.

• 1. Relevance: Does it address an identifiable and real industrial problem domain.

• 2. Significance: If the research is brought to fruition and successfully transferred, will it either significantly reduce costs or will it enable one or more of our current limitations to be substantially extended.

• 3. Excellence: Is the research both of sufficient understandability and potential standing to be independently recommended by industrial and academic colleagues.

Where these have not been met there have been serious difficulties in achieving any impact.

Finally, It Is vitally important to Industry that software research is directed not only to optimising the use of the current software paradigm but also to seeking radically new approaches. These will not be found unless the “systems dimension” becomes a driving force in future research.