Data processing: software development – installation – and managem – Software program development tool – Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
1997-09-16
2001-03-06
Hatiz, Tariq R. (Department: 2762)
Data processing: software development, installation, and managem
Software program development tool
Translation of code
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199193
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and system for software development and a software design evaluation server therefor. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and system for software development which allows users to verify the functional specifications during the development process, and also to a software design evaluation server which facilitates user participation in a software development process to verify the functional specifications of an application under development.
2. Description of the Related Art
In the context of business process reengineering (BPR) including analysis and redesign of business rules and practices, many organizations recognize the necessity of reconfiguration and redeployment of their business computing systems to adapt to the new business processes. Information system departments in such organizations are requested to put their efforts to improvement of productivity in the software development processes, while the end users are also encouraged to develop a system by themselves according to their own needs.
In reality, however, actual user needs are so diversified that information system departments are overwhelmed by ever-increasing development work backlogs. The delivery of maximum efficiency in software development is therefore an urgent requirement to be achieved.
With respect to the software development methodologies, a conventional “waterfall” process has been popularly used to develop business application programs, in which each development phase strictly follows its predecessor. That is, a software development process starts with repeated discussions between the user and developer so as to clarify the user's requirements and finalize the product target specifications, and then proceeds to the next phases such as design, coding, and test in a stepwise manner.
Today, prototyping has been widely introduced, on the other hand, as an integral part of a software development process. In this methodology, the users are requested to evaluate a prototype of an application under development and provide their comments and suggestions on the features presently implemented therein, thus allowing the developer to modify and improve the program in a timely manner according to the user's feedback. The prototyping methodology promotes heightened user involvement in the product definition and development processes, while ensuring satisfaction with the final application.
The above-described software development with prototyping phases requires users to participate in the system development from its early stage to achieve a high quality level in the final product. This user participation, however, entails movement of human resources and/or instruments from one place to another, thus imposing some burdens on both users and developers.
Another problem is availability of users. They are not always ready for frequent participation in the system development. Insufficient user participation, however, reduces the opportunities for in-process check and correction, which may result in some indefinite functional specifications remaining unclarified or necessary features left missing in the final product.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Taking the above into consideration, a first object of the present invention is to provide a convenient software design evaluation server which ensures that all functions requested by the user be fully implemented in the application under development.
To accomplish the first object, according to the present invention, there is provided a software design evaluation server, coupled to a client computer via a network, which allows a user to make a review of functional specifications of an application during a development process thereof. This software design evaluation server comprises: (a) comment-space inclusive prototype presentation means for generating a comment-space inclusive prototype by adding a comment space to a prototype of the application under development to allow the user to write comments and suggestions about features of a screen or data items included in the screen as part of the prototype, and for sending the comment-space inclusive prototype to the client computer for presentation to the user; (b) identification data storage means for storing information for identifying the screen and the items, as well as information for identifying development engineers involved in the development of the application; and (c) user feedback distribution means for receiving from the user the comments and suggestions about the screens and/or the items from the user through the network, and distributing the received comments and suggestions to the development engineers, based on the information stored in said identification data storage means.
A second object of the present invention is to provide a convenient software development method which assures that all functions requested by the user will be implemented in the application under development.
To accomplish the second object, according to the present invention, there is provided a software development method which allows a user to make a review of functional specifications of an application during a development process thereof. This software development method comprises the steps of: (a) presenting a prototype of the application under development to the user over a network; (b) sending the user's comments and suggestions about the prototype over the network; (c) correcting the application under development so that the user's comments and suggestions be reflected therein, whereby the development process advances toward a final version of the application; and (d) delivering the final version of the application to the user via the network.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a convenient software development system which assures that all functions requested by the user will be implemented in the application under development.
To accomplish the third object, according to the present invention, there is provided a software development system which allows a user to make a review of functional specifications of an application during a development process thereof.
This software development system comprises: (a) a client computer comprising (a1) software development order means for placing an order for software development via a network, (a2) prototype display means for displaying a prototype of the application under development on a monitor screen, and (a3) user feedback notification means for sending comments and suggestions concerning functional specifications for the prototype over the network; and (b) a server comprising (b1) similar case searching means for accepting the software development order from the user and retrieving a similar case that relates to the ordered software development, (b2) process content determination means for determining contents of the application, based on the similar case that has been retrieved by the similar case searching means, (b3) quotation means for issuing a price quotation of the software development, (b4) authentication key assignment means for giving an authentication key to the user, when the user has accepted the price quotation and a software development contract has been made, (b5) prototype presentation means for presenting the prototype to the user via the network, and (b6) user feedback distribution means for distributing the comments and suggestions received from the client computer to development engineers in charge of the software development.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the present invention by way of example.
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patent: 4809170 (1989-02-01), Leblang et al.
patent: 5008853 (1991-04-01), Bly et al.
patent: 5168563 (1992-12-01), Shenoy et al.
patent: 5220657 (1993-06-01), Bly et al.
patent: 5247651 (1993-09-01), Clarisse
Ota Shoichi
Oyagi Makoto
Das Chameli C.
Fujitsu Limited
Hatiz Tariq R.
Staas & Halsey , LLP
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