RESUMEN

A classical problem facing many software projects is determining when to stop testing and release the product for use. Risk analysis helps address this issue by balancing the risk exposure of doing too little with the risk exposure of doing too much. A quantitative approach based on the COCOMO II cost-estimation model and the COQUALMO quality-estimation model helps answer the question, "How much software quality investment is enough?" The authors use the models and some representative empirical data to assess the relative payoff of value-based testing as compared to value-neutral testing. They include examples of the approach's use under differing value profiles.

RESUMEN

Requirements Engineering, especially requirements prioritization and selection, plays a critical role in overall project development. In small companies, this often difficult process can affect not only project success but also overall company survivability. A value-oriented prioritization (VOP) framework can help this process by clarifying and quantifying the selection and prioritization issues. A case study of a small development company shows a successful VOP deployment that improved communications and saved time by focusing requirements decisions for new product releases on core company values. This article is part of a special issue on Software Engineering Challenges in Small Software Organizations.