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Growing Complex Software Systems: A Formal Argument for Piecemeal Growth in Software Engineering

Authors:
Jerry Overton

Keywords: Piecemeal Growth; Complex Systems; Software Engineering; Agile Methods; Software Design Pattern; Mathematics; Formal Method; POAD Theory

Abstract:
With piecemeal growth, complex systems are grown in a series of small steps rather than pieced together in one large lump. Although there are many specific examples (from agile methods) of piecemeal growth in software engineering; we argue that prior art has yet to produce general theoretical argument for building complex software systems this way. In this research, we propose a formal, theoretical argument for the general applicability of piecemeal growth to software engineering. As part of our argument, we infer both the requisites for piecemeal growth and some surprising connections between piecemeal growth and existing disciplines within software engineering.

Pages: 1 to 6

Copyright: Copyright (c) IARIA, 2012

Publication date: July 22, 2012

Published in: conference

ISSN: 2308-3557

ISBN: 978-1-61208-221-9

Location: Nice, France

Dates: from July 22, 2012 to July 27, 2012