Using Discrete Event Simulation (DES) to Model Software Development Process

This project seeks funding to support the research on expanding the knowledge of the software development process within the corporate environment in conjunction with QLabs. Software development today has a well defined workflow that can be optimized and explored through discrete event simulation in order to maximize resources and total profit of the process as a whole. The software development process and methodologies are used in organizations throughout the United States, many of which are in the defense industry that requires a rating based on process models to obtain U.S. Government contracts. Currently, the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is one of the leading process improvement models used extensively for avionics software and government projects in North America, Europe, Asia, Australia, South America, and Africa. The objective of this proposed research is to model the software development process with an emphasis on the CMM in an attempt to extrapolate real-world development practices and behaviors present within the current Q-Labs adoption of this development system. The goal would be to balance and streamline this process, thus improving the overall development efficiency. Q-labs, a company that provides change management and model-based process improvement services, will provide the study with real-world data that will validate the findings of the research conducted through Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU). This research will establish a partnership between ERAU and QLabs for possible long-term collaboration.