EPiCS: Evolution Phenomenology in Component-intensive Software

This paper briefly justifies and outlines initial plans for an empirical investigation into the evolution of component-intensive software systems. Questions to be addressed include whether the findings and observations of traditional software evolution studies garnered over the last 30 years or so, and most recently as part of the FEAST projects, apply to and are relevant in the context of component-intensive software. The goal of the suggested investigation is to contribute towards disciplined planning and management of long-term evolution of component-intensive software. In submitting this paper to the WESS 2001 workshop, the authors are presenting initial plans to obtain early exposure of the ideas and constructive criticisms from the empirical studies community.