An Iterative Meta-Lifecycle for Software Development, Evolution and Maintenance

Modern organizations are significantly affected by the breakthroughs in the field of information technology. In particular, software systems play a critical role in supporting organizations operational and decisional processes. Given that the costs of development and maintenance of software constitute the largest part of the computerization cost, the survival of organizations depends heavily on the effectiveness of the software development process. However, software engineering is in crisis. This crisis, known as the ldquosoftware crisis", is characterized by economic and social ramifications and exacerbated by the complexity and uncertainty inherent in both software engineering and organizational processes supported by software. Many researchers believe that prototyping can reduce uncertainty and provide knowledge related to the future dynamic states of software systems before their construction. Nevertheless, few methods incorporating prototyping as a tool for reducing uncertainty have been proposed to date. In this paper, we propose a framework for an iterative development process which integrates software prototyping. This framework permits correcting some weaknesses of existing methods by emphasizing the multidimensional nature of the software and the multiplicity of actors involved in software development, maintenance, and use.