| This research provides a new way to develop and apply a new form of software: software engineering technology testbeds designed to evaluate alternative software engineering technologies, and to accelerate their maturation and transition into project use. Software engineering technology testbeds include not only the specifications and code, but also the package of instrumentation, scenario drivers, seeded defects, experimentation guidelines, and comparative effort and defect data needed to facilitate technology evaluation experiments.; The requirements and architecture to build a software engineering technology testbed has been developed and applied to evaluate a wide range of technologies. The technologies evaluated came from the fields of architecture, testing, state-model checking, and operational envelopes. The testbed evaluation showed (1) that certain technologies were complementary and cost-effective to apply to mission-critical systems; (2) that the testbed was cost-effective to use by researchers; (3) that collaboration in testbed use by researchers and the practitioners resulted in actions to accelerate technology maturity and transition into project use; and (4) that the software engineering technology testbed's requirements and architecture were suitable for evaluating technologies and to accelerate their maturation and transition into project use. |
