DESMET - A METHODOLOGY FOR EVALUATING SOFTWARE ENGINEERING METHODS AND TOOLS

DESMET was a DTI-backed project with the goal of developing and valida ting a methodology for evaluating software engineering methods and too ls. The project identified nine methods of evaluation and a set of cri teria to help evaluators select an appropriate method. Detailed guidel ines were developed for three important evaluation methods: formal exp eriments, quantitative case studies and feature analysis evaluations. This article describes the way the DESMET project used the DESMET meth odology both to evaluate the methodology itself and to provide direct assistance to the commercial organisations using it.