A Study of Software Reliability Growth with Imperfect Debugging for Time-Dependent Potential Errors

Authors

  • Kuei-Chen Chiu Department of Industrial Engineering and Administration, Fortune University
  • Yeu-Shiang Huang Department of Industrial and Information Management, National Cheng Kung Unviersity
  • I-Chi Huang Department of Industrial and Information Management, National Cheng Kung Unviersity

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.23055/ijietap.2019.26.3.2237

Keywords:

Reliability Growth, Non- Homogeneous Poisson Process (NHPP), Learning Effects, Time-dependent Potential Errors.

Abstract

Over the last few decades, various software reliability growth models (SRGM) have been proposed, and in recent years a gradual but marked shift has been focused on the balance between acceptable software reliability and affordable software testing cost. Chiu et al.(2008) proposed an SRGM from the perspective of learning effects which is more flexible in fitting various software error data, although it has a restrictive assumption of constant number of potential errors. In this paper, we consider a software reliability growth model in which the number of potential errors varies over the debugging period, since wrongly fixing an error may cause more errors; while correctly debugging one error may resolve others. However, such variation would gradually converge as the testing staff becomes more familiar with the software system. In order to describe this phenomenon, a sine function is introduced in this study to describe the time-dependent behavior of the number of potential errors with imperfect debugging, and the expected testing cost is thus evaluated to assist in the determination of an optimal software release policy. A numerical example is illustrated to verify the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

Author Biography

Kuei-Chen Chiu, Department of Industrial Engineering and Administration, Fortune University

Kuei-Chen Chiu is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial Engineering and Administration, Fortune University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan. She earned both her M.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Industrial and Information Management of National Cheng Kung University. Her research interests include software reliability, operations management, human factor, human resource management, and performance assessment. Related papers have appeared in such professional journals as Reliability Engineering and System Safety, Software Quality Journal, Journal of Taiwan Issue Economics and others. She has also earned the second M.S. degree from the Department of Counseling, National Chiayi University and has the second Ph.D. degree grogram proceeding in the Institute of Allied Health Sciences, College of Medicine, National ChengKungUniversity. She currently devotes to interdisciplinary researches of industrial engineering, industrial management, psychology, and cognitive science.

Published

2019-07-20

How to Cite

Chiu, K.-C., Huang, Y.-S., & Huang, I.-C. (2019). A Study of Software Reliability Growth with Imperfect Debugging for Time-Dependent Potential Errors. International Journal of Industrial Engineering: Theory, Applications and Practice, 26(3). https://doi.org/10.23055/ijietap.2019.26.3.2237

Issue

Section

Quality, Reliability, Maintenance Engineering