Decision support system for testing and evaluating software in organizations

Abstract

Organizations make use of different tools and methods to test and evaluate software, for quality and appropriateness purposes. However, many organizations are unable to perform multiple testing activities (manual, automation and performance testing), using a single tool. As a result of limitation of some tools, some organizations are hampered in their attempt to test software, which affect productivities. This is a challenge that has for many years, caused severe problems for some organizations, affecting their time to respond to business change. The challenge is associated with the lack of framework to guide complementary use of multiple tools when carrying out software testing. This study employs the case study and the interpretivist approaches. From the findings, a decision support system (DSS) framework was developed, which can be used guide testing and evaluation of software in an organization. Also, the DSS is intended to support and assist software engineers, developers and managers in identifying the factors that influence their decisions from both, technical and non-technical perspectives, when testing software.