Evaluating and selecting software packages that meet an organization's requirements is a difficult software engineering process. Selection of a wrong software package can turn out to be costly and adversely affect business processes. The aim of this paper is to provide a basis to improve the process of evaluation and selection of the software packages. This paper reports a systematic review of papers published in journals and conference proceedings. The review investigates methodologies for selecting software packages, software evaluation techniques, software evaluation criteria, and systems that support decision makers in evaluating software packages. The key findings of the review are: (1) analytic hierarchy process has been widely used for evaluation of the software packages, (2) there is lack of a common list of generic software evaluation criteria and its meaning, and (3) there is need to develop a framework comprising of software selection methodology, evaluation technique, evaluation criteria, and system to assist decision makers in software selection.

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Evaluating and selecting software packages: A review

Structured requirements definition

Information system development methodologies and supporting CASE technology (collectively referred to as CASE methodology) are being widely used in organizations to improve the productivity and qua...

https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1057%2Fejis.1993.30.pdf

Post-implementation management of CASE methodology

CASE tool evaluation: experiences from an empirical study

The aim of the research is to derive a framework for the evaluation of Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tool learnability in educational environments. Drawing from the literature of Human Computer Interaction and educational research, a framework for evaluating CASE tool learnability in educational environments is derived. The two main differences between this framework and existing evaluation frameworks is that 1) it is specific to educational environments and 2) it recognizes the significance of contextual factors such as learning environment and teaching and learning methodologies in evaluating learnability. The framework is oriented towards learnability and is customisable. It helps to define the important issues related to CASE tool learnability, and allows conclusions to be drawn about all influential factors on learning in the given context. A detailed case study describes the application of the framework to evaluate the learnability of Rational Rose, a CASE tool used in an undergraduate Systems Analysis and Design course.

/pdf/a-framework-for-the-evaluation-of-case-tool-learnability-in-1l5woauii9.pdf

A Framework for the Evaluation of CASE Tool Learnability in Educational Environments.

A large number of computer-aided software engineering (CASE) tools are now commercially available. These tools claim a varying range of facilities. It is a management information system (MIS) manager's responsibility to sort through these claimed facilities and choose a tool that can adequately meet system modelling needs. In the absence of any standards, the analysis preceding this choice is not easy. The paper analyses CASE facilities in detail and generates a number of criteria that can be used by the MIS manager for evaluation and selection of a CASE system for organizational use.

Analysing CASE system characteristics: evaluative framework

One of the main advantages of fourth-generation languages is their ability to generate reports quickly with only a minimal specification supplied by the user. The authors have undertaken a number of specific report generation implementations using seven different fourth-generation tools. Starting from this base of experience, a set of criteria that affect the expressive power of report generators is identified, and enhancements are proposed that would extend the power of such tools. With these proposed improvements, the report generators can be applied to a broader range of problems and thereby help to fulfil better the promise of fourth-generation language tools to increase software productivity.

S. K. Misra

Papers

Analysing CASE system characteristics: evaluative framework

Increasing the power of fourth generation report generators