Communication based on Tools being the Message: Methodological Support for Software Project Tool Selection
Summary
Documentation is an essential part of many software projects. Unfortunately, documentation is often neglected due to a lack of interest, negatively affecting projects. Automating the process of software documentation could help in solving this problem altogether but is, as of right now, nearly impossible to achieve. This paper will introduce a software project tool selection method called SoPro-TSM that allows automatic documentation to be a part of the selection process. The idea behind SoPro-TSM is based on a concept called “tools are the message”. This concept implies that, in long-lasting software projects, everything needed for documentation could be found in the tools used within the project. This paper uses this concept to introduce a method that allows for a software project tool selection that considers the message represented within the tools. Achieving this would lead to better insight into which parts can be automated. Two literature reviews and stakeholder
Interviews at the IT company Incentro were conducted to develop the method. The data collection results included a set of requirements and method fragments that were combined and modeled in a Process-Deliverable Diagram (PDD). After validating this PDD through several validation criteria, the concluding method could help in facilitating automated documentation.