Patent ID: 8527953

Claim:
A method for recommending graphical user interface (GUI) tools comprising: identifying statistical variables for evaluating allocation of testing resources for test scripts; partitioning the statistical variables into input variables and output variables; defining in a memory statistical constraint equations with at least some of the statistical variables; defining in the memory an evaluation function, with at least some of the statistical variables, for evaluating a testing cost of allocation of testing resources for test scripts, where the evaluation function determines, as the testing cost, a minimum value of: a first equation defining a first monetary cost of manual testing of a graphical user interface (GUI), the first equation comprising a first subset of the statistical variables; a second equation representing a second monetary cost of automated testing of the GUI with manual maintenance, the second equation comprising a second subset of the plurality of statistical variables; and a third equation representing a third monetary cost of automated testing of the GUI with tool based maintenance, the third equation comprising a third subset of the plurality of statistical variables; executing with a processor coupled to the memory an optimization program stored in the memory, the optimization program comprising instructions that when executed cause the processor to: obtain a workplace dependent value for each of the input variables apply the constraint equations to a parameter space defined by the output variables to define a curve in the parameter space; execute an optimization algorithm to obtain an optimum point on the curve that achieves a defined goal for the evaluation function; determine a recommendation based on the optimum point; and store the recommendation in the memory.