Patent ID: 7793271

Claim:
A method of simulating a software development process using a computer configured to perform a software development simulation through analysis of a quality metric, the method comprising: selecting a reverse software development process simulation model corresponding to the software development process for the software development simulation on the computer, the reverse software development process simulation model comprising a plurality of software development stages; determining defect parameters for the plurality of software development stages of the reverse software development process simulation model; determining reverse defect equations for the plurality of software development stages of the reverse software development process simulation model; determining outcome-based control statistics for the software development process; applying the reverse defect equations to the outcome-based control statistics and the defect parameters to determine control requirements for the plurality of software development stages of the reverse software development process simulation model; selecting a forward software development process simulation model corresponding to the software development process for the software development simulation on the computer, the forward software development process simulation model comprising a plurality of software development stages, each of the plurality of software development stages of the forward software development process simulation model corresponding to one of the plurality of software development stages of the reverse software development process simulation model; determining forward defect equations for the plurality of software development stages of the forward software development process simulation model; applying the forward defect equations to the defect parameters to determine baseline process performance data; and comparing the baseline process performance data to the outcome-based control statistics to determine if the software development process is out of control.