ROI of Software Process Improvement: Metrics for Project Managers and Software Engineers

21.5 Expert System Workflow Tools

Expert system workflow tools are perhaps the brightest spot in the future of SPI. Expert system workflow tools are similar to automated workflow tools. However, they use artificial intelligence, expert system engines, and fuzzy logic. They also use knowledge management to manage the software process.

Expert system workflow tools plan projects, document them, and balance and track project budgets and personnel resources. They assign tasks , direct workflow, measure progress, and enact contingency plans when humans fails to meet expectations.

There are already tools on the market that fall into the class of expert system workflow tools for SPI and software engineering. These tools do more than collect measurements, automate complex algorithms, and predict project and product performance.

Expert system workflow tools currently on the market have databases of design alternatives. Furthermore, they correlate design alternatives to project costs. They also construct complex program and project scenarios that humans would be utterly confounded to do manually.