Searching for models to evaluate software technology

Abstract

Modeling and abstraction is key in all engineering processes and have found extensive use also in software engineering. When developing new methodologies and techniques to support software engineers we want to evaluate them on realistic models. However, this is a challenge since (1) it is hard to get industry to give access to their models, and (2) we need a large number of models to systematically evaluate a technology. This paper proposes that search-based techniques can be used to search for models with desirable properties, which can then be used to systematically evaluate model-based technologies. By targeting properties seen in industrial models we can then get the best of both worlds: models that are similar to models used in industry but in quantities that allow extensive experimentation. To exemplify our ideas we consider a specific case in which a model generator is used to create models to test a regression test optimization technique.