Transferring testing and verification technology to industry

For software products, there are three basic costs: cost of failure; cost of development; and cost of maintenance. Today, the main leverage points are cost of product development and maintenance. It is argued that to transfer testing and verification technology, it is necessary to persuade software product managers that using new technology will reduce their development and maintenance costs. The manager also must be persuaded that the cost of installing the technology will be overtaken rapidly by savings accrued. The author feels that the key issues that must be dealt with include: how well prepared are any of us to make any kind of argument that the use of testing and verification technology reduces costs, what costs they reduce, how much, and where the convincing demonstrations of cost reduction are.<>