LEHMAN’S LAWS OF S/W

EVOLUTION

MANISH SHARMA
UIIT-SHIMLA

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 E-TYPE SYSTEMS
 LEHMAN laws are based on E-TYPE systems.

 E-TYPE :: systems that operate in the real world

and evolve with the real world

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 (1 LAW) CONTINUING
CHANGE
THE LAW OF CONTINUING CHANGE(1974)::An
E-TYPE system must be continually adapted , else
it
becomes progressively less satisfactory in use.

WOULD YOU USE WINDOWS WIN DOWS 98

TODAY

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 DIAGRAM

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 (2 LAW) INCREASING
COMPLEXITY

 As an E-TYPE is CHANGED its complexity

increases and becomes more difficult to evolve
unless work is done to maintain or reduce the
complexity
 Howdo we define complexity?
• Dependencies, execution paths, inheritance

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 (3 LAW) SELF REGULATION
 The E-type system evolution process is
self-regulating with distribution of product
and process measures close to normal
Industrially produced E-type software is
implemented within the context of a wider
organisation. Thus the objective of getting
the system finished is constrained by the
wider objectives and constraints of
6 organisational goals at all levels.
 (4 LAW) Conservation of
Organizational stability
The average work rate in an E-type process
tends to remain constant over periods of system
evolution

The work rate of an organization evolving an E- type

system tends to be constant over the operational
lifetime of that system or phases of that lifetime
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 (5 LAW) Conservation of
Familiarity
 In general, the incremental growth (growth rate
trend) of E-type systems is constrained by the need
to maintain familiarity

 As an E-type system evolves all associated with it,

developers, sales personnel, users, for example,
must maintain mastery of its content and behavior
to achieve satisfactory evolution.

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 (6 LAW) Continuing Growth
 The functional content of E-type systems must be
continually increased to maintain user satisfaction
over their lifetime

 The functional capability of E-type systems must be

continually enhanced to maintain user satisfactory
over system lifetime.

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 (7 LAW) Declining Quality

 The quality of E-type systems will appear to be

declining unless they are rigorously maintained and
adapted .

 Unless rigorously adapted and evolved to take into

account changes in the operational environment
the quality of an E-type system will appear to be
declining.

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 (8 LAW) Feedback system

 E-type evolution processes are multi-level multi-

loop multi-agent feedback systems.

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 A Layered
Technology
Software Engineering

tools

methods

process model

a “quality” focus

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 Assessment and Improvement
Software Process

identifies is examined by identifies capabilities

modifications to and risk of

Software Process
Assessment

Capability
Software Process leads to leads to
Determination
Improvement

motivates

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