Method and system for software development and software design evaluation server

• US 6,199,193 B1
• Filed: 09/16/1997
• Issued: 03/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Original Assignee: Fujitsu Limited
• Inventors: Oyagi, Makoto, Ota, Shoichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Hatiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAS, CHAMELI
• Application Number:
  US08/931,357
• Time in Patent Office: 1,267 Days
• Field of Search: 395/500, 395/468.01, 395/12, 395/701, 717/1, 717/3, 706/59
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques

Abstract

A software design evaluation server that facilitates end-user participation in a software development process so as to prevent any defects in functional specifications from remaining unsolved in the final version of the application that is developed. A comment-space inclusive prototype presentation unit, as part of the server, generates a prototype of the application under development. This prototype has a comment space added that allows the user to write his/her comments and suggestions about features of display screens or data items included in the screens. The comment-space inclusive prototype presentation unit sends such a prototype with a comment space to the client computer for user review purposes. An identification data storage unit stores information for identifying the screens and items, as well as holding information for identifying development engineers involved in the software development. A user feedback distribution unit receives the user'"'"'s comments and suggestions about the screens and/or items of the prototype through the network, and distributes the received comments and suggestions to relevant development engineers, based on the identification data stored in the identification data storage unit.

Claims

1. A software design evaluation server comprising:

comment-space inclusive prototype presentation means for generating a comment-space inclusive prototype by adding a comment space to a prototype of an application under development to allow an end user of the application to participate in development of the application by allowing the user to write comments about features of a screen in the prototype or data items included in the screen and for sending the comment-space inclusive prototype to a client computer, via a network, for presentation to the ultimate user;

identification data storage means for storing information identifying the screen and the data items, as well as information identifying development engineers involved in development of a corresponding screen; and

user feedback distribution means for receiving comments and suggestions about the screen and/or the items from a client computer, for dividing the received comments and suggestions into comments and suggestions relevant to respective development engineers involved in the development of the corresponding screen based on the information stored in said identification data storage means, and for distributing the divided comments and suggestions to the respective development engineers involved in the development of the corresponding screen based on the information stored in said identification data storage means.

2. The software design evaluation server according to claim 1, wherein said user feedback distribution means is activated when the user has successfully presented a correct user ID and a correct password.

3. The software design evaluation server according to claim 1, wherein said comment-space inclusive prototype presentation means sends the comment-space inclusive prototype to the client computer, causes the comment-space inclusive prototype be installed into the client computer, and presents the comment-space inclusive prototype to the user after the installation is finished.

4. The software design evaluation server according to claim 1, wherein said comment-space inclusive prototype presentation means sends the comment-space inclusive prototype to the client computer using an Internet browser.

5. The software design evaluation server according to claim 4, wherein the Internet browser is provided with Java language capabilities.

6. The software design evaluation server according to claim 1, wherein said comment-space inclusive prototype presentation means establishes a communication link between a remote client computer and another client computer of the development engineer, based on the information stored in said identification data storage means, and presents the same screen as displayed on the client computer of the development engineer on the remote client computer.

7. The software design evaluation server according to claim 6, wherein said user feedback distribution means directly distributes the comments to the development engineer using a chat messaging service.

8. A software development method which allows a user to make a review of functional specifications of an application during a development process thereof, comprising the steps of:

creating a comment space inclusive prototype containing a prototype screen of an application being developed along with a comment space allowing entry of comments regarding the prototype screen;

presenting the comment space inclusive prototype to an end user over a network;

receiving the user'"'"'s comments about the prototype;

sending the user'"'"'s comments about the prototype over the network to a server;

dividing the comments received from the user into comments relevant to respective development engineers involved in the development of the prototype screen;

distributing the divided comments to the respective development engineers involved in the development of the corresponding screen;

correcting the application under development based on the users comments, whereby the development process advances toward a final version of the application; and

delivering a final version of the application to the user via a network.

9. A software development system which allows a user to make a review of functional specifications of an application during a development process thereof, comprising:

(a) a client computer comprising

software development order means for placing an order for software development via a network;

prototype display means for displaying a prototype of the application under development on a monitor screen, and

user feedback notification means for sending comments and suggestions concerning functional specifications for the prototype over the network; and

(b) a server comprising

similar case searching means for accepting the software development order from the user and retrieving similar case data that relates to the ordered software development,

process content determination means for determining contents of the application, based on the similar case data that is retrieved by said similar case searching means,

quotation means for issuing a price quotation of the software development,

authentication key assignment means for giving an authentication key to the user, when the user has accepted the price quotation and a software development contract has been made,

prototype presentation means for presenting the prototype to the user via the network, and

user feedback distribution means for distributing the comments and suggestions received from the client computer to development engineers in charge of the software development.

10. The software development system according to claim 9, wherein said prototype presentation means provides the user with development progress status of the software development in addition to the prototype.

11. A software design evaluation server, coupled to a client computer via a network, comprising:

an identification data storage storing information identifying a screen and/or data items contained therein, as well as information identifying development engineers in charge of a corresponding screen;

user feedback distribution means for receiving comments and suggestions about the screen and/or the items from the client computer through the network, for dividing the received comments and suggestions into comments and suggestions relevant to respective development engineers involved in the development of the corresponding screen based on the information stored in said identification data storage means, and for distributing the divided comments and suggestions to the respective development engineers based on the information stored in said identification data storage.

12. A software development method comprising:

displaying a prototype of the software being developed on a monitor screen to an end user;

receiving the end user'"'"'s comments and suggestions regarding the displayed prototype;

dividing the received comments and suggestions into comments and suggestions relevant to respective parts of the prototype being commented on; and

sending the end user'"'"'s divided comments and suggestions about the prototype, including an indication of the part of the prototype being commented on, over the network to a developer of the software.

13. A software development method comprising:

receiving an order for software development;

retrieving similar case data that relates to the ordered software development;

determining the contents of the software being developed based on the similar case data;

issuing a price quotation based on the determination of contents;

presenting a prototype to users via a network;

receiving the user'"'"'s comments and suggestions regarding the prototype;

dividing the received comments and suggestions into comments and suggestions relevant to respective development engineers involved in the development of the prototype; and

distributing the divided comments and suggestions received from end users to respective development engineers in charge of the development of the prototype.

14. A software design evaluation server comprising:

a comment-space inclusive prototype presentation device generating a comment-space inclusive prototype by adding a comment space to a prototype of the application under development to allow the end user of the application to participate in development of the application by allowing the user to write comments about features of a screen in the prototype or data items included in the screen and for sending the comment-space inclusive prototype to a client computer, via a network, for presentation to the ultimate user;

an identification data storage device storing information identifying the screen and the items, as well as information identifying development engineers involved in the development of the application; and

a user feedback distribution device to receive the comments and suggestions about the screen and/or the items from the client computer, to divide the received comments and suggestions into comments and suggestions relevant to respective development engineers involved in the development of the application based on the information stored in the identification data storage device, and to distribute the received comments and suggestions to the respective development engineers, based on the information stored in said identification data storage device.