Software evaluation problem situations

Evaluating software is a complex decision aiding activity which requires the recognition of the problem siutation in which the evaluation is requested, the establishment of a set of problem formulations which represent the client's “problems” and, for a specific problem formulation, the construction of an evaluation model which indicates how such an evaluation will be performed. In this paper the first two aspects of such a process are discussed, providing a partial list of software evaluation problem situations, how they are characterised and what problem formulations they allow. Moreover two real case studies, concerning software evaluation, are briefly presented and discussed under this point of view (how the problem is perceived and formulated).