New study finds software maintenance tools crucial for budget savings.
The article discusses using software engineering tools to improve the software maintenance process. The researchers developed a model to understand why these tools are used and how they fit with maintenance tasks. They found that the fit between the tools and tasks strongly predicts tool use. Higher task complexity and experience with the tools lead to more tool use. Experience with the software being maintained doesn't affect tool use. The study suggests ways to improve maintenance support and software design.