Selecting a CASE tool

Abstract

Selecting a Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) tool can be a bewildering task, considering the number and variety of systems on the market. This paper presents a rigorous step-by-step selection process for choosing CASE tools. This algorithm requires that a set of CASE requirements be developed to meet the needs of the software development organization. Other selection steps include contacting vendors for information, conducting a preliminary screening of vendors to obtain a list of semi-finalists, and requesting a written response to the CASE requirements from the vendors and a loan of the tools for evaluation. The last steps inlcude site visits or non-disclosure meetings with the finalist vendors, and then the final selection.