This article proposes an approach to a hybrid software process simulation modeling (SPSM) using discrete event system specification (DEVS) formalism, which implements the dynamic structure and discrete characteristics of the software development process. Many previous researchers on hybrid SPSM have described both discrete and continuous aspects of the software development process to provide more realistic simulation models. The existing hybrid models, however, have not fully implemented the feedback loop mechanism of the system dynamics.We define the DEVS Hybrid SPSM formalism by extending DEVS to the hybrid SPSM domain. Our hybrid SPSM approach uses system dynamics modeling to convey details concerning activity behaviors and managerial policies, while discrete event modeling controls activity start/completion and sequence. This approach also provides a clear specification, an explicit extension point to extend the simulation model, and a reuse mechanism. We will demonstrate a Waterfall-like hybrid software process simulation model using the DEVS Hybrid SPSM formalism.

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It is difficult to adopt a simulation technology for simulating a software process because of the difficulty in developing a simulation model. In order to resolve the difficulty, we consider the following issues: reducing the cost to develop a simulation model, reducing the simulation model complexity, and increasing the modularity of a simulation model. We propose an approach to deriving a Discrete Event System Specification (DEVS)-Hybrid simulation model from a Software Process Engineering Metamodel (SPEM)-based software process model. We provide the mapping between the elements of SPEM and the DEVS-Hybrid formalism and the transformation rules for automatically deriving a simulation model from a descriptive process model. Our approach resolves the issues by the transformation rules and the hierarchical and modularized modeling properties of UML and DEVS.

Many sources have reported that the technical and managerial maturity of the acquirer is the essential key to success of Software-Intensive System Acquisition (SISA) and recommended to adopt the best practices. However, DoD is inactive to implement the SISA practices because DoD doesn't fully understand how and why the SISA practices affect the performance of software-intensive system development.In this research, we analyze the effects of SISA practices on acquirer and developer using hybrid software process simulation modeling. Our approach represents the dynamic characteristics (e.g., the interactions of acquisition organization and development organization and the effects of several SISA practices) and discrete characteristics (e.g., specific characteristics of discrete phase, etc.) of SISA programs. This research will contribute to reveal how the acquirer's activities influence the performance of the developer's process.