Model of the System’s Evolution Through Structural Erosion and Reorganization

Abstract

A program system is created based on a problem solution using a model. The program system changes, including due to changes in its structure. The purpose of the study is to clarify the evolution of a system with a modifiable structure, which is necessary for understanding the program life cycle. We introduce a model of the system’s evolution in aspect of changes in its structure. During the life cycle, the system exists in states of structured and unstructured. Erosion makes the system unstructured, and reorganization makes it structured. Some modifications don’t change the state of the system. The measure of structuredness determines the state of the system. The measure can be the difference between the current and intended structures, structure parameters – the number of components, the relationships between them, the target indicator of the structure – for example, the complexity of changing the system or its structure. Technical debt and structural erosion negatively affect the structuredness of the system. Technical debt occurs after a change of a target and distortion of a system. Technical debt must be eliminated after the value of the measure of the system’s structuredness critically exceeds the specified threshold. The causes of structural erosion are technical debt, lack of understanding of the system’s structure, lack of experience in changing the system or its structure, and substituting the target indicator after the environment change. There are a number of approaches to measuring structural erosion, but none are accurate.