Ipek Ozkaya
Software Engineering Institute
Ipek Ozkaya is a principal researcher and the technical director of the Engineering Intelligent Software Systems group at the SEI. Ozkaya’s primary interests include developing techniques for improving software development efficiency and system evolution with an emphasis on software architecture practices, software economics, and agile development. Ozkaya’s most recent research focuses on building the theoretical and empirical foundations of managing technical debt in large-scale, complex software-intensive systems and software engineering of AI-enabled systems. Ozkaya is editor in chief of IEEE Software magazine and is the coauthor of a practitioner book, Managing Technical Debt, Reducing Friction in Software Development. Ozkaya holds doctoral and master’s degrees in computational design from Carnegie Mellon University.
Publications by Ipek Ozkaya
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Industry's Cry for Tools That Support Large-Scale Refactoring
April 11, 2022 • Conference Paper
James IversRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This paper introduces an industry survey that assessed which tools developers use in large-scale refactoring efforts and how well those tools support refactoring.
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Optimization of Software Release Planning Considering Architectural Dependencies, Cost, and Value
April 01, 2022 • Article
Raghvinder Sangwan (Pennsylvania State University)Ashkan Negahban (Pennsylvania State University)Robert Nord
This article describes using design structure and domain mapping matrices to analyze architectural dependencies and proposes a decision-making technique to support release planning.
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Untangling the Knot: Enabling Architecture Evolution with Search-Based Refactoring
March 15, 2022 • Conference Paper
James IversChris SeifriedIpek Ozkaya
This paper describes a search-based algorithm that recommends a series of refactorings that isolate specified software from its architectural dependencies.
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Software Engineering for Machine Learning
November 18, 2021 • Podcast
Grace LewisIpek Ozkaya
Grace Lewis and Ipek Ozkaya discuss their research into software engineering for machine learning (ML) with host Jonathan Spring.
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Architecting the Future of Software Engineering: A National Agenda for Software Engineering Research & Development
November 03, 2021 • Book
Anita CarletonMark H. KleinJohn E. Robert
The SEI led the community in creating this multi-year research and development vision and roadmap for engineering next-generation software-reliant systems.
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Computing at the Edge: Challenges and Priorities for Software Engineering and AI
October 13, 2021 • Brochure
Kevin A. PitstickMarc NovakouskiGrace Lewis
Moving computing to the edge has many benefits but also presents significant challenges for software and AI engineering. This brochure describes eight such challenges.
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AI for Software Engineering
August 04, 2021 • Presentation
James IversIpek Ozkaya
This talk describes the state of research in AI applied to improving software development efficiency and the SEI's recent progress in search-based refactoring.
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Fostering Diversity in Software Engineering
July 15, 2021 • Podcast
Grace LewisIpek OzkayaJay Palat
Grace Lewis hosts a panel discussion with Ipek Ozkaya, Nathan West, and Jay Palat about diversity in software engineering.
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Characterizing and Detecting Mismatch in Machine-Learning-Enabled Systems
May 31, 2021 • Conference Paper
Grace LewisStephany BellomoIpek Ozkaya
This paper reports findings from a study of mismatches in end-to-end development of machine-learning-enabled systems and implications for improving development practices.
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Software Engineering for Machine Learning
January 26, 2021 • Webinar
Grace LewisIpek Ozkaya
In this webcast, Grace Lewis provides perspectives involved in the development and operation of ML systems.
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Next-Generation Automated Software Evolution Refactoring at Scale
November 30, 2020 • Conference Paper
James IversIpek OzkayaRobert Nord
This paper describes a vision for creating the next generation of industry-relevant tools for automating software evolution and automated refactoring at scale.
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Poster - Untangling the Knot
November 04, 2020 • Poster
Robert NordIpek OzkayaJames Ivers
This project uses AI techniques to recommend refactorings that can improve the structure of software in significantly less time than it takes to manually refactor.
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Becoming a Better Software Architect
March 13, 2020 • Webinar
Ipek OzkayaJames IversPhilip Bianco
In this session, a panel of architects discussed their personal paths to becoming software architects and how they have helped others on that journey.
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Can AI Close the Design-Code Abstraction Gap?
January 27, 2020 • Conference Paper
James IversIpek OzkayaRobert Nord
This paper argues that the software engineering community can use AI/ML techniques to advance automation in design analysis and to make design improvements.
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Applying AI to Reduce Software Improvement Costs
September 30, 2019 • Fact Sheet
Ipek OzkayaJames Ivers
This fact sheet summarizes several SEI projects seeking collaborators with whom to apply AI techniques that automate labor-intensive software engineering activities.
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Automatically Detecting Technical Debt Discussions
June 24, 2019 • White Paper
Ipek OzkayaZachary KurtzRobert Nord
This study introduces (1) a dataset of expert labels of technical debt in developer comments and (2) a classifier trained on those labels.
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Women in Software and Cybersecurity: Dr. Ipek Ozkaya
June 20, 2019 • Podcast
Ipek Ozkaya
In this podcast, the latest in our Women in Software and Cybersecurity podcast series, Dr. Ipek Ozkaya talks about the educational choices and career path that led to her current work.
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Managing Technical Debt: Reducing Friction in Software Development
April 19, 2019 • Book
Philippe Kruchten (University of British Columbia)Robert NordIpek Ozkaya
This book is for every software professional who wants to accelerate innovation in existing systems or build new systems that will be easier to maintain and evolve.
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What Makes a Good Software Architect (2019 Edition)?
April 04, 2019 • Webinar
John KleinIpek OzkayaFelix Bachmann
The architect's role continues to evolve; in this webcast we revisited the question in the context of today's role and responsibilities.
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Managing Technical Debt: A Focus on Automation, Design, and Architecture
March 20, 2019 • Podcast
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
Rod Nord and Ipek Ozkaya discuss the SEI's current work in technical debt including the development of analysis techniques to help software engineers and decision makers manage the effect of technical debt on their software projects.
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Mini-Tutorial: Emerging Technologies for Software-Reliant Systems
February 25, 2019 • Presentation
Eileen WrubelGrace LewisIpek Ozkaya
This talk presents several emerging technologies and their potential impact for software-reliant systems.
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Modern Software Lifecycle Practices
October 24, 2018 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaSam Procter
Discussion of FY18 DoD Line-funded research into techical debt and security engineering
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Data-Driven Technical Debt Analysis
October 23, 2018 • Poster
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
This poster describes research efforts in analyzing data to uncover technical debt.
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Technical Debt Analysis through Software Analytics
October 30, 2017 • Presentation
Ipek Ozkaya
Presentation on research to develop tools that pinpoint problematic design decisions and quantify their consequences for uncovering technical debt
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Technical Debt Analysis through Software Analytics
October 30, 2017 • Poster
Ipek Ozkaya
Poster on research to develop tools that integrate data from multiple, commonly available sources to pinpoint problematic design decisions and quantify their consequences in a repeatable and reliable way
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SEI Cyber Minute: Representing Your Technical Debt
August 23, 2017 • Video
Ipek Ozkaya
Watch Ipek Ozkaya in this Cyber Minute, as she recommends developers adopt a simple practice of reporting technical debt, including its potential accumulating side effects, as they discover or accrue that debt.
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The Hard Choices Game Explained
June 26, 2017 • White Paper
Nanette BrownPhilippe KruchtenErin Lim
The Hard Choices game is a simulation of the software development cycle meant to communicate the concepts of uncertainty, risk, and technical debt.
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What to Fix? Distinguishing Between Design and Non-design Rules in Automated Tools
April 07, 2017 • Conference Paper
Neil ErnstStephany BellomoIpek Ozkaya
This paper describes an empirical study using a structured categorization approach to manually classify 466 software quality rules from three industry tools.
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The Relationship Between Design Flaws and Software Vulnerabilities: A Technical Debt Perspective
March 23, 2017 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
This presentation explores the relationships between design flaws and software vulnerabilities, and their impact on software assurance and sustainable development and delivery.
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Technical Debt as a Core Software Engineering Practice
February 27, 2017 • Podcast
Ipek Ozkaya
In this podcast, Ipek Ozkaya talks about managing technical debt as a core software engineering practice and its importance in the education of future software engineers.
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Got Technical Debt? Surfacing Elusive Technical Debt in Issue Trackers
November 28, 2016 • Presentation
Stephany BellomoRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This presentation on measuring and managing technical debt was given at the 49th CREST Open Workshop Software Architecture and Technical Debt in November 2016.
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Measure It? Manage It? Ignore It? Software Practitioners and Technical Debt
November 28, 2016 • Presentation
Neil ErnstStephany BellomoIpek Ozkaya
This presentation on measuring and managing technical debt was given at the 49th CREST Open Workshop Software Architecture and Technical Debt in November 2016.
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Using Technical Debt to Improve Software Sustainability and Find Software Vulnerabilities
November 01, 2016 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
Introduces analytics use of technical debt
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Using Technical Debt to Improve Software Sustainability
October 18, 2016 • Poster
Ipek Ozkaya
Technical Debt
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Welcome to the Eighth International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt
October 04, 2016 • Presentation
Clemente Izurieta (Montana State University)Ipek OzkayaWill Snipes (ABB Corporate Research)
This presentation was part of the Eighth International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, held in conjunction with ICSME 2016.
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What Makes a Good Software Architect?
May 18, 2016 • Webinar
Ipek OzkayaAndrew KotovJohn Klein
In this webinar, SEI researchers and an industry colleague discussed in two talks What Makes a Good Software Architect?
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Got Technical Debt? Surfacing Elusive Technical Debt in Issue Trackers
May 16, 2016 • Conference Paper
Stephany BellomoRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This paper reports on a study of issues from issue trackers to identify technical debt and present an approach for reporting technical debt in issue trackers.
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Managing Technical Debt in Software Engineering
April 22, 2016 • Conference Paper
Paris Avgeriou (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)Philippe KruchtenIpek Ozkaya
This report documents the program and outcomes of Dagstuhl Seminar 16162, “Managing Technical Debt in Software Engineering.” We summarize the goals and format of the seminar.
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Managing Technical Debt in Software Engineering
April 17, 2016 • Presentation
Paris Avgeriou (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)Philippe KruchtenIpek Ozkaya
This report documents the program and outcomes of Dagstuhl Seminar 16162, “Managing Technical Debt in Software Engineering.”
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Missed Architectural Dependencies: The Elephant in the Room
April 05, 2016 • Conference Paper
Robert NordRaghvinder SangwanJulien Delange
This paper presents an in-depth study of a safety-critical system that underwent major changes as a result of missed architectural dependencies.
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Reducing Friction in Software Development
January 04, 2016 • Article
Paris Avgeriou (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)Philippe KruchtenRobert Nord
Getting ahead of the software quality and innovation curve will involve establishing technical-debt management as a core software engineering practice.
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Technical Debt: Why Should You Care?
November 18, 2015 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
This presentation explores common fallacies about technical debt and includes possible actions that development teams can take to better manage it.
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Improving Software Sustainability through Data-Driven Technical Debt Management Poster (SEI 2015 Research Review)
October 22, 2015 • Poster
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
This work aims to improve sustainment decision making by identifying technical debt indicators and building correlations between them and project measures.
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Improving Software Sustainability Through Data-Driven Technical Debt Management
October 16, 2015 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaRobert Nord
This work aims to improve sustainment decision making by identifying technical debt indicators and building correlations between them and project measures.
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Toward Simpler, not Simplistic, Quantification of Software Architecture and Metrics: Report on the Second International Workshop on Software Architecture and Metrics
September 24, 2015 • Article
Ipek OzkayaRobert NordHeiko Koziolek (ABB Corporate Research)
This article reports on the Second International Workshop on Software Architecture and Metrics, where participants discussed architecture, measurement, and analysis.
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Measure It? Manage It? Ignore It? Software Practitioners and Technical Debt
August 30, 2015 • Conference Paper
Neil ErnstStephany BellomoIpek Ozkaya
This paper reports on a survey of 1,831 software engineers and architects, and follow-up interviews of seven software engineers, to determine the most important sources of technical debt.
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Enabling Incremental Iterative Development at Scale: Quality Attribute Refinement and Allocation in Practice
June 04, 2015 • Technical Report
Neil ErnstStephany BellomoRobert Nord
This report describes industry practices used to develop business capabilities and suggests approaches to enable large-scale iterative development, or agile at scale.
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Evolutionary Improvements of Cross-Cutting Concerns: Performance in Practice
October 30, 2014 • Conference Paper
Stephany BellomoNeil ErnstRobert Nord
This paper describes two key challenges of incrementally evolving cross-cutting concerns such as performance during incremental software development.
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Architectural Dependency Analysis to Understand Rework Costs for Safety-Critical Systems
June 05, 2014 • Conference Paper
Robert NordIpek OzkayaRaghvinder Sangwan (Pennsylvania State University)
This paper describes the need for a thorough understanding and analysis of architectural dependencies to minimize the cost of testing and technology upgrades.
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Agile in Distress: Architecture to the Rescue
May 30, 2014 • Conference Paper
Robert NordIpek OzkayaPhilippe Kruchten
For large-scale software-development endeavors, agility is enabled by architecture, and vice versa, and architecture supports high-priority business features.
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Welcome to SAM 2014
April 07, 2014 • Presentation
Paris Avgeriou (University of Groningen, The Netherlands)Heiko KoziolekRobert Nord
This presentation was part of the First International Workshop on Software Architecture Metrics, held at the 11th Working IEEE/IFIP Conference on Software Architecture.
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Technical Debt at the Crossroads of Research and Practice: Report on the Fifth International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt
March 31, 2014 • Article
Davide Falessi (Fraunhofer Center for Experimental Software Engineering)Philippe KruchtenRobert Nord
This article reports on the Fifth International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, where participants shared emerging practices used in software development organizations.
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How to Agilely Architect an Agile Architecture
February 03, 2014 • Article
Stephany BellomoPhilippe KruchtenRobert Nord
In this article, we present lessons learned about the characteristics of an Agile architecture that enabled an organization to develop its architecture in an Agile manner and continue to rapidly deliver features when more stringent quality attribute requi
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Parallel Worlds: Agile and Waterfall Differences and Similarities
October 01, 2013 • Technical Note
Steve PalmquistMary Ann LaphamSuzanne Garcia-Miller
This report helps readers understand Agile. The report assembles terms and concepts from both the traditional world of waterfall-based development and the Agile environment to show the many similarities and differences.
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Technical Debt: Towards a Crisper Definition, Report on the 4th International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt
September 30, 2013 • Article
Philippe KruchtenRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This article reports on the Fourth International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, where participants defined technical debt and the limits of the metaphor.
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Variations on Using Propagation Costs to Measure Architecture Modifiabilty Properties
September 22, 2013 • Conference Paper
Robert NordIpek OzkayaRaghvinder Sangwan
Demonstrates how enhancing the propogation metric based on architectural metrics results in enhancements detection of modifiability properties not detectable by the propagation cost metric.
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Understanding the Role of Constraints on Architecturally Significant Requirements
July 16, 2013 • Conference Paper
Neil ErnstIpek OzkayaRobert Nord
This paper describes a case study conducted to identify architecturally significant requirements that were impacted by tool selection.
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Results of SEI Line-Funded Exploratory New Starts Projects: FY 2012
July 01, 2013 • Technical Report
Bjorn AnderssonLori FlynnDavid P. Gluch
This report describes line-funded exploratory new starts (LENS) projects that were conducted during fiscal year 2012 (October 2011 through September 2012).
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Beyond Scrum + XP: Agile Architecture Practice
June 26, 2013 • Article
Ipek OzkayaRobert NordStephany Bellomo
This article highlights several approaches to agile architecture that organizations have applied and provides an in-depth release planning and roadmap planning.
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A Study of Enabling Factors for Rapid Fielding
May 23, 2013 • Conference Paper
Stephany BellomoRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This paper summarizes the practices that practitioners interviewed from Agile projects found most valuable and provides an overarching scenario for insight into how and why these practices emerge.
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Elaboration on an Integrated Architecture and Requirement Practice
May 21, 2013 • Conference Paper
Stephany BellomoRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This paper elaborates the practice of prototyping with quality attribute focus to gain a better understanding of how this practice works and what the benefits of the approach are.
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Architecting in a Complex World: Achieving Agility and Stability in Large-Scale Software Development
May 16, 2013 • Webinar
Ipek Ozkaya
Ipek Ozkaya explores tactics about how organizations can better take advantage of software architecting for large-scale agile software-development efforts.
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Architecting for Large-Scale Agile Development: A Risk-Driven Approach
May 01, 2013 • Article
Ipek OzkayaMichael J. GagliardiRobert Nord
This article focuses on two agile architecting methods that provide rapid feedback on the state of agile team support: architecture-centric risk factors for adoption of agile development at scale and incremental architecture evaluations.
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Technical Debt: From Metaphor to Theory and Practice
November 01, 2012 • White Paper
Philippe KruchtenRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This article discusses the technical debt metaphor and considers it beyond a "rhetorical concept." The article explores the role of decision making about developmental activities and future changes and the evolution that the software needs to undergo.
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Making Architecture Visible to Improve Flow Management in Lean Software Development
October 01, 2012 • Article
Robert NordIpek OzkayaRaghvinder Sangwan
This article explains how the flow management concept from lean software development can provide a framework for balancing the allocation of critical architectural tasks to development effort.
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Technical Debt in Software Development: From Metaphor to Theory, Report on the Third International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt
September 28, 2012 • Article
Philippe KruchtenRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This article reports on the Third International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, where participants considered a research agenda for managing technical debt.
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An Architecture-Focused Measurement Framework for Managing Technical Debt
September 04, 2012 • Podcast
Ipek Ozkaya
In this podcast, Ipek Ozkaya discusses the SEI's research on the strategic management of technical debt, which involves decisions made to defer necessary work during the planning or execution of a software project.
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In Search of a Metric for Managing Architectural Technical Debt
August 01, 2012 • Conference Paper
Robert NordIpek OzkayaPhilippe Kruchten
This paper describes an architecture-focused and measurement-based approach to developing a metric that will assist in strategically managing technical debt.
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Results of SEI Line-Funded Exploratory New Starts Projects
August 01, 2012 • Technical Report
Len BassRick KazmanEdwin J. Morris
This report describes the line-funded exploratory new starts (LENS) projects that were undertaken during fiscal year 2011. For each project, the report presents a brief description and a recounting of the research that was done, as well as a synopsis of the results of the project.
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SEI Agile Research Forum: Strategic Management of Architectural Technical Debt
July 31, 2012 • Webinar
Ipek Ozkaya
Ipek Ozkaya shows you how to spot the sources of technical debt in your project, track it, and use it to your advantage.
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Architectural Tactics to Support Rapid and Agile Stability
May 01, 2012 • Article
Felix BachmannRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This article presents three tactics that support rapid and agile stability: aligning feature-based development and system decomposition, creating an architectural runway, and using matrix teams.
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Managing Technical Debt in Software Development: Report on the 2nd International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt
September 30, 2011 • Article
Ipek OzkayaPhilippe KruchtenRobert Nord
This article reports on the Second International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, where participants discussed current practiced and a research agenda.
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Quantifying the Value of Architecting Within Agile Software Development via Technical Debt Analysis
May 23, 2011 • Presentation
Nanette BrownRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This presentation was part of the Second International Workshop on Managing Technical Debt, held in conjunction with ICSE 2011.
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Analysis and Management of Architectural Dependencies in Iterative Release Planning
April 01, 2011 • Conference Paper
Nanette BrownRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
Authors assert that the ability to quantify architecture quality with measurable criteria provides engineering guidance for iterative release planning.
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Results of SEI Independent Research and Development Projects (FY 2010)
February 01, 2011 • Technical Report
William AndersonDavid FisherDavid P. Gluch
This report describes results of independent research and development (IRAD) projects undertaken in fiscal year 2010.
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Enabling Agility Through Architecture
December 16, 2010 • White Paper
Nanette BrownRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
Enabling Agility Through Architecture: A Crosstalk article by Nanette Brown, Rod Nord, and Ipek Ozkaya.
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Enabling Agility Through Architecture
December 10, 2010 • Article
Nanette BrownRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This article discusses the important role that architecture plays in effectively applying Agile practices to software development.
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Managing Technical Debt in Software-Reliant Systems
November 08, 2010 • Conference Paper
Nanette BrownRobert NordIpek Ozkaya
This paper describes how software engineers can manage technical debt based on models of their economic impact.
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A Framework for Making Architectural Decisions in a Business Context (SATURN 2009)
April 20, 2009 • Presentation
Jeromy CarriereRick KazmanIpek Ozkaya
Presentation given at SATURN 2009, which was held in Pittsburgh, PA in May 2009.
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Results of SEI Independent Research and Development Projects (FY 2008)
December 01, 2008 • Technical Report
Dionisio de NizGabriel MorenoRobert Nord
This report describes the independent research and development (IRAD) projects that were conducted during fiscal year 2008 (October 2007 through September 2008).
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Welcome to SATURN 2007 the Third SEI Software Architecture Technology User Network Workshop (SATURN 2007)
May 14, 2007 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaRob Wojcik
Presentation for the 2007 SATURN workshop, held in Pittsburgh.
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Quality-Attribute-Based Economic Valuation of Architectural Patterns
May 01, 2007 • Technical Report
Ipek OzkayaRick KazmanMark H. Klein
This report shows how an analysis of the options embodied within architectural patterns allows a software and system architect or manager to make reasoned choices about the future value of design decisions.
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A Comparison of Requirements Specification Methods from a Software Architecture Perspective
August 01, 2006 • Technical Report
Len BassJohn K. BergeyPaul C. Clements
In this report, five methods for the elicitation and expression of requirements are evaluated with respect to their ability to capture architecturally significant requirements.
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A Comparison of Requirements Specification Methods from a Software Architecture Perspective (SATURN 2006)
April 25, 2006 • Presentation
Ipek OzkayaLen BassJohn K. Bergey
Ipek Ozkaya talks about an approach developed by Fergus O'Brien that is used to assess how well different requirement specification methods serve an architect's goals and needs.
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