Software requirement selection using a combined multi‐objective optimisation technique

Abstract

The optimal requirements selection set aims primarily at careful search for the best requirements set of the next release of software during development process. This procedure is widely defined as the next release problem (NRP), which is also classified as NP-hard dilemma. Several techniques, in literature, have been proposed to tackle NRP. However, in real examples, the earlier studies still immature as NRP still suffers interactions and restrictions that makes the problem more complicated. Although few interesting works have been presented, yet NRP, based on our study, could be further investigated and effectively tackled. In this research, therefore, NRP is devised as a multiobjective optimisation problem. Two clashing objectives (satisfaction and cost) and two constraints (interactions forms) are formulated. To tackle NRP effectively, a new hybrid genetic and artificial bee colony algorithm (HGABC) is introduced. HGABC combines features of genetic and artificial bee colony algorithms. Experimental study, using case studies and three criteria, have been conducted to show HGABC's power of generating non-dominated effective Pareto solutions versus the state-of-the-art algorithms. Results indicate that HGABC does not just outperform its rivals, yet also gives better Pareto solutions in terms of diversity and quality for almost all the instances of this problem.