COTS selection using fuzzy interactive approach

In this paper, we introduce fuzzy mathematical programming (FMP) for decision-making related to software creation by selecting optimal commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products in a modular software system. Each module in such software systems have different alternatives with variations in their properties, for example, quality, reliability, execution time, size and cost. Due to these variations, component-based software developers generally deals with the problem of selecting appropriate COTS products. The development of COTS-based systems largely depends on the success of the selection process. Various crisp optimization models of COTS products selection have been proposed in literature. However, in real COTS products selection problem, it is difficult to estimate precisely the values of various model parameters due to lack of sufficient data and also because of measurement errors. Hence, instead of crisp optimization model, if we use flexible optimization model then we might obtain results which are more preferred by the decision maker. In this study, we use multiple methodologies such as quality model, analytical hierarchy process and FMP to develop fuzzy multiobjective optimization model of the COTS products selection. To determine a preferred compromise solution for the multiobjective optimization problem, an interactive fuzzy approach is used.