LaQuSo bridges between academia and industry by performing case studies. To support this strategy a methodology will be developed.

A case study is an empirical study. Methods, techniques and tools from industry as well as from science are used to solve customer questions. Each case study is supposed to contribute to the body of knowledge of LaQuSo. With this knowledge we can improve the methods, techniques and tools or discover best practices for their use. An example is the rule that defines which methods and techniques are most appropriate in a given situation.
Next to this LaQuSo wants to demonstrate that this methods and techniques indeed are capable of solving practical problems and LaQuSo intends to transfer the knowledge on these subjects to the software industry.
The goal of this research is to define a methodology for conducting case studies. For this purpose we classify the case studies into case types, based on customer questions. The expected customer questions and case studies will all be about certification of software artifacts, a complete software system or intermediate products like requirements, design and code.
The methodology describes the main activities per case type and suggests methods, techniques and tools to perform the activities. At the same time this is a case study to improve the ‘LaQuSo-toolkit’. This all will be executed on a project basis.

Starting from four main types of artifacts: requirements, architecture, software and system, LaQuSo identified four case types. LaQuSo also identified three case study types that can involve each of the four artifacts based on generic system features: security, performance and usability.
For each of the case types LaQuSo will define the following properties:

• Purpose: why does the customer ask us to perform this case study?
• Input: what do we need from the customer to start the case study?
• Output: what is the result of the case study? What will the customer obtain?
• Checkpoints: defines the elements of the case study that we’re talking about
• Activities: what are the steps to follow to get from input to output?
• MTT: what methods, techniques and tools are recommended to perform the steps?

For each area we will work out the steps in example case studies:

1. Requirements Analysis
2. Architecture Analysis
   • Component structure
   • Information structure
   • Detailed design
3. Software Code Analysis
   • Structure analysis
   • Behavior analysis
4. Testing of Executing System
5. Security Analysis
6. Performance Analysis
7. Usability Analysis