A reverse engineering methodology to reconstruct hierarchical data flow diagrams for software maintenance

The methodology used to define a reverse engineering process that has been employed in an enhancement maintenance operation on a Pascal software system is described. Attention is focused on the methodology used to produce, from code, a hierarchy of data-flow diagrams (DFDs) at different levels of abstraction. DFDs are produced in the high-level design phase of a software production process using transform analysis. It is shown that DFD production by reverse engineering is useful in maintenance, not only for the software comprehension phase, but also for suggesting and supporting restructuring activities during the development of maintenance operations.< >