Problems in Determining the Consumer Value of a Software Product

• Main Author: A. I. Semikalenova
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Ministry of Justice of the Russian Federation, Russian Federal Centre of Forensic Science 2018-12-01
• Series: Теория и практика судебной экспертизы
• Subjects: computer forensics; program; consumer products examination; software and computer forensics; object of examination; consumer properties; consumer value
• Online Access: https://www.tipse.ru/jour/article/view/475

The article discusses the problems of determining the cost of developing and deploying a software product in terms of formation of its consumer characteristics. Rationale is provided for the need to develop expert approaches in response to these problems. The author demonstrates the consumer goods origin of a software product, and defines the main provisions for recognizing it as a type of consumer product. When trying to establish the consumer properties and use value of a computer program, it should be treated as a complex multi-faceted object that warrants a comprehensive approach to forensic investigation, including computer forensics and consumer goods evaluation. Five stages of creating a software product are considered: pre-design planning, software design (architecture), writing the source code, building the executable program itself, and drafting software documentation for the final product. Groups of consumer properties formed at each stage are also defined.