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The stochastic Frank–Wolfe method has recently attracted much general interest in the context of optimization for statistical and machine learning due to its ability to work with a more general feasible region. However, there has been a complexity gap in the dependence on the optimality tolerance ε in the guaranteed convergence rate for stochastic Frank–Wolfe compared to its deterministic counterpart. In this work, we present a new generalized stochastic Frank–Wolfe method which closes this gap for the class of structured optimization problems encountered in statistical and machine learning characterized by empirical loss minimization with a certain type of "linear prediction" property (formally defined in the paper), which is typically present in loss minimization problems in practice. Our method also introduces the notion of a "substitute gradient" that is a not-necessarily-unbiased estimate of the gradient. We show that our new method is equivalent to a particular randomized coordinate mirror descent algorithm applied to the dual problem, which in turn provides a new interpretation of randomized dual coordinate descent in the primal space. Also, in the special case of a strongly convex regularizer our generalized stochastic Frank–Wolfe method (as well as the randomized dual coordinate descent method) exhibits linear convergence. Furthermore, we present computational experiments that indicate that our method outperforms other stochastic Frank–Wolfe methods for a sufficiently small optimality tolerance, consistent with the theory developed herein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a procedure to solve the classical location median problem where the distances are measured with ℓ-norms with p > 2. In order to do that we consider an approximated problem. The global convergence of the sequence generated by this iterative scheme is proved. Therefore, this paper closes the still open question of giving a modification of the Weiszfeld algorithm that converges to an optimal solution of the median problem with ℓ norms and $${p \in (2, \infty)}$$. The paper ends with a computational analysis of the different provided iterative schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce new optimized first-order methods for smooth unconstrained convex minimization. Drori and Teboulle (Math Program 145(1-2):451-482, 2014. doi:) recently described a numerical method for computing the N-iteration optimal step coefficients in a class of first-order algorithms that includes gradient methods, heavy-ball methods (Polyak in USSR Comput Math Math Phys 4(5):1-17, 1964. doi:), and Nesterov's fast gradient methods (Nesterov in Sov Math Dokl 27(2):372-376, 1983; Math Program 103(1):127-152, 2005. doi:). However, the numerical method in Drori and Teboulle (2014) is computationally expensive for large N, and the corresponding numerically optimized first-order algorithm in Drori and Teboulle (2014) requires impractical memory and computation for large-scale optimization problems. In this paper, we propose optimized first-order algorithms that achieve a convergence bound that is two times smaller than for Nesterov's fast gradient methods; our bound is found analytically and refines the numerical bound in Drori and Teboulle (2014). Furthermore, the proposed optimized first-order methods have efficient forms that are remarkably similar to Nesterov's fast gradient methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work addresses the development of an efficient solution strategy for obtaining global optima of continuous, integer, and mixed-integer nonlinear programs. Towards this end, we develop novel relaxation schemes, range reduction tests, and branching strategies which we incorporate into the prototypical branch-and-bound algorithm. In the theoretical/algorithmic part of the paper, we begin by developing novel strategies for constructing linear relaxations of mixed-integer nonlinear programs and prove that these relaxations enjoy quadratic convergence properties. We then use Lagrangian/linear programming duality to develop a unifying theory of domain reduction strategies as a consequence of which we derive many range reduction strategies currently used in nonlinear programming and integer linear programming. This theory leads to new range reduction schemes, including a learning heuristic that improves initial branching decisions by relaying data across siblings in a branch-and-bound tree. Finally, we incorporate these relaxation and reduction strategies in a branch-and-bound algorithm that incorporates branching strategies that guarantee finiteness for certain classes of continuous global optimization problems. In the computational part of the paper, we describe our implementation discussing, wherever appropriate, the use of suitable data structures and associated algorithms. We present computational experience with benchmark separable concave quadratic programs, fractional 0-1 programs, and mixed-integer nonlinear programs from applications in synthesis of chemical processes, engineering design, just-in-time manufacturing, and molecular design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work we analyze the paper “Brimberg, J. (1995): The Fermat-Weber location problem revisited. Mathematical Programming 71, 71–76” which claims to close the question on the conjecture posed by Chandrasekaran and Tamir in 1989 on the convergence of the Weiszfeld algorithm. Some counterexamples are shown to the proofs showed in Brimberg’s paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coordinate descent algorithms solve optimization problems by successively performing approximate minimization along coordinate directions or coordinate hyperplanes. They have been used in applications for many years, and their popularity continues to grow because of their usefulness in data analysis, machine learning, and other areas of current interest. This paper describes the fundamentals of the coordinate descent approach, together with variants and extensions and their convergence properties, mostly with reference to convex objectives. We pay particular attention to a certain problem structure that arises frequently in machine learning applications, showing that efficient implementations of accelerated coordinate descent algorithms are possible for problems of this type. We also present some parallel variants and discuss their convergence properties under several models of parallel execution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trust region methods are a class of numerical methods for optimization. Unlike line search type methods where a line search is carried out in each iteration, trust region methods compute a trial step by solving a trust region subproblem where a model function is minimized within a trust region. Due to the trust region constraint, nonconvex models can be used in trust region subproblems, and trust region algorithms can be applied to nonconvex and ill-conditioned problems. Normally it is easier to establish the global convergence of a trust region algorithm than that of its line search counterpart. In the paper, we review recent results on trust region methods for unconstrained optimization, constrained optimization, nonlinear equations and nonlinear least squares, nonsmooth optimization and optimization without derivatives. Results on trust region subproblems and regularization methods are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper derives new algorithms for signomial programming, a generalization of geometric programming. The algorithms are based on a generic principle for optimization called the MM algorithm. In this setting, one can apply the geometric-arithmetic mean inequality and a supporting hyperplane inequality to create a surrogate function with parameters separated. Thus, unconstrained signomial programming reduces to a sequence of one-dimensional minimization problems. Simple examples demonstrate that the MM algorithm derived can converge to a boundary point or to one point of a continuum of minimum points. Conditions under which the minimum point is unique or occurs in the interior of parameter space are proved for geometric programming. Convergence to an interior point occurs at a linear rate. Finally, the MM framework easily accommodates equality and inequality constraints of signomial type. For the most important special case, constrained quadratic programming, the MM algorithm involves very simple updates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an implementation of an interior-point algorithm for large-scale nonlinear optimization. It is based on the algorithm proposed by Curtis et al. (SIAM J Sci Comput 32:3447-3475, ), a method that possesses global convergence guarantees to first-order stationary points with the novel feature that inexact search direction calculations are allowed in order to save computational expense. The implementation follows the proposed algorithm, but includes many practical enhancements, such as functionality to avoid the computation of a normal step during every iteration. The implementation is included in the IPOPT software package paired with an iterative linear system solver and preconditioner provided in PARDISO. Numerical results on a large nonlinear optimization test set and two PDE-constrained optimization problems with control and state constraints are presented to illustrate that the implementation is robust and efficient for large-scale applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Line search algorithms for nonlinear programming must include safeguards to enjoy global convergence properties. This paper describes an exact penalization approach that extends the class of problems that can be solved with line search sequential quadratic programming methods. In the new algorithm, the penalty parameter is adjusted at every iteration to ensure sufficient progress in linear feasibility and to promote acceptance of the step. A trust region is used to assist in the determination of the penalty parameter, but not in the step computation. It is shown that the algorithm enjoys favorable global convergence properties. Numerical experiments illustrate the behavior of the algorithm on various difficult situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stabilized version of the sequential quadratic programming algorithm (sSQP) had been developed in order to achieve superlinear convergence in situations when the Lagrange multipliers associated to a solution are not unique. Within the framework of Fischer (Math Program 94:91-124, 2002), the key to local superlinear convergence of sSQP are the following two properties: upper Lipschitzian behavior of solutions of the Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (KKT) system under canonical perturbations and local solvability of sSQP subproblems with the associated primal-dual step being of the order of the distance from the current iterate to the solution set of the unperturbed KKT system. According to Fernández and Solodov (Math Program 125:47-73, 2010), both of these properties are ensured by the second-order sufficient optimality condition (SOSC) without any constraint qualification assumptions. In this paper, we state precise relationships between the upper Lipschitzian property of solutions of KKT systems, error bounds for KKT systems, the notion of critical Lagrange multipliers (a subclass of multipliers that violate SOSC in a very special way), the second-order necessary condition for optimality, and solvability of sSQP subproblems. Moreover, for the problem with equality constraints only, we prove superlinear convergence of sSQP under the assumption that the dual starting point is close to a noncritical multiplier. Since noncritical multipliers include all those satisfying SOSC but are not limited to them, we believe this gives the first superlinear convergence result for any Newtonian method for constrained optimization under assumptions that do not include any constraint qualifications and are weaker than SOSC. In the general case when inequality constraints are present, we show that such a relaxation of assumptions is not possible. We also consider applying sSQP to the problem where inequality constraints are reformulated into equalities using slack variables, and discuss the assumptions needed for convergence in this approach. We conclude with consequences for local regularization methods proposed in (Izmailov and Solodov SIAM J Optim 16:210-228, 2004; Wright SIAM J. Optim. 15:673-676, 2005). In particular, we show that these methods are still locally superlinearly convergent under the noncritical multiplier assumption, weaker than SOSC employed originally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nuclear norm minimization problem is to find a matrix with the minimum nuclear norm subject to linear and second order cone constraints. Such a problem often arises from the convex relaxation of a rank minimization problem with noisy data, and arises in many fields of engineering and science. In this paper, we study inexact proximal point algorithms in the primal, dual and primal-dual forms for solving the nuclear norm minimization with linear equality and second order cone constraints. We design efficient implementations of these algorithms and present comprehensive convergence results. In particular, we investigate the performance of our proposed algorithms in which the inner sub-problems are approximately solved by the gradient projection method or the accelerated proximal gradient method. Our numerical results for solving randomly generated matrix completion problems and real matrix completion problems show that our algorithms perform favorably in comparison to several recently proposed state-of-the-art algorithms. Interestingly, our proposed algorithms are connected with other algorithms that have been studied in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linear Programming, LP, problems with finite optimal value have a zero duality gap and a primal–dual strictly complementary optimal solution pair. On the other hand, there exist Semidefinite Programming, SDP, problems which have a nonzero duality gap (different primal and dual optimal values; not both infinite). The duality gap is assured to be zero if a constraint qualification, e.g., Slater’s condition (strict feasibility) holds. Measures of strict feasibility, also called distance to infeasibility, have been used in complexity analysis, and, it is known that (near) loss of strict feasibility results in numerical difficulties. In addition, there exist SDP problems which have a zero duality gap but no strict complementary primal–dual optimal solution. We refer to these problems as hard instances of SDP. The assumption of strict complementarity is essential for asymptotic superlinear and quadratic rate convergence proofs. In this paper, we introduce a procedure for generating hard instances of SDP with a specified complementarity nullity (the dimension of the common nullspace of primal–dual optimal pairs). We then show, empirically, that the complementarity nullity correlates well with the observed local convergence rate and the number of iterations required to obtain optimal solutions to a specified accuracy, i.e., we show, even when Slater’s condition holds, that the loss of strict complementarity results in numerical difficulties. We include two new measures of hardness that correlate well with the complementarity nullity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stochastic optimization/approximation algorithms are widely used to recursively estimate the optimum of a suitable function or its root under noisy observations when this optimum or root is a constant or evolves randomly according to slowly time-varying continuous sample paths. In comparison, this paper analyzes the asymptotic properties of stochastic optimization/approximation algorithms for recursively estimating the optimum or root when it evolves rapidly with nonsmooth (jump-changing) sample paths. The resulting problem falls into the category of regime-switching stochastic approximation algorithms with two-time scales. Motivated by emerging applications in wireless communications, and system identification, we analyze asymptotic behavior of such algorithms. Our analysis assumes that the noisy observations contain a (nonsmooth) jump process modeled by a discrete-time Markov chain whose transition frequency varies much faster than the adaptation rate of the stochastic optimization algorithm. Using stochastic averaging, we prove convergence of the algorithm. Rate of convergence of the algorithm is obtained via bounds on the estimation errors and diffusion approximations. Remarks on improving the convergence rates through iterate averaging, and limit mean dynamics represented by differential inclusions are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We focus on the numerical solution of closed-loop stochastic problems, and propose a perturbed gradient algorithm to achieve this goal. The main hurdle in such problems is the fact that the control variables are infinite-dimensional, due to, e.g., the information constraints. Alternatively said, control variables are feedbacks, i.e., functions. Such controls have hence to be represented in a finite way in order to solve the problem numerically. In the same way, the gradient of the criterion is itself an infinite-dimensional object. Our algorithm replaces this exact (and unknown) gradient by a perturbed one, which consists of the product of the true gradient evaluated at a random point and a kernel function which extends this gradient to the neighbourhood of the random point. Proceeding this way, we explore the whole space iteration after iteration through random points. Since each kernel function is perfectly known by a small number of parameters, say N, the control at iteration k is perfectly known as an infinite-dimensional object by at most N × k parameters. The main strength of this method is that it avoids any discretization of the underlying space, provided that we can sample as many points as needed in this space. Moreover, our algorithm can take into account the possible measurability constraints of the problem in a new way. Finally, the randomized strategy implemented by the algorithm causes the most probable parts of the space to be the most explored ones, which is a priori an interesting feature. In this paper, we first prove two convergence results of this algorithm in the strongly convex and convex cases, and then give some numerical examples showing the interest of this method for practical stochastic optimization problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sample-path method is one of the most important tools in simulation-based optimization. The basic idea of the method is to approximate the expected simulation output by the average of sample observations with a common random number sequence. In this paper, we describe a new variant of Powell’s unconstrained optimization by quadratic approximation (UOBYQA) method, which integrates a Bayesian variable-number sample-path (VNSP) scheme to choose appropriate number of samples at each iteration. The statistically accurate scheme determines the number of simulation runs, and guarantees the global convergence of the algorithm. The VNSP scheme saves a significant amount of simulation operations compared to general purpose ‘fixed-number’ sample-path methods. We present numerical results based on the new algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our paper deals with the interrelation of optimization methods and Lipschitz stability of multifunctions in arbitrary Banach spaces. Roughly speaking, we show that linear convergence of several first order methods and Lipschitz stability mean the same. Particularly, we characterize calmness and the Aubin property by uniformly (with respect to certain starting points) linear convergence of descent methods and approximate projection methods. So we obtain, e.g., solution methods (for solving equations or variational problems) which require calmness only. The relations of these methods to several known basic algorithms are discussed, and errors in the subroutines as well as deformations of the given mappings are permitted. We also recall how such deformations are related to standard algorithms like barrier, penalty or regularization methods in optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The notion of weak sharp minima is an important tool in the analysis of the perturbation behavior of certain classes of optimization problems as well as in the convergence analysis of algorithms designed to solve these problems. It has been studied extensively by several authors. This paper is the second of a series on this subject where the basic results on weak sharp minima in Part I are applied to a number of important problems in convex programming. In Part II we study applications to the linear regularity and bounded linear regularity of a finite collection of convex sets as well as global error bounds in convex programming. We obtain both new results and reproduce several existing results from a fresh perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An algorithm for linear semi-infinite programming is presented which accelerates the convergence of thecentral cutting planealgorithm first proposed in [4]. Compared with other algorithms, the algorithm in [4] has the advantage of being applicable under mild conditions and of providing feasible solutions. However its convergence has been shown to be rather slow in practical instances. The algorithm proposed in this paper introduces a simple acceleration scheme which gives faster convergence, as confirmed by several examples, as well as an interval of prefixed length containing the optimum value. It is also shown that the algorithm provides a solution of the dual problem and that it can be used for convex semi-infinite programming too. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the filter technique of Fletcher and Leyffer (1997) is used to globalize the primal-dual interior-point algorithm for nonlinear programming, avoiding the use of merit functions and the updating of penalty parameters. The new algorithm decomposes the primal-dual step obtained from the perturbed first-order necessary conditions into a normal and a tangential step, whose sizes are controlled by a trust-region type parameter. Each entry in the filter is a pair of coordinates: one resulting from feasibility and centrality, and associated with the normal step; the other resulting from optimality (complementarity and duality), and related with the tangential step. Global convergence to first-order critical points is proved for the new primal-dual interior-point filter algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auslender, Cominetti and Haddou have studied, in the convex case, a new family of penalty/barrier functions. In this paper, we analyze the asymptotic behavior of augmented penalty algorithms using those penalty functions under the usual second order sufficient optimality conditions, and present order of convengeance results (superlinear convergence with order of convergence 4/3). Those results are related to the analysis of "pure" penalty algorithms, as well as "augmented" penalty using a quadratic penalty function. Limited numerical examples are presented to appreciate the practical impact of this local asymptotic analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces and analyses a new algorithm for minimizing a convex function subject to a finite number of convex inequality constraints. It is assumed that the Lagrangian of the problem is strongly convex. The algorithm combines interior point methods for dealing with the inequality constraints and quasi-Newton techniques for accelerating the convergence. Feasibility of the iterates is progressively enforced thanks to shift variables and an exact penalty approach. Global and q-superlinear convergence is obtained for a fixed penalty parameter; global convergence to the analytic center of the optimal set is ensured when the barrier parameter tends to zero, provided strict complementarity holds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. This paper gives a new, simple, monotonically convergent, algorithm for the Fermat-Weber location problem, with extensions covering more general cost functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. In previous work, the authors provided a foundation for the theory of variable metric proximal point algorithms in Hilbert space. In that work conditions are developed for global, linear, and super-linear convergence. This paper focuses attention on two matrix secant updating strategies for the finite dimensional case. These are the Broyden and BFGS updates. The BFGS update is considered for application in the symmetric case, e.g., convex programming applications, while the Broyden update can be applied to general monotone operators. Subject to the linear convergence of the iterates and a quadratic growth condition on the inverse of the operator at the solution, super-linear convergence of the iterates is established for both updates. These results are applied to show that the Chen-Fukushima variable metric proximal point algorithm is super-linearly convergent when implemented with the BFGS update. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. We present a predictor-corrector non-interior path following algorithm for the monotone linear complementarity problem based on Chen-Harker-Kanzow-Smale smoothing techniques. Although the method is modeled on the interior point predictor-corrector strategies, it is the first instance of a non-interior point predictor-corrector algorithm. The algorithm is shown to be both globally linearly convergent and locally quadratically convergent under standard hypotheses. The approach to global linear convergence follows the authors' previous work on this problem for the case of (P[sub 0] + R[sub 0]) LCPs. However, in this paper we use monotonicity to refine our notion of neighborhood of the central path. The refined neighborhood allows us to establish the uniform boundedness of certain slices of the neighborhood of the central path under the standard hypothesis that a strictly positive feasible point exists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. This paper concerns with convergence properties of the classical proximal point algorithm for finding zeroes of maximal monotone operators in an infinite-dimensional Hilbert space. It is well known that the proximal point algorithm converges weakly to a solution under very mild assumptions. However, it was shown by Guler [11] that the iterates may fail to converge strongly in the infinite-dimensional case. We propose a new proximal-type algorithm which does converge strongly, provided the problem has a solution. Moreover, our algorithm solves proximal point subproblems inexactly, with a constructive stopping criterion introduced in [31]. Strong convergence is forced by combining proximal point iterations with simple projection steps onto intersection of two half spaces containing the solution set. Additional cost of this extra projection step is essentially negligible since it amounts, at most, to solving a linear system of two equations in two unknowns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. A common difficulty encountered by descent-based equation solvers is convergence to a local (but not global) minimum of an underlying merit function. Such difficulties can be avoided by using a proximal perturbation strategy, which allows the iterates to escape the local minimum in a controlled fashion. This paper presents the proximal perturbation strategy for a general class of methods for solving semismooth equations and proves subsequential convergence to a solution based upon a pseudomonotonicity assumption. Based on this approach, two sample algorithms for solving mixed complementarity problems are presented. The first uses an extremely simple (but not very robust) basic algorithm enhanced by the proximal perturbation strategy. The second uses a more sophisticated basic algorithm based on the Fischer-Burmeister function. Test results on the MCPLIB and GAMSLIB complementarity problem libraries demonstrate the improvement in robustness realized by employing the proximal perturbation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. In this paper we consider a general algorithmic framework for solving nonlinear mixed complementarity problems. The main features of this framework are: (a) it is well-defined for an arbitrary mixed complementarity problem, (b) it generates only feasible iterates, (c) it has a strong global convergence theory, and (d) it is locally fast convergent under standard regularity assumptions. This framework is applied to the PATH solver in order to show viability of the approach. Numerical results for an appropriate modification of the PATH solver indicate that this framework leads to substantial computational improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. A class of affine-scaling interior-point methods for bound constrained optimization problems is introduced which are locally q-superlinear or q-quadratic convergent. It is assumed that the strong second order sufficient optimality conditions at the solution are satisfied, but strict complementarity is not required. The methods are modifications of the affine-scaling interior-point Newton methods introduced by T. F. Coleman and Y. Li (Math. Programming, 67, 189-224, 1994). There are two modifications. One is a modification of the scaling matrix, the other one is the use of a projection of the step to maintain strict feasibility rather than a simple scaling of the step. A comprehensive local convergence analysis is given. A simple example is presented to illustrate the pitfalls of the original approach by Coleman and Li in the degenerate case and to demonstrate the performance of the fast converging modifications developed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. This paper introduces a new, infinite, class of stochastic algorithms for the optimization of multimodal functions defined over a compact set. The main idea is that of generalizing some well known methods inspired by clustering techniques which make use of local search routines started at selected points in a random sample. It is shown that there exist interesting classes of global optimization algorithms all possessing the following theoretical properties: convergence to the global optimum with probability 1; detection of the global optimum in a finite number of iterations w.p.1; probability of starting a local search decreasing to 0; total number of local searches performed even if the algorithm is run forever, finite w.p. 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. This paper proposes an implementable proximal quasi-Newton method for minimizing a nondifferentiable convex function f in R[sup n]. The method is based on Rockafellar's proximal point algorithm and a cutting-plane technique. At each step, we use an approximate proximal point p[sup a](x[sub k]) of x[sub k] to define a v[sub k] is an element of Differential[sub is an element of[sub k]]f(p[sup a](x[sub k])) with is an element of [sub k] is less than or equal to alpha||v[sub k]||, where a is a constant. The method monitors the reduction in the value of ||v[sub k]|| to identify when a line search on f should be used. The quasi-Newton step is used to reduce the value of ||v[sub k]||. Without the differentiability of f, the method converges globally and the rate of convergence is Q-linear. Superlinear convergence is also discussed to extend the characterization result of Dennis and More. Numerical results show the good performance of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Kojima, Shindoh and Hara proposed a family of search directions for the semidefinite linear complementarity problem (SDLCP) and established polynomial convergence of a feasible short-step path-following algorithm based on a particular direction of their family. The question of whether polynomiality could be established for any direction of their family thus remained an open problem. This paper answers this question in the affirmative by establishing the polynomiality of primal-dual interior-point algorithms for SDLCP based on any direction of the Kojima, Shindoh and Hara family of search directions. We show that the polynomial iteration-complexity bounds of two well-known algorithms for linear programming, namely the short-step path-following algorithm of Kojima et al. and Monteiro and Adler, and the predictor-corrector algorithm of Mizuno et al., carry over to the context of SDLCP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]