Experimental computer science

Experimentation is increasingly recognized as necessary and beneficial both as a complement to theory and as an element in constructing systems. Experimentation involves several types of activities, including observation, measurement under controlled conditions, and replication of previous work. Experimentation is needed to verify the relevance of theory, probe corners that cannot be analyzed or that have been overlooked, and expose and explore phenomena that must be explained. experimental engineering is a unique notion in computer science, where complex systems cannot be analyzed in advance and must be built and evaluated iteratively in a real setting. Evaluations under controlled conditions are critical for progress in the development of practical systems, especially in a synthetic field like computer science where individual researcher may construct unique and possibly incompatible systems.