Overview of Software Engineering and The Software Development Process Updated
Overview of Software Engineering and The Software Development Process Updated
Overview of Software
Engineering and the
Software
Development Process
CONTENTS
I. Definition of Software and Characteristics of Software
II. Types / Categories of Software
1. System Software
2. Real-time Software
3. Business Software
4. Engineering and Scientific Software
5. Embedded Software
6. Personal Computer Software
7. Web-based Software
III. Software Engineering –
1. Definition
2. Need
IV. Relationship between System Engineering and Software Engineering
V. Software Engineering – A Layered Technology Approach
VI. Software Development Generic Process Framework
1. Software Process
2. Software Product
3. Basic Framework Activities
4. Umbrella Activities.
VII. Personal and Team Process Models (PSP and TSP)
1. Concept
2. Significance with respect to On-going Process Improvement
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3. Goals
4. List of Framework Activities
VIII. Perspective Process Models
1. The Waterfall Model (Nature, Situations in which applicable with example,
Associated Problems)
2. The Incremental Model (Nature, Situations in which applicable with example,
General Steps, Drawbacks)
3. RAD Model (Nature, Situations in which applicable with example, General
Steps, Drawbacks)
4. Prototyping (Nature, Situations in which applicable with example, General
Steps, Drawbacks)
5. Spiral Model (Nature, Situations in which applicable with example, General
Steps, Advantages, Disadvantages)
IX. Agile Software Development
6. Differences between Perspective and Agile Process Model
7. Features of the Agile Software Development Approach
8. Concept of Extreme Programming
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2. Characteristics of Software
(Question: Define software. Describe characteristics of software. – 3 Marks)
Software is a logical rather than a physical system element. Software has characteristics
that are considerably different than those of hardware:
i. Software is developed or engineered, it is not manufactured in the classical sense.
(Question: Justify your answer that, software is developed or engineered and
not manufactured. – 3 Marks)
1. Although some similarities exist between software development and hardware
manufacture, the two activities are fundamentally different.
2. In both activities, high quality is achieved through good design, but the
manufacturing phase for hardware can introduce quality problems that are
nonexistent (or easily corrected) for software.
3. Both activities are dependent on people, but the relationship between people
applied and work accomplished is entirely different.
4. Both activities require the construction of a "product" but the approaches are
different.
5. Software costs are concentrated in engineering. This means that software projects
cannot be managed as if they were manufacturing projects.
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1. Figure 1.1 explains the failure rate as a function of time for hardware.
Figure 1.1
2. The relationship, called the "bathtub curve," indicates that hardware exhibits
relatively high failure rates early in its life; defects are corrected and the failure rate
drops to a steady-state level, ideally, quite low for some period of time.
3. With time the failure rate rises again as hardware components suffer from the
cumulative effects of dust, vibration, abuse, temperature extremes, and many other
environmental maladies.
4. Stated simply, the hardware begins to wear out.
5. Software is not susceptible to the environmental maladies that cause hardware to
wear out.
6. The failure rate curve for software should take the form of the “idealized curve”
shown in Figure 1.2.
7. Undiscovered defects will cause high failure rates early in the life of a program.
However, these are corrected (ideally, without introducing other errors) and the
curve flattens as shown.
8. The idealized curve is a gross oversimplification of actual failure models for
software.
9. The implication is clear—software doesn't wear out. But it does deteriorate!
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Figure 1.2
iii. Although the industry is moving toward component-based assembly, most
software continues to be custom built.
1. Consider the manner in which the control hardware for a computer-based product
is designed and built. The design engineer draws a simple schematic of the digital
circuitry, does some fundamental analysis to assure that proper function will be
achieved, and then goes to the shelf where catalogs of digital components exist.
Each integrated circuit (called an IC or a chip) has a part number, a defined and
validated function, a well-defined interface, and a standard set of integration
guidelines. After each component is selected, it can be ordered off the shelf.
2. A software component should be designed and implemented so that it can be
reused in many different programs. In the 1960s, we built scientific subroutine
libraries that were reusable in a broad array of engineering and scientific
applications. These subroutine libraries reused well-defined algorithms in an
effective manner but had a limited domain of application. Today, we have extended
our view of reuse to encompass not only algorithms but also data structure. Modern
reusable components encapsulate both data and the processing applied to the data,
enabling the software engineer to create new applications from reusable parts. For
example, today's graphical user interfaces are built using reusable components that
enable the creation of graphics windows, pull-down menus, and a wide variety of
interaction mechanisms. The data structure and processing detail required to build
the interface are contained with a library of reusable components for interface
construction
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2. Real-time Software
(Question: Explain the features of real world software. – 3 Marks)
1. Software that monitors or analyzes or controls real-world events as they occur is
called real time.
2. Elements of real-time software include a data gathering component that collects
and formats information from an external environment, an analysis component that
transforms information as required by the application.
3. A control/output component that responds to the external environment, and a
monitoring component that coordinates all other components so that real-time
response can be maintained.
3. Business Software
1. Business information processing is the largest single software application area.
Discrete "systems”.
2. For example: payroll, accounts receivable/payable, inventory have evolved into
management information system (MIS) software that accesses one or more large
databases containing business information.
3. Applications in this area restructure existing data in a way that facilitates business
operations or management decision making.
4. In addition to conventional data processing application, business software
applications also encompass interactive computing.
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5. Embedded Software
1. Intelligent products have become commonplace in nearly every consumer and
industrial market.
2. Embedded software resides in read-only memory and is used to control products
and systems for the consumer and industrial markets.
3. Embedded software can perform very limited and esoteric functions, for example:
keypad control for a microwave oven.
4. To provide significant function and control capability, for example: digital functions
in an automobile such as fuel control, dashboard displays, and braking systems.
7. Web-based Software
1. The Web pages retrieved by a browser are software that incorporates executable
instructions and data.
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ii. Identify how computer information systems can be made to improve such
systems.
iii. Manage the construction of the information system components.
iv. Ensure that procedures are in place for the continual testing and maintenance of
operational systems.
Figure 1.3
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Figure 1.4
2. Process Layer
1. The foundation for software engineering is the process layer.
2. Software engineering process is the glue that holds the technology layers together
and enables rational and timely development of computer software.
3. Process defines a framework for a set of key process areas that must be established
for effective delivery of software engineering technology.
3. Method Layer
1. Software engineering methods provide the technical how-to's for building software.
2. Methods encompass a broad array of tasks that include requirements analysis,
design, program construction, testing, and support.
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4. Tools Layer
1. Software engineering tools provide automated or semi-automated for the process
and the methods.
2. When tools are integrated so that information created by one tool can be used by
another, a system for the support of software development, called computer-aided
software engineering, is established. CASE combines software, hardware, and a
software engineering database.
Figure 1.5
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2. PSP Activities
(Question: Describe various activities of PSP, - 6 Marks)
1. Planning: This activity isolates requirements and specifications to be decided
prior to the development and estimates the size and the cost of the project.
2. High Level Design Review: Formal verification methods are applied to uncover
errors
3. Postmortem: Metrics and measures should be providing guidance for
modification.
4. Development: The component level design is reviewed and refined. The code
is generated, reviewed and tested.
5. High-Level Design: External specifications and requirements for each
component to be constructed and developed.
3. Goals of PSP
The goal of PSP is to provide software engineers with disciplined
methods for improving personal software development.
PSP helps software engineers to
i. Improve their estimating and planning skill.
ii. Make commitment they can keep.
iii. Manage the quality of their product.
iv. Reduce the number of defects in their work.
4. Disadvantage of PSP
1. PSP is intellectually challenging and demands a level of commitment which is
always not possible to obtain.
2. Training for PSP is lengthy and costs for the training is high.
3. Required level of measurement is culturally difficult.
5. What is TSP?
1. TSP (Team Software Process) is a guideline for software product development
teams.
2. TSP focuses on helping development teams to improve their quality and
productivity to better meet goals of cost and progress.
3. TSP is designed for groups ranging from 2 persons to 20 persons. TSP can be applied
to large multiple-group processes for up to 150 persons.
4. There are 8 steps for implementing PSP and TSP. Each step is focused on solving
particular process problems.
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6. Goal of TSP?
1. To provide improvement guidance to high maturity organization.
2. To facilitate university teaching of industrial grade team skills.
3. To show managers how to motivate and coach their teams and how to sustain peak
performance.
7. Activities of TSP?
(Question: Describe various activities of TSP, - 6 Marks)
1. Launch: It reviews course objective and describes the TSP structure and
content. It assigns need and roles to the students and describes the customers
need statement.
2. Strategy: It creates a conceptual design for the product and establishes the
development strategy.
3. Plan: It estimates the size of each module to be developed. Planning also
identifies tasks to be performed, and estimates the time to complete each task.
4. Requirement: Analyzes the need statement and interviews the customer,
specify and inspect the requirements.
5. Design: it creates the high level design, specify the design, inspect the design
and develop the integration plan.
6. Implement: This uses the PSP to implement the modules and the functions.
7. Test: Testing builds and integrates the system.
8. Postmortem: Writes the cycle report and produces peer and team review.
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Figure 1.6
4. System/information engineering and modeling. Because software is always part of
a larger system (or business), work begins by establishing requirements for all
system elements and then allocating some subset of these requirements to
software.
5. Phases of waterfall model:
i. Software requirements analysis: The requirements gathering process is
intensified and focused specifically on software.
ii. Design Software: Design is actually a multistep process that focuses on four
distinct attributes of a program: data structure, software architecture,
interface representations, and procedural (algorithmic) detail. The design
process translates requirements into a representation of the software that
can be assessed for quality before coding begins. Like requirements, the
design is documented and becomes part of the software configuration.
iii. Code generation: The design must be translated into a machine-readable
form. The code generation step performs this task. If design is performed in
a detailed manner, code generation can be accomplished mechanistically.
iv. Testing: Once code has been generated, program testing begins. The testing
process focuses on the logical internals of the software, ensuring that all
statements have been tested, and on the functional externals; that is,
conducting tests to uncover errors and ensure that defined input will
produce actual results that agree with required results.
6. Advantages
i. Organized approach, provides robust separation of phases.
ii. Reflects common engineering practice.
7. Disadvantages
i. Doesn’t cope well with changes the client.
ii. Development required by teams might wait for each other.
iii. A working version of the product is available only late.
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8. Applicability
i. When requirements are well known and few changes are likely to be needed.
ii. Can be used also for parts of larger software systems.
b. Incremental Model
(Question: Describe various phases of Incremental process model with
neat diagram, - 6 Marks)
1. The incremental model combines elements of the linear sequential model with the
iterative philosophy of prototyping.
2. Figure 1.7, the incremental model applies linear sequences in a staggered fashion
as calendar time progresses.
3. Each linear sequence produces a deliverable “increment” of the software.
4. For example, word-processing software developed using the incremental paradigm
might deliver basic file management, editing, and document production functions
in the first increment; more sophisticated editing and document production
capabilities in the second increment; spelling and grammar checking in the third
increment; and advanced page layout capability in the fourth increment.
5. It should be noted that the process flow for any increment can incorporate the
prototyping paradigm.
Figure 1.7
6. The incremental process model, like prototyping and other evolutionary
approaches, is iterative in nature.
7. But unlike prototyping, the incremental model focuses on the delivery of an
operational product with each increment.
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8. Early increments are stripped down versions of the final product, but they do
provide capability that serves the user and also provide a platform for evaluation by
the user.
9. Advantages:
i. Provides better support for process iteration.
ii. Reduces rework in the software construction process.
iii. Some decisions on requirements may be delayed.
iv. Allows early delivery of parts of the system.
v. Supports easier integration of sub-systems.
vi. Lower risk of project failure.
vii. Delivery priorities can be more easily set.
10. Disadvantages:
i. Increments need be relatively small
ii. Mapping requirements to increments may not be easy.
iii. Common software facilities may be difficult to identify.
11. Applicability:
i. When it is possible to deliver the system “part-by-part”.
c. RAD Model
(Question: Describe various phases of RAD process model with neat
diagram, - 6 Marks)
1. Rapid application development (RAD) is an incremental software development
process model that emphasizes an extremely short development cycle.
2. The RAD model is a “high-speed” adaptation of the linear sequential model in which
rapid development is achieved by using component-based construction.
3. If requirements are well understood and project scope is constrained, the RAD
process enables a development team to create a “fully functional system” within
very short time periods (e.g., 60 to 90 days).
4. Data modeling. The information flow defined as part of the business modeling phase
is refined into a set of data objects that are needed to support the business. The
characteristics (called attributes) of each object are identified and the relationships
between these objects defined.
5. Process modeling. The data objects defined in the data modeling phase are
transformed to achieve the information flow necessary to implement a business
function. Processing descriptions are created for adding, modifying, deleting, or
retrieving a data object.
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Figure 1.8
d. Prototyping
(Question: Describe various phases of prototyping process model with
neat diagram, - 6 Marks)
1. The prototyping paradigm (Figure 1.9) begins with requirements gathering.
2. Developer and customer meet and define the overall objectives for the software,
identify whatever requirements are known, and outline areas where further
definition is mandatory.
3. A "quick design" then occurs. The quick design focuses on a representation of those
aspects of the software that will be visible to the customer/user (e.g., input
approaches and output formats).
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Figure 1.9
4. The quick design leads to the construction of a prototype.
5. The prototype is evaluated by the customer/user and used to refine requirements
for the software to be developed. Iteration occurs as the prototype is tuned to
satisfy the needs of the customer, while at the same time enabling the developer to
better understand what needs to be done.
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e. Spiral Model
(Question: Describe various phases of Spiral process model with neat
diagram, - 6 Marks)
A spiral model is divided into a number of framework activities, also called task regions.
Typically, there are between three and six task regions. Figure 1.10 depicts a spiral model
that contains six task regions:
1. Customer communication—tasks required to establish effective communication
between developer and customer.
2. Planning—tasks required to define resources, timelines, and other project related
information.
3. Risk analysis—tasks required to assess both technical and management risks.
4. Engineering—tasks required to build one or more representations of the
application.
5. Construction and release—tasks required to construct, test, install, and provide
user support (e.g., documentation and training).
Figure 1.10
6. Advantages:
i. Risk reduction mechanisms are in place
ii. Supports iteration and reflects real-world practices
iii. Systematic approach
7. Disadvantages:
i. Requires expertise in risk evaluation and reduction
ii. Complex, relatively difficult to follow strictly
iii. Applicable only to large systems
8. Applicability:
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Figure 1.11
5. Extreme programming practices
1. Principle or Description
practice
2. Incremental Requirements are recorded on story cards and the stories to be
planning included in a release are determined by the time available and
their relative priority. The developers break these stories into
development ‘Tasks’. See Figures 3.5 and 3.6.
3. Small The minimal useful set of functionality that provides business
releases value is developed first. Releases of the system are frequent
and incrementally add functionality to the first release.
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