STEPS IN PROGRAM

DEVELOPMENT

Master School of Managemen

 INTRODUCTION TO
PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
Let us start with a simple problem:
To find the Addition of two
number

The steps are

Read the two numbers
Add these two numbers, producing
the sum
Print out the sum
 PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE
Since the computer cannot understand
instructions in the English language
some special languages must be used
for writing the instructions. These
special languages are called
Programming Languages.
Instructions written in a programming
language constitute what is known as
a program.
The person who writes the program is a
programmer.
 STEPS FOLLOWED WHEN
DEVELOPING PROGRAM
Problem identification.
Division of the problem into smaller part known
as tasks and the analysis of these tasks.
Analysis of the data and validation of the data
that will be used in the problem
Input/output specifications.
Design of the algorithm for the solution of the
problem.
Coding of the algorithm in a language
understood by a computer.
Implementation of the program, including
testing and debugging.
Documentation of the program.
Use of the program and possible modifications.
PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION
Need to be absolutely clear about
what the problem really is.

Have to identify and define

unambiguous terms in the problem.

Identify the root of the problem not

the symptom.

The problem has to be viewed in its

entirety and not in fragments.
 TASKS AND TASKS
ANALYSIS
A programming problem (tasks) can almost
be broken into a number of sub-problems
(sub tasks).

It is because

Sub-task is always smaller than the original

task and hence easier to manage and
solve. (the principle of divide and
conquer)

The sub-tasks can be solved in parallel,

perhaps by assigning different sub-tasks
to different people.
DATA ANALYSIS AND DATA
VALIDATION
A program transforms input data into
output data. Data analysis starts with
reviewing the collected data. Finding
meaning in the data is very important.
Before settling down to write the code, we
must take a critical look at each and every
piece of data.

GIGO (garbage-in equals garbage-out) is the

fact. We get meaningful results from the
machine if and only if the input to the
machine is meaningful, and a wrong
(incorrect) data input produces nonsense
output. Hence data verification is
necessary.
INPUT / OUTPUT SPECIFICATIONS
Before coding the programmer must
be supplied with detailed input-
output specifications of the
program. There should be a precise
and unambiguous description of

What constitute the input data.

Format of the data
Physical medium of input
Format of the output.
Physical medium of output
 DESIGN OF ALGORITHM
It is a set of instruction which, when
followed in a predetermined sequence,
leads to the solution of a given problem
in a finite number of steps.

An algorithm should satisfy the following

criteria:
There should be input (s).
There should be at least one output.
Each instruction should be unambiguous.
There should not be any uncertainty about
which instruction is to be executed next.
Algorithm should be terminate after a finite
number of steps.
Some of the tools of algorithm are
Flowchart, Pseudo code (P-Code), Data Flow Diagram. HIPO
Diagram
 CODING

it refers to writing statements

according to the algorithm following
the syntax of the programming
language at hand. Of course the
right choice of the language for the
coding is an important issue.
 IMPLIMENTATION OF PROGRAM

It is but natural to make mistakes in

programming. Before running the
program it is good practice to sit down
with a pencil and paper and trace the
execution of the program with some
sample data.
By a careful study of the programs the
syntax errors or/and semantic (logical)
errors can be detected.
Syntax errors are pointed out by the
computer and are thus easy to rectify.
But we cannot expect the computer to
catch semantic errors in our programs.
 TESTING & DEBUGING

When the program has a logical

error, we say that it has a bug.
The rectification activity of bug
is known as debug.
Testing and debugging are not
same. Testing tells us the
existence of error(s) and
debugging is the process of
removing the error(s).
 TESTING APPROACHES
Two types of approaches are applied to test a
program
Black box testing: also known as functional
testing, is a testing technique where the
tester never examine the project code and
does not need further knowledge of the
program other than its specifications. The
tester should only know about the inputs
and the expected outcomes.
White box testing: also known as glass
box, structural, clear box and open box
testing. Here explicit knowledge of the
internal workings of the item being tested.
 PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION
Documentation is an integral part of the
program development process. It refers to all
written material that helps to explain the use
and maintenance of a system or program.
Proper documentation enables the user to
understand the program and acts as a
reference tool for programmers.
In case modifications are required, it is easier to
understand the logic of a program from
documented records rather than the code.
Documents for the users are system manuals,
user manuals, online help etc
Documents for developers are comments in the
program, visual appearance of code, various
reports, programming tools like algorithms,
flowcharts etc
 USE AND MODIFICATION OF
PROGRAM
Programs, once developed, remain in
use for a period of time. And in future
modification of the program may
required due to

Change in external factors of

requirement of the program.
May have some bug in the program
found later while using it.
To improve the program.
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