Software Development Practices

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Questions and Answers

What is the main focus of Scrum methodology?

Prioritizing documentation over software design

Managing iterative development of agile approach (correct)

Managing linear project execution

Eliminating the need for team collaboration

What is the duration of a typical sprint cycle in Scrum?

1 month

1 week

6 months

2-4 weeks (correct)

During which phase does the team establish general objectives and design the software architecture?

Initial Phase (correct)

Closure Phase

Implementation Phase

Sprint Cycle

What is the formula for calculating team capacity in Scrum?

Members count x productive days Signup and view all the answers

Why is team capacity ideally determined after the 3rd or 4th sprint cycle?

To gather accurate performance data Signup and view all the answers

What does the focus factor in Scrum represent?

Team's ability to complete sprint goals Signup and view all the answers

Given a focus factor formula of FF = 30 ÷ (5 x 8), what is the outcome?

0.75 Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT part of the Scrum phases?

Implementation Phase Signup and view all the answers

What is the effective team capacity for the next sprint, based on the given focus factory and duration?

450 hours Signup and view all the answers

In which software process model is customer involvement rated as 'high'?

Agile Signup and view all the answers

What type of project size is best suited for the Agile software process model?

Small projects Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following documentation types is specifically related to software requirements?

SRS – Software requirements specification Signup and view all the answers

Which software process model has the highest technical risk?

Agile Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of Software Configuration Management (SCM)?

Track and control changes in software Signup and view all the answers

Which type of requirements is rated as 'low' in the Waterfall model?

Customer Involvement Signup and view all the answers

What does Software Quality Assurance (SQA) primarily focus on?

Ensuring quality in software processes Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of a user story in development?

To define the user, their goals, and the reasons for functionality Signup and view all the answers

Which statement correctly describes a limitation of plan-driven development?

It requires detailed specification before implementation Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a concern addressed by agile development?

Very detailed specifications before implementation Signup and view all the answers

What is a common reason programmers may take shortcuts in writing tests?

Complete coverage of all variations can be challenging Signup and view all the answers

What might a developer aim to achieve with a graphical hierarchy model according to user stories?

Gain a better understanding of components and their dependencies Signup and view all the answers

Which factor is more aligned with plan-driven development rather than agile?

Need for extensive planning and analysis before implementation Signup and view all the answers

What distinguishes agile project management from traditional project management?

Focus on incremental development and releases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following development environments is most likely to require a lot of analysis before implementation?

Plan-driven environments dealing with long-lifetime systems Signup and view all the answers

Which scenario best reflects the agile approach to project changes?

Incrementally developing requirements and regularly releasing updates Signup and view all the answers

What is one characteristic of a user story regarding its estimation?

It can include a numerical estimation of its points Signup and view all the answers

What is a key characteristic of agile methodology?

Incremental development with frequent releases Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a constraint that influences the choice of software process model?

Regulatory requirements Signup and view all the answers

What is one drawback of agile methodologies?

Difficulty in maintaining customer interest Signup and view all the answers

In agile methodology, the development cycle typically consists of:

Series of iterations Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant benefit of using agile methodologies for small- to medium-sized products?

Reduced development time Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect is often combined in modern software development methodologies?

Specification, design, and implementation Signup and view all the answers

One of the following is NOT considered part of Agile methodology principles?

Focusing on architectural blueprints Signup and view all the answers

What challenge may arise with broad stakeholder involvement in agile projects?

Prioritizing changes smoothly Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary purpose of the Requirements Analysis phase in Requirements Engineering?

To confirm that all functionalities meet business objectives Signup and view all the answers

Which diagram is NOT typically included in the Component Design section of a Software Design Document?

Use case diagrams Signup and view all the answers

In the context of Software Quality Attributes, which of the following is a non-functional requirement?

The system should load within 2 seconds Signup and view all the answers

What is included in the User Interface Requirements section of the Software Design Document?

Overview of user interface Signup and view all the answers

Which aspect does the Operating Environment section of the System Overview specifically outline?

The physical hardware required to run the system Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Reasons for Incomplete Tests

Programmers may take shortcuts when writing tests.
Tests may not cover all variations or provide complete coverage.
Some tests cannot be written incrementally.

User Stories

User stories define functionality from a user's perspective.
Each user story includes the user role, their goal, and the reason behind the functionality.
User stories often have an estimated point value.

Example User Stories

As a user, I want a warning before updating or deleting a record to avoid dependency problems.
As a developer, I need an automatically updated graphical hierarchy model of developed components to better understand component dependencies.

Plan-Driven vs. Agile Development

Plan-Driven Development focuses on detailed specifications and design before implementation.
Agile Development prioritizes delivering software to customers and getting feedback.
Plan-Driven Development is well-suited for large, complex systems that require a lot of analysis before implementation.
Agile Development is ideal for projects that need rapid delivery, evolving technologies, or distributed teams.

Agile Project Management: Scrum

Scrum focuses on iterative development within an agile approach.
Three phases:
- Initial phase: establishes project objectives and software architecture.
- Sprint cycles (2-4 weeks): each cycle increments the system with selected features.
- Closure phase: wraps up the project and documents results.

Scrum: Sprint Planning

Sprint planning establishes the team's capacity for the upcoming sprint.
Each team member determines their capacity based on individual strengths and productivity.
Team capacity is calculated as members count x productive days.
Ideally, team capacity is determined after 3-4 sprint cycles when actual performance data is available.

Focus Factor in Scrum

The focus factor measures the team's ability to focus on sprint goals.
Sprint velocity is calculated as the average completed story points over the past 3-5 sprint cycles.
The focus factor is calculated by dividing the sprint velocity by the team capacity.
An ideal focus factor range is 0.6 to 0.8.

Example Calculation of Focus Factor and Team Capacity

Assume a team of 5 members working 8 hours per day with an average sprint story point of 30.
Focus Factor = 30 ÷ (5 x 8) = 0.75
Effective Team Capacity (for 3-week sprint) = 0.75 x (5 x 8 x 15) = 450 hours
This calculation estimates the team effort available for the next sprint.

Example Product Backlog

A product backlog is a prioritized list of features for a project.

Example Sprint Backlog

A sprint backlog is a subset of items from the product backlog that the team will work on during a specific sprint.

Summary Software Process Models

The choice of process model depends on factors such as requirements volatility, project size, customer involvement, technical risk, and desired release schedule.

Comparing Software Process Models

Model	Requirements Volatility	Project Size	Customer Involvement	Technical Risk	Release Schedule
Waterfall	Low	Large	Low	Low	Long
Incremental Development	Medium	Medium	Medium	High	Medium
Reuse-oriented development	Low	Any	Low	Medium	Short
Agile	High	Small	High	High	Very Short

IEEE Documentations

Each phase of software engineering has a corresponding set of documentation.
Key documents include:
- Software Project Management (SPM)
- Software Configuration Management (SCM)
- Software Requirements Specification (SRS)
- Software Design Description (SDD)
- Software Quality Assurance (SQA)
- Software Verification and Validation (V&V)
- Software Test Documentation (STD)
- Software Reviews and Audit (SRA)
- Software User Documentation (SUD)

SRS – Software Requirements Specification

An SRS document defines the requirements of a software system.
Sections of an SRS document include:
- Introduction (purpose, scope, references, structure).
- Non-functional Requirements (performance, safety, etc.)
- System Overview (product perspective, features, user roles, operating environment, constraints, assumptions, dependencies).
- Requirements Engineering (elicitation, analysis, validation).
- Functional Requirements (detailed descriptions of individual requirements).
- External Interface Requirements (user interface, hardware, software, communication interfaces).

SDD – Software Design Document

An SDD document details the design of a software system.
Sections of the document include:
- Introduction (purpose, scope, references, structure).
- System Overview (overall design approach).
- Architecture Design (architectural description, decomposition, design rationale).
- Data Design (database description, data structures, data flow diagrams).
- Component Design (class diagrams, state diagrams, activity diagrams, sequence diagrams).
- Human Interface Design (overview and detailed design of user interfaces).

Software Process Models in Practice

Organisations combine aspects of different process models to fit their specific project needs.
Factors influencing process model choice include:
- Contractual or regulatory requirements.
- Team experience and familiarity with the model.
- Models used in related projects.

Rapid Methodology and Overhead Problems

Rapid development often leads to unstable software due to fast-changing requirements.
Specifications, designs, and implementations are intertwined.
Systems are developed in iterations.
User interfaces can be quickly changed using tools and IDEs.
Plan-driven approaches can create overheads in software processes and documentation.

Agile Methodology

Focuses on code rather than elaborate designs or documentation.
Delivers small releases to clients in short iterations (2-3 weeks).
Iterative approach where software evolves quickly.
Suitable for small-to-medium-sized products with committed customers.

Principles of Agile Methodology

Primarily focused on individuals and interactions.
Working software is the primary measure of progress.
Welcome changing requirements, even late in development.
Close collaboration between developers and business customers.
Maintain a sustainable pace for development.
Regular reflection on how to be more effective.

Agile Methodology Drawbacks

Maintaining customer interest can be challenging.
Team members may not adapt to the intensive involvement.
Onboarding new team members may require extensive documentation.
Managing priority changes with multiple stakeholders can be complex.
Maintaining simplicity requires additional effort.

Agile Method: Extreme Programming

An extreme approach to iterative development.
Emphasizes coding, testing, customer involvement, pair programming, and short iterations.
Aims to minimize risk and increase efficiency.

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Description

This quiz covers essential concepts in software development, including reasons for incomplete tests, the importance of user stories, and the differences between plan-driven and agile methodologies. It helps understand how to improve testing practices and user-centered development.