Software Engineering COMP 20009.1 Quiz

The Evolving Role of Software

• Software can be a product: transforming, managing, and displaying information
• Software can be a vehicle for delivering another product, such as controlling computer (operating system), communication, or creation of other programs.

Software as a Product: Information Transformer

• Software refers to computer programs and applications.
• Software is considered a product due to design, development, and distribution for specific tasks and functions
• Software acts as an information transformer, performing various operations on data, including:
  • Producing: creating, generating or calculating data (e.g., spreadsheets generating financial reports)
  • Managing: organizing and manipulating data efficiently (e.g., database management software)
  • Displaying: presenting information in a user-friendly format (e.g., web browsers displaying content, graphic design software visualizing graphics)

Software as a Vehicle for Delivering Another Product

• Software functions as a platform or medium for other products and services
• Crucial aspects include:
  • Control of Computer (Operating System): An OS manages hardware and enables user interaction with software and hardware (e.g., Windows, macOS)
  • Communication of Information (Networks): Networking software enables device communication (e.g., protocols, drivers, applications for internet or local networks)
  • Creation of Other Programs: Software development tools and environments assist programmers in creating new software applications (e.g., IDEs and compilers)

Types of Software-Changing Nature of Software

• Categorization of software types:
  • System software: programs for servicing other programs (e.g., compilers, operating systems, editors, drivers)
  • Application software: stand-alone programs for specific business needs, performing organized tasks/functions (e.g., MS Office, Chrome, IE)
  • Scientific/Engineering software: programs for number crunching and complex operations (e.g., software for astronomy, volcanology, automotive stress analysis)
  • Embedded software: software embedded in products for controlling functions (e.g., microwave ovens, car systems)
  • Product-line software (market requirement): software with specific capabilities for various customers (e.g., computer graphics, multimedia, inventory control)
  • Web/Mobile Applications: network-centric software encompassing browser-based apps and mobile devices (e.g., mobile banking, social networking software)
  • Artificial Intelligence software: utilizes non-numerical algorithms to solve complex problems (e.g., IBM Watson, IBM Deep Blue, Siri, Cortana, Alexa)

Definition of Software

• Software combines instructions, data structures, and all documents describing functions and use of the program.
• Software includes instructions (computer programs) that execute to provide desired features, function, and performance.
• Software also includes data structures that enable programs to manipulate information effectively.
• Software comprises descriptive information (in both hard copy and virtual forms) describing program operations and use.

Software Engineering

• It is a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software.

Software Engineering as a Layered Technology/Diagram

• Quality Focus: Foundation for quality assurance in software development
• Processes: Framework for managing software development activities.
• Methods: Technical knowledge for efficient and effective development.
• Tools: Automated support for software development, integration of tools for consistency and efficiency (CASE environment)

Software Process

• Framework for activities, actions, and tasks needed for high-quality software.
• Activities aim towards objectives (e.g., communication with stakeholders)
• Actions encompass tasks (e.g., architectural design producing models).
• Tasks have well-defined objectives with tangible results (e.g., unit testing).

Process Framework

• A generic framework encompassing communication, planning, modeling, construction, and deployment activities.

Common Process Framework Activities

• Framework activities
• Task sets
• Tasks
• Milestones/Deliverables
• SQA Points
• Umbrella Activities

Communications

• Communication is essential before any technical work
• Stakeholder collaboration helps define software features & functions.
• Effective communication fosters collaboration and aims for alignment on project goals, requirements, and timelines.

Planning

• A software project is a complex journey, a "map" facilitated by a software project plan.
• The plan describes tasks, risks, resources, work products, and schedules.

Comprehensive Project Planning

• Comprehensive project planning involves defining objectives, scopes, and timelines to aid in resource allocation, risk assessment, and budget management.
• It ensures a clear roadmap, effective tracking, and control throughout the project lifecycle.

Modeling

• Modeling creates developer & customer-friendly designs that achieve the necessary software requirements.
• Models guide detailed plans, visualize the final product, identify issues, optimize designs, ultimately saving time and resources during construction

Construction and Deployment

• Construction: combines code generation and testing to ensure error identification.
• Deployment: delivering the software (fully or partially) to the customer for evaluation & feedback, marking the transition from development to operational phase.

Umbrella Activities

• Software Project Tracking and Control: Assess progress, manage schedule, and make necessary adjustments.
• Risk Management: Identify, analyze, and mitigate potential risks impacting the project or product quality.
• Software Quality Assurance: Defines standards and conduct activities to ensure quality and find defects.
• Technical Reviews: Assess work products to uncover and prevent errors before propagation.
• Measurement: Define measures and collect data about process, project, and product to help the team.
• Software Configuration Management: Manages changes/effects of change in the software process. Ensures reuse mechanisms and criteria for work products/components.
• Reusability Management: Defines criteria for reuse and work product/component reuse.
• Work Product Preparation and Production: Encompasses tasks for creating work products (e.g., models, documents, logs, forms, lists).

Key Challenges in Software Engineering

• Increasing Software Scale: The massive increase in software use has made manual software development impractical.
• Rapid Technological Change: Rapid advancements in hardware and new technologies like AI/code refactoring require constant adaptation.
• Legacy Challenges: Maintaining older software systems becomes crucial in the face of evolving needs
• Managing Heterogeneity: Software must adapt to various hardware and platform configurations
• Ensuring Trust: Software needs robust Security and Privacy features given its integration with daily life.
• Changing Customer Needs/Delivery Challenges: Dynamic customer needs put pressure on productivity and agility in software development.
• Deterioration in Software Quality: Creating quality software becomes more challenging as projects become more complex and human-centric.
• Shortage of Software Engineers: The increasing demand for software products and applications results in a lack of appropriately qualified software engineers

Software Engineering Principles

• David Hooker Principles:
  • First: Understanding the fundamental principles and motivations behind existence is crucial in exploring our purpose and the universe's functionality.
  • Second: KIS (Keep it simple)
  • Third: Maintain the Vision
  • Fourth: What you produce, others will consume
  • Fifth: Be Open to the Future
  • Sixth: Plan Ahead for Reuse
  • Seventh: Think!

Professional Responsibility of Software Engineers

• Confidentiality: Respect confidentiality of employer or client
• Competence: Recognize and avoid work beyond expertise
• Intellectual Property Rights: Respect and protect intellectual property
• Computer Misuse: Avoid misuse of computer skills (e.g., not using them for games or spreading viruses).

Questions

• A comprehensive list of questions related to topics covered is provided for further study. Students are asked to conduct analyses, provide diagrams, and discuss different themes.