Software Engineering Fundamentals

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Questions and Answers

What are the two key processes involved in software development?

  • Analysis and Composition (correct)
  • Synthesis and Implementation
  • Design and Testing
  • Decomposition and Abstraction

What is meant by the term "abstraction" in the context of software engineering?

  • The ability to reuse code components across different projects.
  • The use of high-level programming languages to reduce code complexity.
  • The process of creating a simplified representation of a complex system. (correct)
  • The process of hiding implementation details from the user.

Which of the following is considered a tool in software engineering?

  • A software development team
  • A development process
  • A programming language (correct)
  • A design methodology

Which of the following best describes a "paradigm" in software engineering?

<p>A philosophy or approach used to guide the development of software. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of the "synthesis" process in software engineering?

<p>Building the software from smaller components. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is a "system approach" important in software engineering?

<p>It provides a framework for managing the complexity of software projects. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary difference between a "method" and a "tool" in software engineering?

<p>A method is a formal procedure, while a tool is a specific instrument. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a benefit of using a structured approach to software development?

<p>Faster development cycles. (E)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a common architectural decomposition technique?

<p>Iterative decomposition (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a potential concern with software reuse?

<p>All of the above. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a key benefit of software reuse?

<p>Decreased development time. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which type of software application commonly requires a high level of control?

<p>Enterprise-wide applications (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following describes the objective of software measurement?

<p>To quantify software quality goals. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of a tester in a software development team?

<p>To identify and fix bugs in the software. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT an element of a system, as defined in the text?

<p>Cost analysis (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the role of a requirements analyst in software development?

<p>To identify and document the needs of the users. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of an interrelated system, as described in the text?

<p>A computer network. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the term used to describe the company or person who pays for the software system?

<p>Customer (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is a NOT a typical phase of software development, as described in the text?

<p>Market research (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some aspects that can be considered when evaluating the quality of software?

<p>The quality of the product, the quality of the process, and the quality of the product in the context of the business environment. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary responsibility of a configuration management team in software development?

<p>Maintaining consistency among the different components of the software project. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of a system boundary in software engineering?

<p>To determine the origin of input and the destination of output. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Who judges the external characteristics of software?

<p>Users. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is a model needed to relate the user’s external view to the developer’s internal view of software?

<p>To bridge the gap between the user’s and developer’s perspectives. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the relationship between activities and objects in a system, as described in the text?

<p>Activities are performed on, or by, objects. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is McCall’s quality model used for?

<p>To measure the quality of the software. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of these is NOT considered a participant (stakeholder) in a software development project, as mentioned in the text?

<p>Competitor (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are some benefits of modeling the development process?

<p>To understand the process, to find faults early, and to build in fault tolerance. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a model for process improvement?

<p>Rational Unified Process (RUP). (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary aspect of software quality in relation to the business environment?

<p>The return on investment (ROI). (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How is Return on Investment (ROI) interpreted in the context of business value?

<p>The profit generated by the software. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What kind of integration allows one tool to initiate action in another?

<p>Control integration (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does process integration primarily link?

<p>Tools and the development process (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the primary constraint for alcohol advertising in the Piccadilly system?

<p>It was restricted to late-night slots after 9 pm (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How long did the Ariane-5 rocket function before veering off course?

<p>40 seconds (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main purpose of the software used by the Piccadilly system?

<p>To manage and track advertising time (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What issue did the Ariane-5 face shortly after its launch?

<p>Unplanned course deviation leading to destruction (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What integration focuses on sharing common data across tools?

<p>Data integration (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What reason was given regarding the quality of the Ariane-5 programme?

<p>It demonstrated high-quality engineering work (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the main difference between computer science and software engineering?

<p>Software engineering is a subfield of computer science that specifically focuses on the creation and maintenance of software systems. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a software failure?

<p>A departure from the intended behavior of a software system. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT a reason why software development is considered successful?

<p>The absence of any known software bugs or issues. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the 'user view' of software quality?

<p>Quality is defined by the degree to which the software effectively fulfills its intended purpose for its users. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is an example of a software failure that had significant consequences?

<p>A faulty medical software program that led to inaccurate diagnoses. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a valid perspective on software quality?

<p>Scientific view: Quality is determined by the amount of scientific research invested in the software development process. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is software reliability crucial in safety-critical systems?

<p>Because software failures in safety-critical systems can pose a threat to life or health. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a 'fault' in the context of software engineering?

<p>A mistake made by a human during software development, like writing incorrect code. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Software Engineering

The application of engineering principles to software development.

Analysis

Decomposing a complex problem into smaller, understandable parts.

Synthesis

Building software by combining smaller components into a whole.

Method

A formal procedure or recipe for achieving a specific goal.

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Tool

An instrument or automated system that aids in accomplishing tasks effectively.

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Procedure

A set of techniques and tools combined to produce a software product.

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Paradigm

A philosophy or approach guiding how software is built, like object-oriented or structured methods.

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System Approach

An organizational method in software engineering that looks at software as a system of interrelated components.

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Computer Science

The study of computer hardware, software, and programming languages.

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Fault in Software

An error caused by a human mistake during software activities.

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Failure in Software

A situation where software behaves differently than expected.

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Safety-Critical Systems

Systems whose failure poses a threat to life or health.

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Transcendental View of Quality

Quality is recognized but cannot be defined.

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User View of Quality

Quality as fitness for a specific purpose or need.

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Manufacturing View of Quality

Quality defined as conformance to specifications.

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Software Architecture

The framework defining a system's components and their relationships.

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Architectural Decomposition Techniques

Methods used to break down a system into manageable parts.

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Software Process Variations

Different software types require tailored development processes.

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Software Reuse

Using existing components to save time and reduce costs in new software.

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Quality Measurement in Software

Quantifying quality goals for software development.

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Quality of the Product

Refers to users judging correctness and failures, while designers seek fault types.

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Quality of the Process

Focuses on the importance of the development process alongside product quality.

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McCall's Quality Model

A framework used to evaluate software product quality based on various criteria.

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Capability Maturity Model (CMM)

A model for process improvement that outlines the maturity of software practices.

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ISO 9000

An international standard that specifies requirements for quality management systems.

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Return on Investment (ROI)

A measure that quantifies business value in relation to technical efforts and costs.

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Software Process Improvement and Capability dEtermination (SPICE)

A framework for assessing and improving software processes.

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Business Value vs Technical Value

Highlights the need to quantify business value alongside technical achievements.

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Customer

The entity that pays for the software system.

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Developer

The entity responsible for building the software system.

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User

The individual or group that uses the software system.

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Stakeholders

Participants in a software development project including customers, developers, and users.

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System Boundary

Defines the limits of a system and distinguishes it from other systems.

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Interrelated Systems

Systems that depend on each other and can exist within one another.

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Requirement Analysis

The process of gathering and documenting software needs from the customer.

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Programmers

Professionals who write code to implement software designs.

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Unit Testing

The process of testing individual components of the software for correctness.

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Maintenance Team

Group responsible for fixing issues after the software has been deployed.

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Platform Integration

Combining tools across different networks into a cohesive system.

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Presentation Integration

Creating a consistent user interface for tools.

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Process Integration

Linking tools to streamline the development process.

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Data Integration

Sharing common data among different systems.

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Control Integration

One tool initiating actions in another tool.

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Piccadilly System

Software that manages advertising constraints for a TV franchise.

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Ariane-5

Rocket from ESA that failed after 40 seconds due to reusing problematic code.

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Quality Definition in Ariane-5

Quality assessed through engineering rigor and document completeness.

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Study Notes

Chapter 1: Introduction to Software Engineering Concepts

  • This chapter introduces fundamental concepts of software engineering.
  • Software products are large and complex, demanding analysis and synthesis in their development.
  • Analysis involves breaking down a problem into smaller, understandable pieces, prominently using abstraction
  • Synthesis involves composing, building a software system from smaller units. Composition is a challenging aspect of the development process.
  • A structured problem-solving approach comprises defining methods, tools and procedures for creating a software product.
  • Paradigms (e.g., object-oriented vs. structured) shape product development approaches.
  • Software engineering is a discipline, distinct from computer science, utilizing computer technologies to address problems.
  • Key stakeholders in software development are the customer, developer and the user.
  • Software process models, such as the capability maturity model (CMM), ISO 9000, and SPICE, are important for process improvement.
  • Software quality is characterized in various viewpoints (transcendental, user, manufacturing, product and value-based).
  • Software quality is assessed for product, process and in business context.
  • Key quality concepts, such as completeness, consistency, accuracy, and efficiency, and others are detailed in the McCall quality attributes model.
  • Software faults arise due to human errors which impact software system behavior through failures.
  • The success of software engineering is measured by its ability to perform tasks more effectively and deliver improved products.
  • Software failures, like the Ariane-5 rocket failure, highlight potential issues that need to be addressed through careful design and development processes.
  • Software reuse and reuse potential are key aspects of software design and engineering.

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Chapter 1 Introduction To Software Engineering Concepts PDF

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