System Design Documentation Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is a key challenge in conventional software management practices, according to the text?

Lack of flexibility in software development

Reliance on outdated technology and techniques

Inability to plan and control software development

All of the above (correct)

According to the analysis of the software engineering industry, which of the following is NOT a key issue?

There is a high level of software scrap and rework

Technological advances are the primary determinant of success or failure (correct)

Most software projects fail to meet budget and schedule estimates

Software development lacks predictability

Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a characteristic of software in the text?

Software development is highly predictable (correct)

Software can be programmed to do almost anything

The flexibility of software makes it difficult to plan and control

Software is highly flexible

What percentage of software projects are delivered successfully within the initial budget and schedule estimates?

10% Signup and view all the answers

What does the text suggest as a potential solution to improve software economics?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the text?

The success rate for software projects is very high Signup and view all the answers

Why is documentation crucial in software development projects?

To support later modifications by different teams Signup and view all the answers

Which group must each designer communicate with according to the text?

Interfacing designers, managers, and possibly customers Signup and view all the answers

What role does documentation play in the early phases of software development?

It is the design itself Signup and view all the answers

Why should a computer program be treated as if it's developed twice?

To ensure the final version delivered is well-tested Signup and view all the answers

What is the main problem that arises if software documentation is lacking?

Communication breakdown between different teams Signup and view all the answers

'Doing it twice' refers to treating a computer program development process as what?

The same project but with refinement and improvement Signup and view all the answers

What was the fundamental assumption built into the classic waterfall process?

Decomposing software into functions Signup and view all the answers

Why did the conventional process result in adversarial stakeholder relationships?

Difficulties in requirements specification and ad hoc engineering information capture Signup and view all the answers

What was the typical sequence of events in most contractual software efforts?

Customer providing comments after contractor submission Signup and view all the answers

How was information exchanged between customers and contractors in most contractual software efforts?

Via paper documents capturing engineering information Signup and view all the answers

What encouraged high levels of sensitivity on the part of customers and contractors in the review process?

One-shot review process Signup and view all the answers

What differentiated the decomposition in the classic waterfall process from object-oriented design?

Decomposition into functions vs. object-oriented design Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Classic Waterfall Process

In traditional waterfall process, software is decomposed into functions, and requirements are allocated to these components.
This decomposition is different from object-oriented design and existing components.

Adversarial Stakeholder Relationships

Conventional process often leads to adversarial stakeholder relationships due to difficulties in requirements specification and exchange of information through paper documents.
Typical sequence of events in contractual software efforts:
Contractor prepares a draft document, delivers it to customer for approval.
Customer provides comments, contractor incorporates them, and submits a final version for approval.

Conventional Software Management

Conventional software management practices are sound in theory but tied to outdated technology and techniques.
Conventional software economics provides a benchmark of performance for conventional software management principles.

Software Economics

Three important analyses of software engineering industry:
Software development is still highly unpredictable.
Management discipline is a key discriminator in success or failure.
Software scrap and rework indicate an immature process.

Challenges of Software Development

Only about 10% of software projects are delivered successfully within initial budget and schedule estimates.
The best thing about software is its flexibility, but it also makes it difficult to plan, monitor, and control software development.

Importance of Documentation

Documentation is necessary for:
Communicating with interfacing designers, managers, and customers.
Supporting later modifications by separate test teams, maintenance teams, and operations personnel.
Documenting the design, as it is the real monetary value.

Do It Twice

Arrange to develop a second version of the software, before delivering the final version to the customer.
This is a smaller-scale process, done in a relatively short time frame.

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Description

Test your knowledge on documenting system design, including functions allocation, database design, execution time allocation, and interface definitions. Understand the importance of creating an informative overview document for project workers and documenting the system design.