Assignment No.
-1
Subject: Software Engineering Subject Code: BTCS503-18 Semester: 5th
Max. Marks:10
1. Apply the Spiral Model to a Software Project that Requires Frequent Risk Assessment.
The Spiral Model is designed for managing risks in complex projects through iterative cycles.
Each cycle in the spiral addresses risks and ensures controlled progress. The model consists of
several phases:
1. Objective Setting and Planning: In each cycle, project goals, deliverables, constraints,
and alternatives are identified. This phase involves understanding customer requirements
and setting the foundation for the next iteration.
2. Risk Analysis and Mitigation: After objectives are defined, risks are identified. The
team analyzes each risk, including technological, budgetary, and schedule risks.
Strategies are developed to mitigate or avoid them. For example, if there's a risk of
performance bottlenecks, a prototype might be built early to assess and resolve the issue.
3. Development and Testing: This phase focuses on the actual implementation, where a
prototype or version of the product is developed. Testing is done to validate the solution,
ensuring that risks previously identified are addressed in this development iteration.
4. Customer Evaluation and Feedback: After development, stakeholders review the
outcome. Based on the evaluation, adjustments are made, and the next iteration of the
spiral begins with refined objectives and risk assessments.
This cyclical nature allows for frequent reassessment of risks, helping ensure the project
remains on track, adapts to changes, and minimizes failures.
2. Construct a Feasibility Study Report for a Proposed E-commerce Platform.
A feasibility study for an e-commerce platform should evaluate the following factors:
1. Technical Feasibility:
o Technology Stack: Assess if current technologies (e.g., frameworks, databases,
cloud services) can support the platform’s requirements like scalability and
performance.
o Infrastructure: Evaluate hardware and hosting needs (e.g., server capacity,
security infrastructure, payment gateway integration).
o Team Capability: Analyze if the in-house team has the required skills, or if
outsourcing is necessary.
2. Economic Feasibility:
o Cost-Benefit Analysis: Estimate the initial setup costs (development, design,
server infrastructure) and ongoing operational costs (maintenance, marketing).
Compare these with projected revenue from platform sales.
o ROI Analysis: Determine how long it will take for the platform to generate a
return on investment. This includes evaluating sales projections and potential
profit margins.
3. Legal Feasibility:
o Data Protection Laws: Ensure compliance with data protection laws like GDPR,
which regulate the handling of customer data.
o E-commerce Regulations: Review online transaction rules, intellectual property
laws, and any other legal barriers.
o Contractual Obligations: Consider third-party partnerships (e.g., payment
processors, delivery services) and their legal requirements.
This analysis helps in deciding whether to proceed with the platform, ensuring it's technically
viable, economically profitable, and legally compliant.
3. Contrast High Cohesion with Low Coupling in Software Design.
In software design, high cohesion and low coupling are desirable attributes for building
maintainable systems:
1. High Cohesion: Refers to how closely related and focused the responsibilities of a
software module are. A highly cohesive module performs a single task or a group of
related tasks, making it easier to understand, maintain, and modify. For example, a
function that calculates interest rates should only handle interest-related logic.
2. Low Coupling: Refers to the degree of interdependence between software modules. In a
loosely coupled system, modules are independent, meaning changes in one module do not
affect others. This makes the system flexible and easier to modify.
Why both are desirable:
High cohesion ensures that modules are easy to maintain because they are self-contained
and focused on specific functionalities.
Low coupling ensures that changes or updates to one module do not ripple through the
system, reducing the risk of unintended side effects and making the system more scalable
and testable.
By designing systems with high cohesion and low coupling, developers create more modular,
flexible, and maintainable software.
4. Outline the Steps Involved in Performing a Code Review.
Code reviews are essential for maintaining code quality. The process involves several key
steps:
1. Preparation:
o The reviewer familiarizes themselves with the code, its purpose, and the related
requirements or user stories. They check if there are any pre-existing issues or
documentation gaps.
2. Readability Check:
o Ensure that the code is easy to understand, well-commented, and follows coding
standards. Naming conventions should be intuitive, and the code should be
logically structured.
3. Correctness Review:
o Check if the code implements the required functionality correctly, adheres to
business logic, and produces the expected results.
4. Efficiency and Performance Review:
o Evaluate whether the code is optimized for performance and resource usage. Look
for areas where algorithms could be more efficient or where bottlenecks might
occur.
5. Security and Best Practices Review:
o Identify potential security vulnerabilities (e.g., improper input validation, SQL
injection risks) and ensure the code follows industry best practices.
6. Feedback and Discussion:
o Provide constructive feedback and, if necessary, engage in discussions with the
developer to clarify why certain changes or improvements are suggested. This
fosters a collaborative learning environment.
By focusing on readability, correctness, performance, and security, code reviews help maintain
the overall quality and long-term maintainability of the codebase.
