What is Software
Engineering?
Engineering approach to
develop software.
Building Construction Analogy.
Systematic collection of past
experience:
techniques,
methodologies,
guidelines.
1
Software Crisis
Software products:
fail to meet user
requirements.
frequently crash.
expensive.
difficult to alter, debug, and
enhance.
often delivered late.
use resources non-optimally.
2
Factors contributing to the
software crisis
Larger problems,
Lack of adequate training in
software engineering,
Increasing skill shortage,
Low productivity
improvements.
3
Programs versus Software
Products
Usually small in size Large
Author himself is Large number of
sole user users
Single developer Team of
Lacks proper user developers
interface Well-designed
Lacks proper interface
documentation Well documented &
Ad hoc user-manual
development. prepared
Systematic
development 4
Object-Oriented Design (80s)
Object-oriented technique:
natural objects (such as employees,
pay-roll-register, etc.) occurring in a
problem are first identified.
Relationships among objects:
such as composition, reference,
and inheritance are determined.
5
Evolution of Other Software
Engineering Techniques
life cycle models,
specification techniques,
project management techniques,
testing techniques,
debugging techniques,
quality assurance techniques,
software measurement
techniques,
CASE tools, etc.
6
Differences between the exploratory style
and modern software development
practices
Use of Life Cycle Models
Software is developed through
several well-defined stages:
requirements analysis and
specification,
design,
coding,
testing, etc.
7
Differences between the exploratory style
and modern software development
practices
Emphasis has shifted
from error correction to error
prevention.
Modern practices emphasize:
detection of errors as close to
their point of introduction as
possible.
8
Differences between the exploratory style
and modern software development
practices (CONT.)
In exploratory style,
errors are detected only
during testing,
Now,
focus is on detecting as
many errors as possible in
each phase of development.
9
Differences between the exploratory style
and modern software development
practices (CONT.)
During all stages of
development process:
Periodic reviews are being
carried out
Software testing has become
systematic:
standard testing techniques are
available.
10
Differences between the exploratory style
and modern software development
practices (CONT.)
Projects are being thoroughly
planned:
estimation,
scheduling,
monitoring mechanisms.
Use of CASE tools.
11
Life Cycle Model
A software life cycle model (or
process model):
a descriptive and diagrammatic
model of software life cycle:
identifies all the activities required for
product development,
establishes a precedence ordering among
the different activities,
Divides life cycle into phases.
12
Why Model Life Cycle ?
A written description:
forms a common understanding
of activities among the software
developers.
helps in identifying
inconsistencies, redundancies in
the development process.
13
Why Model Life Cycle ?
Processes are tailored for
special projects.
A documented process
model
helps to identify where the
tailoring is to occur.
14
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
The development team must
identify a suitable life cycle
model:
and then adhere to it.
Primary advantage of adhering to
a life cycle model:
helps development of software in a
systematic and disciplined manner.
15
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
When a software product is
being developed by a team:
there must be a precise
understanding among team
members as to when to do what,
otherwise it would lead to and
project failure.
16
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
A life cycle model:
defines entry and exit criteria
for every phase.
A phase is considered to be
complete:
only when all its exit criteria's
are satisfied.
17
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
The phase exit criteria for the
software requirements specification
phase:
Software Requirements Specification
(SRS) document is complete, reviewed,
and approved by the customer.
A phase can start:
only if its phase-entry criteria have been
satisfied.
18
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
It becomes easier for
software project managers:
to monitor the progress of the
project.
19
Life Cycle Model (CONT.)
Many life cycle models have been
proposed.
We will confine our attention to a few
important and commonly used models.
classical waterfall model
iterative waterfall,
evolutionary,
prototyping, and
spiral model
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