Software Engineering

Principles of Software Engineering

• Candidates must be aware of the fundamental principles underlying Software Engineering and understand why an ‘engineering discipline’ is required to develop high quality software systems.
• Engineering vs Programming
• Programming in the Large vs Programming in the Small
• High Quality Software Systems vs Software Programs

Process Models

• Candidates should be aware that there are many process models that can be used as the basis for a software development life-cycle:
• Overview of Process Models and their importance
• V-model
• V-model with prototyping
• Evolutionary Development
• Incremental Development
• Spiral Model
• Cleanroom Process Model
• DSDM (a process model not a method)
• Comparison of Models

Development Methods and Techniques

• Candidates should show a theoretical and practical understanding of the following:
• Structured Methods and Techniques (e.g. SSADM)
  • DataFlow Diagrams
  • Entity-Relationship Diagrams
  • State Transition Diagrams
  • Statecharts
• Object Oriented Methods and Techniques (e.g. UML)
  • Use Cases
  • Class Diagrams
  • Behaviour Diagrams (e.g. collaboration diagram)
  • Implementation Diagrams (e.g. component diagram)
• Formal Methods
  • VDM, Z, B
  • CSP, Mascot, Petri-Nets

Software Development Life Cycle

• Candidates should show a practical understanding of developing software products through a development life-cycle:
• Requirements
  • Requirements Analysis and Capture
  • Requirements Engineering, e.g. CORE
  • Requirements Tracking
  • Functional Requirements
  • Non-Functional Requirements
• Specification
  • Refinement of Requirements
  • Natural Language Specification
  • Diagrammatic
  • Formal, Mathematical Specification
  • Use of Abstraction
  • Rapid Prototyping
• Design
  • Refinement of Specifications
  • System Architectures
  • Different Design Approaches
  • Design Trade-Offs (e.g. modular vs performance)
  • Performance Modelling/ Simulation
  • Structured Design vs O-O Design
• Implementation
  • Encapsulation and Modularistion
  • Information Hiding (ADTs/ Interfaces)
  • Coupling and Cohesion
• Component Reuse
  • Debugging
  • Performance Measurement
• Validation and Verification
  • Testing; black-box and white box, statistical
  • Formal Proof
  • Correctness Arguments
  • Inspections and Reviews
  • Static and Dynamic Analysis Tools
  • Using the Compiler
• Maintenance

Project Management

• Risk Management
• Team Management (Personnel and Technical)
• Project Planning (Resource and Technical)
• Education and Training
• Cost Estimation
• Project Scheduling

Software Quality

• Software Quality Assurance
• Configuration Management and Change Control
• Software Tools
• The 'ilities'
• Standards
• Documentation
• Metrics

Are computers males or females? You decide

TOP 5 REASONS WHY COMPUTERS MUST BE MALE

1. They're heavily dependent on external tools and equipment.

2. They periodically cut you off right when you think you've established a network connection.

3. They'll usually do what you ask them to do, but they won't do more than they have to and they won't think of it on their own.

4. They're typically obsolete within five years and need to be traded in for a new model. Some users, however, feel they've already invested so much in the damn machine that they're compelled to remain with an under powered system.

5. They get hot when you turn them on, and that's the only time you have their attention.

FIVE REASONS COMPUTERS MUST BE FEMALE

1. No one but their creator understands their logic.

2. Even the smallest mistakes are immediately committed to memory for future reference.

3. The native language used to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else.

4. The message, "Bad command or filename," is about as informative as "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, then I'm certainly not going to tell you."

5. As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it.

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Common sense is not so common.
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Last updated 13'th January 2005
Copyright © 2003-2005 by Sanjaya Ratnaweera
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