Course Name:

Introduction to Software Engineering

Course Code: SWE 201

Course Instructor:

ALI YOUSUF KHAN

Assistant Professor
PhD Research Scholar,
MS / MPhil ( I.T. ), BS ( Computer Eng. ), MCP, MCSA, CCNA
Software Engineering Department
Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi
Room # BS-02 ( Cubical # 10 ) 1
Chapter 1
 Software & Software Engineering

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What is Software?
Software is: (1) instructions (computer
programs) that when executed provide desired
features, function, and performance; (2) data
structures that enable the programs to
adequately manipulate information and (3)
documentation that describes the operation
and use of the programs.

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What is Software?
 Software is developed or engineered, it is
not manufactured in the classical sense.
 Software doesn't "wear out."
 Although the industry is moving toward
component-based construction, most
software continues to be custom-built.

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Wear vs. Deterioration
Hardware wears out over time

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Wear vs. Deterioration

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Software Applications
 system software
 application software
 engineering/scientific
software
 embedded software
 product-line software
 WebApps (Web
applications)
 AI software

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Software—New Categories
 Open world computing—pervasive, distributed
computing
 Ubiquitous computing—wireless networks
 Netsourcing—the Web as a computing engine
 Open source—”free” source code open to the
computing community (a blessing, but also a potential
curse!)
 Also …
 Data mining

 Grid computing

 Cognitive machines

 Software for nanotechnologies

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Legacy Software
Why must it change?
 software must be adapted to meet the needs
of new computing environments or
technology.
 software must be enhanced to implement new
business requirements.
 software must be extended to make it
interoperable with other more modern
systems or databases.
 software must be re-architected to make it
viable within a network environment.

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Characteristics of WebApps - I
 Network intensiveness. A WebApp resides on a network and
must serve the needs of a diverse community of clients.
 Concurrency. A large number of users may access the
WebApp at one time.
 Unpredictable load. The number of users of the WebApp may
vary by orders of magnitude from day to day.
 Performance. If a WebApp user must wait too long (for
access, for server-side processing, for client-side formatting
and display), he or she may decide to go elsewhere.
 Availability. Although expectation of 100 percent availability is
unreasonable, users of popular WebApps often demand
access on a “24/7/365” basis.

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Characteristics of WebApps - II
 Data driven. The primary function of many WebApps is to use
hypermedia to present text, graphics, audio, and video content to
the end-user.
 Content sensitive. The quality and aesthetic nature of content
remains an important determinant of the quality of a WebApp.
 Continuous evolution. Unlike conventional application software
that evolves over a series of planned, chronologically-spaced
releases, Web applications evolve continuously.
 Immediacy. Although immediacy—the compelling need to get
software to market quickly—is a characteristic of many application
domains, WebApps often exhibit a time to market that can be a
matter of a few days or weeks.
 Security. Because WebApps are available via network access, it
is difficult, if not impossible, to limit the population of end-users
who may access the application.
 Aesthetics. An undeniable part of the appeal of a WebApp is its
look and feel.
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Software Engineering
 Some realities:
 a concerted effort should be made to understand the
problem before a software solution is developed
 design becomes a pivotal activity
 software should exhibit high quality
 software should be maintainable
 The seminal definition:
 [Software engineering is] the establishment and use
of sound engineering principles in order to obtain
economically software that is reliable and works
efficiently on real machines.

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Software Engineering
 The IEEE definition:
 Software Engineering: (1) The application of a
systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the
development, operation, and maintenance of
software; that is, the application of engineering to
software. (2) The study of approaches as in (1).

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A Layered Technology

tools

methods

process model

a “quality” focus

Software Engineering

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A Process Framework
Process framework
Framework activities
work tasks
work products
milestones & deliverables
QA checkpoints
Umbrella Activities

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Framework Activities
 Communication
 Planning
 Modeling
 Analysis of requirements
 Design
 Construction
 Code generation
 Testing
 Deployment

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Umbrella Activities
 Software project management
 Formal technical reviews
 Software quality assurance
 Software configuration management
 Work product preparation and production
 Reusability management
 Measurement
 Risk management

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Adapting a Process Model
 the overall flow of activities, actions, and tasks and the
interdependencies among them
 the degree to which actions and tasks are defined within
each framework activity
 the degree to which work products are identified and
required
 the manner which quality assurance activities are applied
 the manner in which project tracking and control activities
are applied
 the overall degree of detail and rigor with which the
process is described
 the degree to which the customer and other stakeholders
are involved with the project
 the level of autonomy given to the software team
 the degree to which team organization and roles are
prescribed
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The Essence of Practice
 Polya suggests:
1. Understand the problem (communication and analysis).
2. Plan a solution (modeling and software design).
3. Carry out the plan (code generation).
4. Examine the result for accuracy (testing and quality
assurance).

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Understand the Problem
 Who has a stake in the solution to the
problem? That is, who are the stakeholders?
 What are the unknowns? What data, functions,
and features are required to properly solve the
problem?
 Can the problem be compartmentalized? Is it
possible to represent smaller problems that
may be easier to understand?
 Can the problem be represented graphically?
Can an analysis model be created?

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Plan the Solution
 Have you seen similar problems before? Are there
patterns that are recognizable in a potential solution? Is
there existing software that implements the data,
functions, and features that are required?
 Has a similar problem been solved? If so, are elements
of the solution reusable?
 Can subproblems be defined? If so, are solutions readily
apparent for the subproblems?
 Can you represent a solution in a manner that leads to
effective implementation? Can a design model be
created?

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Carry Out the Plan
 Does the solution conform to the plan? Is
source code traceable to the design model?
 Is each component part of the solution provably
correct? Has the design and code been
reviewed, or better, have correctness proofs
been applied to algorithm?

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Examine the Result
 Is it possible to test each component part of the
solution? Has a reasonable testing strategy
been implemented?
 Does the solution produce results that conform
to the data, functions, and features that are
required? Has the software been validated
against all stakeholder requirements?

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Hooker’s General Principles
 1: The Reason It All Exists
 2: KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid!)
 3: Maintain the Vision
 4: What You Produce, Others Will Consume
 5: Be Open to the Future
 6: Plan Ahead for Reuse
 7: Think!

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Software Myths
 Affect managers, customers (and
other non-technical stakeholders)
and practitioners
 Are believable because they often
have elements of truth,
but …
 Invariably lead to bad decisions,
therefore …
 Insist on reality as you navigate your
way through software engineering

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Software Myths

 If we get behind schedule, we can add more

programmers and catch up.
 A general statement about objectives is
sufficient to begin building programs.
 Change in project requirements can be easily
accommodated because software is flexible.

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Software Myths
 Once we write a working program, we’re
done.
 Until I get the program running, I have
no way of assessing its quality.
 The only deliverable work product for a
successful project is the working
program.
 Software engineering will make us
create too much documentation and will
slow us down.
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 Management Myths

 “We already have a book of standards and

procedures for building software. It does provide my
people with everything they need to know …”
 “If my project is behind the schedule, I always can
add more programmers to it and catch up …”
(a.k.a. “The Mongolian Horde concept”)
 “If I decide to outsource the software project to a
third party, I can just relax: Let them build it, and I
will just pocket my profits …”

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 Customer Myths

 “A general statement of objectives is sufficient

to begin writing programs - we can fill in the
details later …”

 “Project requirements continually change but

this change can easily be accommodated
because software is flexible …”

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Practitioner’s Myths

 “Let’s start coding ASAP, because once we

write the program and get it to work, our job is
done …”

 “Until I get the program running, I have no way

of assessing its quality …”

 “The only deliverable work product for a

successful project is the working program …”

 “Software engineering is baloney. It makes us

create tons of paperwork, only to slow us
down …”
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How It all Starts
 SafeHome:
 Every software project is precipitated by some
business need—
• the need to correct a defect in an existing application;
• the need to the need to adapt a ‘legacy system’ to a
changing business environment;
• the need to extend the functions and features of an
existing application, or
• the need to create a new product, service, or system.

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