Software Engineering Essentials
Introduction
Mohamad Halabi
@mohamadhalabi
A Discipline in Demand
Software Engineering is a highly demanded discipline and Software
Engineers are much sought after
Mashable report: Software Engineer is the top tech job of 2014
http://mashable.com/2014/01/06/tech-jobs-2014/
Business Insider report: Software Engineers are highly paid pros in the
biggest companies
http://www.businessinsider.com/software-salaries-at-big-companies-2014-9
…Yet a Misunderstood Discipline
What is software engineering and why is it important?
What are the building blocks of software engineering?
What are the processes and methods that differentiate it as a
discipline?
What Is Software Engineering?
…the application of a systematic,
disciplined, and quantifiable approach
to the development, operation, and
maintenance of software; that is, the
application of engineering to
software…
— IEEE
Applied through entire lifecycle: specifications maintenance
Why Software Engineering?
The alternative is ad-hoc or disordered approach
Engineering means:
Predictability and quantifiable results
Application of theories, methodologies, frameworks, and tools
Result is high-quality software created in cost-effective manner
Software Engineering Layers
Process Layer
Tools Layer Framework and order of activities
How Requirements, Design, Construction, and Testing are
Methods Layer performed?
Process Layer Methods Layer
Proven techniques to perform certain activities
Ex: methods for requirements analysis/modeling, design
and design modeling, and testing, etc…
Tools Layer
Provides automation support
Aids in the systematic application of software engineering
Software-Creation Activities
Generic set of software lifecycle activities:
Requirements Design Development Validation Deployment Evolution
Umbrella activities: Project Management
Quality Management
Configuration Management
Process Improvement
Software Process
Also called Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC)
Defines:
Tasks inside the Software Engineering activities
Order and detail of these tasks and activities
Flow of activities (ex: iterative, linear, etc…)
Type and detail of artifacts
Software Process
Linear model? Requirements Design Development Validation Deployment Evolution
Iteration #1
Design Development Validation Deployment
Iterative model? Requirements Evolution
Design Development Validation Deployment
Iteration #2
Chunk of Chunk of
Design Design
requirements requirements
Agile model? Iteration #1 Iteration #2
Deployment Validation Development Deployment Validation Development
What about
the artifacts?
Software Process Models
Traditional (classic) models
Waterfall (linear)
Iterative and incremental models
Prototyping
Spiral
Agile
Unified Model
Specialized models (for particular approaches)
Component-based development
Formal methods
Aspect-Oriented development
Which Model to Use?
Decided by various factors, including project type and organization
maturity
Ex: Airplane navigation system requires rigorous and detailed specification
and design
Ex: Collaboration portal does not need such rigidity
Typically, the project manager with the lead software engineer decide
on the process model
Alert: A Software Process Spans Entire Lifecycle
Software professionals often make common mistakes:
They do not consider maintenance (evolution) as part of the software process
They consider Requirements Deployment but neglect operations
This is wrong! Maintenance is part of the software lifecycle (until the
system is retired)
Keep in mind: pre-deployment requests (i.e. changes) also need analysis,
design, development, testing, and deployment
Often as part of a change management process (ex: ITIL) rather than a project
charter
Software Engineering Methods
Practices with proven techniques to perform certain activities in an
organized and systematic approach
Tools Layer
Methods Layer
Requirements • How-to
Analysis • Modeling
Methods • Notations
Process Layer
Requirements • Order
Analysis • Focus
Activity • Artifacts
Similarly, there are methods for design, testing, etc…
Some of the most known Software Engineering methods:
Structured Analysis and Design
Object-Oriented Analysis and Design
Formal Methods
Software Engineering Tools
Tools assist software processes by automating actions
Examples
Requirement Management: Enterprise Architect (Sparx), IBM Rational (IBM)
Development: Visual Studio (Microsoft), Eclipse (Open Source)
Testing: Team Foundation Server (Microsoft), HP Quality Center (HP)
Software Configuration: Team Foundation Server (Microsoft)
Project Management: Enterprise Project Management (Microsoft)
Process Management and Modeling: Team Foundation Server
The Role of Software Engineer
Software Engineer as a role is less formally defined than the discipline
Software Engineer is replacing the title Software Developer
Seems to indicate more knowledge/responsibilities. So more sophisticated!
However, Software Engineering is not only about development
So is a designer or tester also a Software Engineer?
In general, anyone who efficiently applies the engineering discipline
to the analysis, design, development, testing, and operation is a
qualified Software Engineer
Software Engineering and Project Management
We already established that:
Project Management is an umbrella activity
Software Engineering is applied throughout the software lifecycle
Requirements Design Development Validation Deployment Evolution Retirement
Planning starts Planning ends after
before any activity system retires
• Control
• Communication
• Cost analysis
• Work breakdown structure
• Task scheduling
• Risk analysis
SWEBOK
IEEE Computer Society publishes the Software Engineering Body of
Knowledge (SWEBOK) as an international standard
SWEBOK (v3) promotes consistent view and specifies scope of Software
Engineering
Software Engineering activities are organized into 15 Knowledge Areas
1. Software Requirements 9. Software Engineering Models and Methods
2. Software Design 10. Software Quality
3. Software Construction 11. Software Engineering Professional Practice
4. Software Testing 12. Software Engineering Economics
5. Software Maintenance 13. Computing Foundations
6. Software Configuration Management 14. Mathematical Foundations
7. Software Engineering Management 15. Engineering Foundations
8. Software Engineering Process
Content
Building blocks of Software Engineering: Process, Methods, and Tools
Module 2: tour around process models
Activities are explained independent of the process model applied
Activities are standardized. Process models set the ceremony level
Module 3: requirements engineering process
Module 4: requirements modeling Structured Analysis method
Module 5: requirements modeling Object-Oriented Analysis method
Module 6: essentials of software design process
Module 7: design method
Module 8: construction process
Module 9: testing process and methods
Summary
“…the application of a systematic, disciplined, and quantifiable approach to
the development, operation, and maintenance of software…” -IEEE
So Software Engineering is applied to the entire software lifecycle
Three layers are the building blocks of Software Engineering:
Process Layer:
Activity tasks (i.e. requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, evolution)
Order and detail of these activities
Flow (ex: iterative or linear)
Type and detail of artifacts
There are different process models (ex: agile, waterfall, unified process)
Methods Layer: Practices with proven techniques to perform certain activities
Tools Layer: automation support to perform activities
