Intro to Software Engineering

L EC T U R E 3 : S OF T WA RE A P P L ICATION T YP ES A N D S OF T WARE P ROCES SES

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Types of
Software
Application

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Types of Software
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Software
Application
Types

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 Stand-alone applications
◦ These are application systems that run on a local
computer, such as a PC. do not need to be
connected to a network.

Software Interactive transaction-based applications

Application ◦ Applications that execute on a remote computer
and are accessed by users from their own PCs.
types web applications such as e-commerce
applications.
Embedded control systems
◦ These are software control systems that control
and manage hardware devices.

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 Batch processing systems
◦ These are business systems that are
designed to process data in large batches.
E.g Credit card companies process bill
Entertainment systems
Application ◦ Media players etc.
types
Systems for modeling and simulation
◦ These are systems that are developed by
scientists and engineers to model
physical processes or situations, which
include many, separate, interacting
objects.
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 Data collection systems
◦ These are systems that collect data from
their environment using a set of sensors
and send that data to other systems for
Application processing. e.g. RTU in SCADA systems
types
Systems of systems
◦ These are systems that are composed of
a number of other software systems. e.g.
Electric/power grid systems

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Software Processes

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What is a software process?
A set of activities whose goal is the development or evolution of
software

Generic activities in all software processes are:

◦ Specification - what the system should do and its development
constraints
◦ Design and Development - production of the software system
◦ Validation - checking that the software is what the customer wants
◦ Evolution - changing the software in response to changing demands

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Software Process
Fundamental Assumption:

⚫ Good processes lead to good software

⚫ Good processes reduce risk
⚫ Good processes enhance visibility
⚫ Good processes enable teamwork
Variety of Software
Processes
Software products are very varied...
Therefore, there is no standard process for
all software engineering projects
BUT successful software development
projects all need to address similar issues.
This creates a number of process steps that
should be part of all software projects.
What is a software process model?
A simplified representation of a software process, presented from a specific
perspective
Examples of process perspectives are
◦ Workflow perspective - sequence of activities
◦ Data-flow perspective - information flow
◦ Role/action perspective - who does what
Generic process models
•Waterfall
•Evolutionary development
•Formal transformation
•Integration from reusable components

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Software
Lifecycle
Activities

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Basic Process Steps in all Software
Development
⚫ Feasibility and planning

⚫ Requirements
These steps may be repeated
⚫ System and program design many times during the
development cycle.
⚫ Implementation
⚫ Acceptance and release

⚫ Operation and maintenance

It is essential to distinguish among these process steps and to be clear
which you are are doing at any given moment.
Quality Control Steps in all Software
Development
⚫ Validating the requirements
⚫ Validating the system and program design
⚫ Usability testing
⚫ Program testing
⚫ Acceptance testing

⚫ Bug fixing and maintenance

Some of these steps will be repeated many times during the
life of the system
Process Step: Feasibility
A feasibility study precedes the decision to begin a project.
• What is the scope of the proposed project?
• Is the project technically feasible?
• What are the projected benefits?
• What are the costs, Nmetable?
• Are the resources available?
• What are the risks and how can they be managed?
A feasibility study leads to a decision: go or no-‐go.
Process Step: Requirements
Requirements define the function of the system from the
client's viewpoint.
The requirements establish the system's functionality,
constraints, and goals by consultation with the client,
customers, and users.

They must be developed in a manner that is understandable

by both the client and the development staff.
Process Step: Requirements
This step is sometimes divided into:
• Requirements analysis
• Requirements definiNon
• Requirements specificaNon
The requirements may be developed in a self-‐contained
study, or may emerge incrementally.
Failure to agree on the requirements and define them
adequately is one of the biggest cause of software projects
failing.
 Process Step: System Design
Design describes the system from the software developers' viewpoint
System design:
Establish a system architecture, both hardware and software, that matches the requirements
Program design:
Represent the software functions in a form that can be transformed into one or more
executable programs
Preliminary user testing is often carried out as part of the design step.
Models are used to represent the requirements, system architecture, and
program design. This course teaches the basic concepts of the Unified
Modeling Language (UML).
Process Step: Implementation
Implementation (coding)
The software design is realized as a set of programs or program units.
These software components may be wriben by the development team, acquired from
elsewhere, or modified from existing components.

Program testing
Program testing by the development staff is an integral part of implementation.
Individual components are tested against the design.
The components are integrated and tested against the design as a complete system.
Process Step: Acceptance and Release
Acceptance testing
The system is tested against the requirements by the client, often with selected
customers and users.
Delivery and release
After successful acceptance testing, the system is delivered to the client and
released into production or marketed to customers.
Process Step: Operation and Maintenance
Operation:
The system is put into practical use.
Maintenance:
Errors and problems are identified and fixed.
Evolution:
The system evolves over time as requirements change, to add new functions, or adapt
to a changing technical environment.
Phase out:
The system is withdrawn from service.
This is sometimes called the Software Life Cycle
Sequence of Process Steps

Every software project will include these basic processes, in some

shape or form, but:
• The steps may be formal or informal
• The steps may be carried out in various sequences
 Sequence of Process Steps
Major alternatives
In this course, we will look at three categories of software development processes:
Sequential:
As far as possible, complete each process step before beginning the next. Waterfall model.

Iterative:
Go quickly through all process steps to create a rough system, then repeat them to improve the system.
Iterative refinement.

Incremental:
A variant of iterative refinement in which small increments of software are placed in production
(sprints). Agile development.
Heavyweight and Lightweight Software
Development
In a heavyweight process, the development team works through the process
steps slowly and systematically, with the aim of fully completing each process step
and deliverables for that step that will need minimal changes and revision.
Example: Modified Waterfall Model

In a lightweight process, the development team releases working software in

small increments, and develops the plans incrementally, based on experience.
Each increment includes all the process steps. There is an expectation that
changes will be made based on experience.
Example: Agile Software Development
Deliverables
Deliverables
A deliverable is some work product that is delivered to the client.
• In a heavyweight process, each process step creates a deliverable, usually
documentation, e.g., a requirements specification.
• In a lightweight process, the deliverables are incremental working code, with minimal
supporting documentation.
Sequential Model: Waterfall Model
Discussion of Waterfall Model
The waterfall model is a heavyweight process with full documentation of each
process step.
Advantages:
• Process visibility
• Separation of tasks
• Quality control at each step
• Cost monitoring at each step
Disadvantages:
In practice, each stage in the process reveals new understanding of the
previous stages, which often requires the earlier stages to be revised.
The Waterfall Model is not flexible enough.
Discussion of Waterfall Model
A pure sequential model is impossible
Examples:
• A feasibility study cannot create a proposed budget and schedule without a
preliminary study of the requirements and a tentative design.
• Detailed design and implementation reveal gaps in the requirements
specification.
• Requirements and/or technology may change during the development.
The plan must allow for some form of iteration.
Modified Waterfall Model
Sequential Development
Sequential processes work best when the requirements are well understood
and the design is straightforward, e.g.,
• Conversions of manual data processing systems where the requirements were
well understood and few changes were made during the development (e.g.,
electricity billing).
• New models of a product where the functionality is closely derived from an
earlier product (e.g. automatic braking system for a car).
• Portions of a large system where some components have clearly defined
requirements and are clearly separated from the rest of the system.
When to use the waterfall model
▪This model is used only when the requirements are very well known, clear and fixed.
▪Product definition is stable.
▪Technology is understood.
▪There are no ambiguous requirements
▪Ample resources with required expertise are available freely
▪The project is short.

In Waterfall model, very less customer interaction is involved during the development of the
product. Once the product is ready then only it can be demonstrated to the end users.
Once the product is developed and if any failure occurs then the cost of fixing such issues are
very high, because we need to update everything from document till the logic.

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Summary Waterfall
Advantages of waterfall model
•This model is simple and easy to understand and use.
•It is easy to manage due to the rigidity of the model – each phase has specific
deliverables and a review process.
•In this model phases are processed and completed one at a time. Phases do not
overlap.
•Waterfall model works well for smaller projects where requirements are clearly
defined and very well understood.

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Summary Waterfall
Disadvantages of waterfall model
▪Once an application is in the testing stage, it is very difficult to go back and
change something that was not well-thought out in the concept stage.
▪No working software is produced until late during the life cycle.
▪High amounts of risk and uncertainty.
▪Not a good model for complex and object-oriented projects.
▪Poor model for long and ongoing projects.
▪Not suitable for the projects where requirements are at a moderate to high risk
of changing.

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