Tuesday, April 17, 2012

Software Engineering - Introduction


Roger Pressman wrote that a textbook definition of software could be of the form: Software is (1) instructions (computer programs) that when executed provide desired output and performance; (2) data structures that enable the programs to adequately manipulate information, and (3) documents that describe the operation and use of the programs.

The intent of software engineering is to provide a framework for building higher quality software.

Definitions of Software Engineering

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. (Fritz Bauer)

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

Software engineering has four layers: Tools, Methods, Process and Focus.

The bedrock that supports software engineering is quality focus.
Process defines a framework that facilitates effective delivery of software engineering methods and tools (technology).
Software engineering methods provide the technical "how to's" for building quality software. Requirements analysis, design modeling etc. are methods.
Software engineering tools provide automated or semiautomated support for the process and methods.

Source:
Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach - Roger Pressman
Software Engineering: A Practitioner's Approach - Roger Pressman - Book Information and Review

Original Knol - http://knol.google.com/k/narayana-rao/software-engineering-introduction/2utb2lsm2k7a/ 4068

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