UNIT -1

OVERVIEW
The economies of ALL developed nations are dependent on software. More and more
systems are software controlled.
Software engineering is concerned with theories, methods and tools for professional
software development.
FAQs About software engineering:
What is software?
Software is set of Computer programs associated with documentation & configuration data that is needed
to make these programs operate correctly. A software system consists of a number of programs,
configuration files (used to set up programs), system documentation (describes the structure of the
system) and user documentation
(explains how to use system).
Software products may be developed for a particular customer or may be developed for a general market.
Software products may be
Generic - developed to be sold to a range of different customers
Bespoke (custom) - developed for a single customer according
to their specification
What is software engineering?
Software engineering is an engineering discipline which is concerned with all aspects of software
production.
Software engineers should adopt a systematic and organized approach to their work and use
appropriate tools and techniques depending on the problem to be solved, the development constraints and
the resources available.
What is the difference between software engineering and computer science?
Computer science is concerned with theory and fundamentals; software
engineering is concerned with the practicalities of developing and delivering useful
software
Computer science theories are currently insufficient to act as a complete
underpinning for software engineering
What is the difference between software engineering and system engineering?
System engineering is concerned with all aspects of computer-based systems development
including hardware, software and process engineering. Software engineering is part of this process
System engineers are involved in system specification, architectural design, integration and
deployment
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
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
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

Socio-Technical Systems:
A system is a purposeful collection of inter-related components working together
towards some common objective.
A system may include software, mechanical, electrical and electronic hardware
and be operated by people.
System components are dependent on other system components
The properties and behavior of system components are inextricably inter-mingled
Problems of systems engineering
Large systems are usually designed to solve 'wicked' problems
Systems engineering requires a great deal of co-ordination across disciplines
Almost infinite possibilities for design trade-offs across components
Mutual distrust and lack of understanding across engineering disciplines
Systems must be designed to last many years in a changing environment
Software and systems engineering
The proportion of software in systems is increasing. Software-driven general purpose
electronics is replacing special-purpose systems
Problems of systems engineering are similar to problems of software engineering
Software is seen as a problem in systems engineering. Many large system projects
have been delayed because of software problems.
Emergent properties
Properties of the system as a whole rather than properties that can be derived from
the properties of components of a system
Emergent properties are a consequence of the relationships between system
components. They can therefore only be assessed and measured once the
components have been integrated into a system.
Examples of emergent properties
1. The overall weight of the system
This is an example of an emergent property that can be computed from individual
component properties.
2. The reliability of the system
This depends on the reliability of system components and the relationships between
the components.
3. The usability of a system
This is a complex property which is not simply dependent on the system hardware
and software but also depends on the system operators and the environment where it
is used.
Types of emergent property
1. Functional properties
These appear when all the parts of a system work together to achieve some
objective. For example, a bicycle has the functional property of being a transportation

device once it has been assembled from its components.

2. Non-functional emergent properties
Examples are reliability, performance, safety, and security.
These relate to the behaviour of the system in its operational environment. They are
often critical for computer-based systems as failure to achieve some minimal defined
level in
these properties may make the system unusable.
Because of component inter-dependencies, faults can be propagated through the
system
System failures often occur because of unforeseen inter-relationships between
Components It is probably impossible to anticipate all possible component
relationships
Software reliability measures may give a false picture of the system reliability
System reliability engineering
1. Hardware reliability
What is the probability of a hardware component failing and how long does it take
to repair that component?
2. Software reliability
How likely is it that a software component will produce an incorrect output.
Software failure is usually distinct from hardware failure in that software does not
wear out.
3. Operator reliability
How likely is it that the operator of a system will make an error?
Influences on reliability
Reliability relationships
1. Hardware failure can generate spurious signals that are outside the range of inputs
expected by the software
2. Software errors can cause alarms to be activated which cause operator stress and
lead to operator errors
3. The environment in which a system is installed can affect its reliability
Systems and their environment
Systems are not independent but exist in an environment
Systems function may be to change its environment. Environment affects the
functioning of the system e.g. system may require electrical supply from its
environment
The organizational as well as the physical environment may be important

Human and organisational factors

Process changes
Does the system require changes to the work
processes in the environment?
Job changes
Does the system de-skill the users in an environment or
cause them to change the way they work?
Organisational changes
Does the system change the political power structure in
an organisation?
System architecture modelling
An architectural model presents an abstract view of the sub-systems making up a system may include
major information flows between sub-systems
I Usually presented as a block diagram
I May identify different types of functional component in the model
System evolution
Large systems have a long lifetime. They must evolve to meet changing requirements
Evolution is inherently costly
Changes must be analysed from a technical and business perspective
Sub-systems interact so unanticipated problems can arise
There is rarely a rationale for original design decisions
System structure is corrupted as changes are made to it
Existing systems which must be maintained are sometimes called legacy systems
The system engineering process

Usually follows a waterfall model because of the need for parallel development of
different parts of the system
Little scope for iteration between phases because hardware changes are very
expensive. Software may have to compensate for hardware problems
Inevitably involves engineers from different disciplines who must work together
Much scope for misunderstanding here. Different disciplines use a different
vocabulary and much negotiation is required. Engineers may have personal agendas
to fulfill.