Questions and Answers on SE (Set 4)

 FAQ on Software Engineering (Set 4)

Question 1

Explain the concept of Software Engineering and its significance in doing Software Development.

• Software engineering is the systematic, disciplined, and quantifiable approach to the design, development, testing, and maintenance of software. 
• It applies engineering principles to the software creation process to ensure that the final product is reliable, efficient, and meets user requirements.
• Software development is the actual creation of software, which involves tasks like coding, debugging, and testing. 

• While software development is a key part of software engineering, it is not the whole picture. 
• Software engineering provides the framework and methodology to guide and manage the entire software development life cycle, from initial concept to final delivery and beyond.
• Software engineering is crucial for software development, especially for large, complex projects, because it introduces structure and discipline. 
• Without it, software development can be an unstructured, inefficient, and often chaotic process

Question 2

Analyse the performance of Waterfall Model and its limitations.

• The Waterfall Model is a traditional, linear, and sequential software development process. 
• Like a real waterfall, it flows downward through distinct phases: requirements analysis, system design, implementation (coding), testing, deployment, and maintenance. 
• Software Engineers must complete each phase before they can begin the next, with no overlap between them. 
• This approach is highly structured, easy to understand, and relies on extensive upfront planning.

The Waterfall Model's performance is strongest in specific scenarios, primarily due to its rigid structure.

• Predictability and Control: With all requirements documented and a detailed plan created at the beginning, the project's timeline and budget are highly predictable. This makes it easier for project managers to track progress and for stakeholders to know what to expect and when.
• Clear Documentation and Structure: Each phase has specific deliverable and well-defined milestones. This results in thorough documentation that is easy for new team members to understand and use, which can be particularly useful for long-term maintenance.

While its rigidity is a strength in some cases, it's also the Waterfall Model's biggest weakness in most modern software development environments.

• Lack of Flexibility: This is the most significant limitation. If requirements change or a new need arises after a phase is completed, it's extremely difficult, costly, and time-consuming to go back and make changes. It essentially means starting over or causing major disruptions.
• Late Bug Detection: Testing is a late phase, occurring only after all the code has been written. This means that any design flaws or errors from earlier stages are not discovered until a large amount of work has already been completed, making them difficult and expensive to fix.

Question 3

What are myths in software development? Identify the software myths related to management and practitioners.

• Software myths are common, but often false, beliefs about the software development process. 
• They arise from a lack of knowledge, an outdated understanding of the industry, or unrealistic expectations. 
•  These misconceptions can lead to poor decision-making, project failures, and a great deal of frustration for everyone involved.

Management Myths

• These myths are often held by managers, customers, and other stakeholders who are responsible for the business and strategic side of a project. 
• They stem from a desire for control and predictability in a process that is often complex and unpredictable.

We can assess the quality of the software only after it's running:

• This is false. Quality can and should be evaluated at every stage of the software development life cycle, from requirements analysis to design and coding. 
• Formal technical reviews, for example, can catch errors and flaws early, when they're much easier and cheaper to fix.

Outsourcing is a surefire way to reduce costs:

• While outsourcing can be cost-effective, it introduces new challenges like communication barriers, time zone differences, and potential quality control issues. 
• Without strong management and clear contracts, these issues can lead to unexpected costs and project delays, making the outsourced project more expensive than an in-house one.

Practitioner Myths

• These myths are commonly held by software developers and engineers themselves. 
• They often relate to the day-to-day work of coding and a misunderstanding of the broader software development process.

The job is done once the code is delivered and it runs:

• A practitioner's work is far from over when the code is released. 
• The majority of a software's life cycle is spent in the maintenance phase, which includes fixing bugs, adapting to new environments, and adding new features.

Software development is just about coding:

• This myth oversimplifies the developer's role. 
• In reality, practitioners spend a significant amount of time on non-coding tasks, such as gathering requirements, designing architecture, writing documentation, and testing. 
• Effective software development is a multi-faceted process that requires a range of skills beyond just programming.

The only deliverable in a software project is the final product: 

• This is a dangerous myth. Important deliverable like design documents, test plans, and user manuals are essential for a project's long-term success. 
• Without proper documentation, the software becomes very difficult to maintain and understand for future developers.

Question 4

What are the advantages of iterative development? Compare iterative development with incremental delivery approach.

• Iterative development is an approach to software development where a system is built and refined through repeated cycles, or iterations. 
• Instead of a single, linear process, you start with a simple, incomplete version of the software and then iteratively add features and improve upon it until the final, complete product is ready. 
• This model is highly flexible and well-suited for projects with unclear or changing requirements.

Advantages of Iterative Development

• Early Risk Identification: By developing a working prototype early on, teams can identify and address potential risks and issues (like design flaws or technical challenges) much sooner than in a linear model.
• Flexibility and Adaptability: This approach allows for changes in requirements to be incorporated easily in subsequent iterations. This is critical in dynamic environments where customer feedback or market demands evolve.
• Customer Involvement: Users and stakeholders can provide feedback on a working prototype after each iteration. This continuous feedback loop ensures the final product meets their needs and increases customer satisfaction.
• Faster Time-to-Market: Although the full product isn't released at once, a basic, working version can be delivered quickly, allowing the business to get a product to market and start getting value sooner.
• Improved Quality: With each cycle, the team learns from previous iterations, allowing them to refine the design, fix bugs, and improve the overall quality of the software.

Iterative vs. Incremental Development

While the terms "iterative" and "incremental" are often used together, they represent distinct concepts. The key difference lies in the focus of each cycle:

Question 5

What is Requirements Analysis? Explain various steps involved in it with illustration.

• Requirements Analysis is a crucial step in Requirements Engineering that focuses on understanding, documenting, and managing the needs and expectations for a new or modified system. 
• The main goal of Requirements Analysis is to create a complete and accurate representation of all requirements before design and development begin, ensuring the final product meets the customer's needs and business goals.
• Once requirements are gathered, this step focuses on analyzing them to ensure they are clear, complete, consistent, and feasible. This involves the following:

Categorizing Requirements: 

Sorting the gathered information into logical groups, typically into two main types:

• Functional Requirements: What the system must do. (e.g., "The system shall allow users to create a new account.")
• Non-Functional Requirements: How the system should perform. These are quality attributes. (e.g., "The website must load in under 3 seconds on a standard broadband connection.")

Modeling Requirements: 

Using diagrams and visual representations to clarify and validate the requirements with stakeholders. Common techniques include:

• Use Case Diagrams: Illustrating how different users will interact with the system.
• Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs): Showing the flow of information through the system.
• User Stories: Short, simple descriptions of a feature told from the perspective of the user. (e.g., "As a customer, I want to add an item to my cart so I can purchase it.")

Illustration: 

• For the online store, the analyst would identify functional requirements like "The system must process credit card payments" and non-functional requirements like "The payment processing must be secure and encrypted." 
• They would then create a use case diagram showing the "Customer" actor interacting with functions like "Browse Products," "Add to Cart," and "Checkout."

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Questions and Answers on SE (Set 3)

FAQ on Software Engineering

Question 1

Define Software Engineering. Is it an art, craft or science? Justify your answer.

• Software Engineering is a systematic, disciplined, and quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software. 
• It applies engineering principles to the creation of software, aiming for the production of high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective software products.
• Software engineering is a science because it relies on fundamental principles and theories. 
• It uses scientific methods to analyze problems, model systems, and predict outcomes. 
• Concepts like algorithms, data structures, and computational complexity are based on mathematical and logical foundations. 
• It involves systematic analysis, experimentation, and the application of proven techniques to ensure predictable and reliable results. 

Question 2

State the difference between program an software. What is the need for documentation in software engineering?

• A program is a set of instructions written in a programming language that performs a specific task. 
• Software is a much broader term that includes the program itself, along with all associated documentation, data, and configuration files needed for it to operate correctly.
• Documentation is essential in software engineering for several reasons, as it serves as a form of communication and a record of the project.
• Some of the benefits of documentation in software engineering are as follows:
• Maintenance and Evolution: It helps developers understand the system's design, code structure, and functionality, making it easier to fix bugs, add new features, or update the software over time.
• Knowledge Transfer: It allows new team members to quickly get up to speed on a project without extensive one-on-one training. This is crucial for long-term projects and when team members leave.
• User Support: Documents, such as user manuals and help files, are vital for end-users to understand how to use the software effectively. Without it, the software may be unusable for its intended audience.
• Quality Assurance: Documentation of requirements and design helps in the testing phase by providing a clear reference point for what the software is supposed to do. This ensures that the final product meets the specified requirements.
• Project Management: It provides a historical record of decisions, changes, and project milestones, which is valuable for auditing, project management, and future planning.

Question 3

Discuss the major areas of applications of software.

Software has become an integral part of modern life, with applications in virtually every industry and aspect of daily living. The major areas can be categorized as follows:

Business and Productivity:

This is one of the largest application areas. Software in this category is used to streamline operations, manage resources, and improve efficiency. This includes:

• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): Systems that integrate various business processes, such as finance, human resources, and supply chain management.
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Software used to manage interactions with current and potential customers.
• Office Automation: Applications like word processors (Microsoft Word), spreadsheets (Excel), and presentation tools (PowerPoint) that are essential for daily office tasks.

Scientific and Engineering:

Software is crucial for research, analysis, and design in scientific and engineering fields.

• CAD/CAM: Computer-Aided Design and Computer-Aided Manufacturing software is used to design and manufacture physical products.
• Simulations: Software is used to model and simulate complex systems, from weather patterns to nuclear reactions.
• Data Analysis: Tools like MATLAB and R are used to analyze large datasets and perform statistical computations.

Embedded Systems and IoT:

This category includes software built into non-computer devices.

• Automotive: Software controls everything from engine management to infotainment systems in modern cars.
• Smart Devices: The software in smart homes, appliances, and wearable technology.
• Robotics: Software is used to program and control robots for manufacturing, exploration, and other tasks.

Question 4

Distinguish between generic and customized software products.  Which one has large share of market and why?

• Generic software products are developed for a wide range of customers with similar needs, while customized software products are created specifically for a single customer to meet their unique requirements.
• Generic software products have a much larger market share than customized software.
• The primary reason is the economies of scale. 
• Generic software can be sold to millions of users, spreading the initial development cost across a massive customer base. 
• This allows for a lower price point, making it accessible to a wider audience, from individuals to small businesses and large corporations. 
• The broad appeal and lower cost lead to a higher volume of sales and, consequently, a larger overall market presence. 
• In contrast, customized software serves a niche market and is typically very expensive, limiting its adoption to organizations that cannot find a suitable generic solution.

Question 5

Explain the importance of collecting requirements.  How many types of System Requirements are there in Software Engineering.

• Collecting requirements is the foundational step in software engineering. 
• It ensures the final product meets the needs of its users and stakeholders. 
• Without a clear understanding of what needs to be built, a project is likely to fail, resulting in a product that is either unusable, over budget, or delivered late.
• There are typically two main types of requirements in software engineering: functional and non-functional.

Functional Requirements:

• These requirements describe what the software must do. 
• They define the specific functions, behaviors, and features of the system. 
• They are often written as user stories or statements that describe a specific task the user can perform.
• Without functional requirements, developers don't know what to incorporate in the software being built
• Some of the examples of functional requirements are:
• The system shall allow users to log in with a username and password.
• The system shall generate a sales report.
• The system shall process a credit card payment.

Non-Functional Requirements (or Quality Attributes) 

• These requirements describe how the system performs its functions. 
• They define the quality, constraints, and characteristics of the system, rather than its specific behaviors.
• They are crucial for ensuring the software is high-quality and reliable. 
• A system that is slow, insecure, or hard to use, even if it has all the right functions, will be considered a failure. They often define the project's success metrics beyond just functionality.
• Here are some examples of non-functional products:
• Performance: The system shall load a webpage in less than 2 seconds.
• Security: The system shall encrypt all user data.
• Usability: The system shall have a user-friendly interface that can be learned in under 10 minutes.
• Scalability: The system shall support up to 10,000 concurrent users.

Question 6

Discuss the significance and use of Requirements Engineering. What are the problems Analysts face during the formation of requirements?

• Requirements Engineering is a systematic process of discovering, documenting, analyzing, and managing software requirements. 
• Its significance lies in ensuring that the software to be developed meets the actual needs of its users and stakeholders.

Analysts, or requirements engineers, often face several significant challenges during the requirements-gathering process:

Stakeholder Communication Issues:

• Unclear or Conflicting Needs: Different stakeholders may have conflicting requirements, and it's the analyst's job to resolve these disputes.
• Tacit Knowledge: Users might not be able to articulate their needs because they are so familiar with their work. They often struggle to describe what they do and need until they see something concrete.

Incomplete or Ambiguous Requirements:

• Vague Language: Requirements are often written using vague terms like "fast," "easy to use," or "secure." These are subjective and can be interpreted differently by team members.
• Missing Requirements: Sometimes, critical requirements are simply forgotten or assumed, only to be discovered late in the development cycle when they are much more expensive to fix.

Scope Creep: 

This is a major problem where new requirements are continuously added after the project has started. It can derail the project, leading to delays and increased costs.

Organizational and Political Factors:

• Resistance to Change: Stakeholders may resist new systems, making it difficult to get their full cooperation and honest input.
• Political Agendas: Different departments or individuals may have hidden agendas that influence the requirements, sometimes to the detriment of the project's overall success.

Question 7

What do you understand with the term "Requirements Elicitation"?  Discuss any two techniques of requirements elicitation.

• The process of investigating and learning about a system's requirements from users, clients, and other stakeholders is known as requirements elicitation.
• Requirement Elicitation can be successful only through an effective customer-developer partnership; It is needed to know what the users require.
• Requirements elicitation involves the identification, collection, analysis, and refinement of the requirements for a software system.

There are several requirements elicitation methods. Two them are listed below:

Interviews

• The objective of conducting an interview is to understand the customer's expectations of the software. 
• It is impossible to interview every stakeholder hence representatives from groups are selected based on their expertise and credibility. 
• Interviews may be open-ended or structured:
• In open-ended interviews, there is no pre-set agenda. Context-free questions may be asked to understand the problem.
• In a structured interview, an agenda of fairly open questions is prepared. Sometimes a proper questionnaire is designed for the interview.

Brainstorming Sessions

• Brainstorming Sessions is a group technique
• It is intended to generate lots of new ideas hence providing a platform to share views
• A highly trained facilitator is required to handle group bias and conflicts.
• Every idea is documented so that everyone can see it.
• Finally, a document is prepared which consists of the list of requirements and their priority if possible.

Question 8

Describe the various steps of Requirements Engineering. Is it essential to follow these steps?

• Requirements Engineering is the systematic process of gathering, documenting, and managing the needs and constraints of stakeholders throughout a software project's lifecycle.
• Following these steps is essential as it forms the foundation of a successful project, ensuring that the final product aligns with user expectations and business goals.
• Skipping or poorly executing these steps can lead to project failure due to issues like scope creep, budget overruns, and missed deadlines.

The Steps of Requirements Engineering:

The Requirements Engineering process is often iterative, meaning the steps may be repeated and revisited as the project evolves. The core steps are:

Requirements Elicitation: 👂 

• This is the process of gathering information from stakeholders. 
• It involves understanding their needs, wants, and constraints related to the new software system. 
• Techniques like interviews, surveys, workshops, and observation are used to uncover both explicit and implicit requirements.

Requirements Analysis: 🧠 

• Once requirements are gathered, this step involves examining them to identify conflicts, ambiguities, and inconsistencies. 
• The goal is to refine the raw information into a clear, concise, and complete set of requirements. 
• This is where the Analysts prioritize and group requirements, as not all of them will have equal importance.

Requirements Specification: ✍️ 

• This step is about documenting the analyzed requirements in a formal and structured way. 
• The primary output is typically a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document. 
• This document serves as a blueprint for the development team and includes details on both functional requirements (what the system should do) and non-functional requirements (how the system should perform).

Requirements Validation: ✅ 

• Before development begins, the documented requirements must be validated. 
• This means checking that they are complete, consistent, and accurate and that they truly meet the stakeholders' needs. 
• Validation can involve reviews, prototyping, and generating test cases to ensure the requirements are feasible and testable.

Requirements Management: 🗓️ 

• This is an ongoing activity throughout the project lifecycle. 
• It involves tracking requirements, managing changes, and maintaining traceability between requirements, design, and testing. 
• Requirements often change during a project, and this step ensures that any modifications are handled in a systematic and controlled manner to prevent "scope creep" and project deviations.

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Tutorial and Assignment Questions

Tutorial Questions on SE

TUTORIAL I (Unit 1)

1. Define Software Engineering. Identify some of the characteristics of software.
2. Outline the four layers of the layered approach in Software Engineering.
3. List and explain the activities defined in the software process framework.
4. Comment on the Incremental Model of software development. Express its advantages and disadvantages.
5. Define the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC). List its phases with a brief explanation
6. Compare Agile Development with the traditional Waterfall approach.
7. Explain the Spiral Model and compare it with the Incremental Model.

TUTORIAL II (Unit 2)

1. Paint the role of Requirements Engineering in the process of Software Engineering.
2. Paraphrase user requirements and system requirements.
3. Journalize the structure of a Software Requirements Document.
4. Express in detail the data model and object model of software engineering.
5. Paraphrase Requirement Analysis. What are functional and non-functional requirements?
6. Explain the importance of collecting requirements.  How many types of requirements are there in Requirements Engineering?
7. What do you understand with the term "Requirements Elicitation"?  Discuss any two techniques of requirements elicitation.

Assignment Questions on SE

ASSIGNMENT I (Unit 1, 2, 3)

Set 1:

1.  Define Software Engineering.  State the difference between a program and software.

• Software Engineering is a systematic, disciplined, and quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software.   It applies engineering principles to the creation of software, aiming for the production of high-quality, reliable, and cost-effective software products.
• A program is a set of instructions written in a programming language that performs a specific task. 
• Software is a much broader term that includes the program itself, along with all associated documentation, data, and configuration files needed for it to operate correctly.

2.  Software Engineering - Is it an art, craft or science?  Justify your answer.

• Software engineering is a science because it relies on fundamental principles and theories. 
• It uses scientific methods to analyze problems, model systems, and predict outcomes. 
• Concepts like algorithms, data structures, and computational complexity are based on mathematical and logical foundations. 
• It involves systematic analysis, experimentation, and the application of proven techniques to ensure predictable and reliable results. 

3.  Discuss the significance of Requirements Engineering.  What are the problems Analysts face during the formation of requirements?

• Requirements Engineering is a systematic process of discovering, documenting, analyzing, and managing software requirements. 
• Its significance lies in ensuring that the software to be developed meets the actual needs of its users and stakeholders.
• Analysts, or requirements engineers, often face several significant challenges during the requirements-gathering process:

Stakeholder Communication Issues:

• Unclear or Conflicting Needs: Different stakeholders may have conflicting requirements, and it's the analyst's job to resolve these disputes.
• Tacit Knowledge: Users might not be able to articulate their needs because they are so familiar with their work. They often struggle to describe what they do and need until they see something concrete.

Incomplete or Ambiguous Requirements:

• Vague Language: Requirements are often written using vague terms like "fast," "easy to use," or "secure." These are subjective and can be interpreted differently by team members.
• Missing Requirements: Sometimes, critical requirements are simply forgotten or assumed, only to be discovered late in the development cycle when they are much more expensive to fix.

Scope Creep: 

This is a major problem where new requirements are continuously added after the project has started. It can derail the project, leading to delays and increased costs.

4.  Discuss the various steps involved in Requirements Engineering.

The Requirements Engineering process is often iterative, meaning the steps may be repeated and revisited as the project evolves. The core steps are:

Requirements Elicitation: 👂 

• This is the process of gathering information from stakeholders. 
• It involves understanding their needs, wants, and constraints related to the new software system. 
• Techniques like interviews, surveys, workshops, and observation are used to uncover both explicit and implicit requirements.

Requirements Analysis: 🧠 

• Once requirements are gathered, this step involves examining them to identify conflicts, ambiguities, and inconsistencies. 
• The goal is to refine the raw information into a clear, concise, and complete set of requirements. 
• This is where the Analysts prioritize and group requirements, as not all of them will have equal importance.

Requirements Specification: ✍️ 

• This step is about documenting the analyzed requirements in a formal and structured way. 
• The primary output is typically a Software Requirements Specification (SRS) document. 
• This document serves as a blueprint for the development team and includes details on both functional requirements (what the system should do) and non-functional requirements (how the system should perform).

Requirements Validation: ✅ 

• Before development begins, the documented requirements must be validated. 
• This means checking that they are complete, consistent, and accurate and that they truly meet the stakeholders' needs. 
• Validation can involve reviews, prototyping, and generating test cases to ensure the requirements are feasible and testable.

Requirements Management: 🗓️ 

• This is an ongoing activity throughout the project lifecycle. 
• It involves tracking requirements, managing changes, and maintaining traceability between requirements, design, and testing. 
• Requirements often change during a project, and this step ensures that any modifications are handled in a systematic and controlled manner to prevent "scope creep" and project deviations.

5.  Interpret the following design concepts: Abstraction, Patterns, and Modularity.

Abstraction: 

• Abstraction is the process of hiding complex details and showing only the essential features. 
• In software design, it allows developers to focus on the high-level design without getting bogged down in implementation details. 
• For example, when you use a "Car" object, you can "drive" it without needing to know the complex internal mechanics of the engine.

Patterns: 

• Design patterns are reusable solutions to common problems in software design. 
• They are not a finished design that can be directly transformed into code but are templates or descriptions for solving a problem that can be adapted to specific situations. 
• For example, the Singleton pattern ensures that a class has only one instance.

Modularity: 

• Modularity is the concept of dividing a system into discrete, self-contained components called modules. 
• Each module can be developed and tested independently before being integrated into the larger system. 
• This makes the system easier to understand, develop, and maintain. 
• For example, a web application might have separate modules for user authentication, product catalog, and payment processing.

Set 2:

1. Discuss the major areas of Applications of Software.
2. Distinguish between generic software and customized software.  Which one has large share of market?  Why?
3. What is the need for documentation in Software Engineering.
4. Paraphrase User Requirements and System Requirements.
5. Paraphrase the importance of software design.  Explain the meaning of coupling and cohesion in software design.
6. Express your idea on design patterns.  How can patterns be used in software design.

Set 3:

1. Explain the concept of Software Engineering and its significance in the development of software.
2. Analyze the performance of Waterfall model and its limitations.
3. What is Requirement Analysis?  Explain the steps involved in it with illustration.
4. Distinguish between functional and non-functional requirements.
5. List the golden rules of User Interface design.

Set 4:

1. What are myths in software development?  Identify the software myths related to management and practitioners.
2. What are the advantages of iterative development? Compare iterative development with incremental development approach.
3. Present Software Requirements Document (in IEEE Format).
4. Explain the role of user requirements in the Requirements Engineering process.
5. Discuss about Object Oriented Analysis and Design.

Set 5:

1. Summarize the key principles of Agile Development Model.
2. Write notes on Process Assessment.
3. Describe five desirable characteristics of a good SRS document.
4. Differentiate between monolithic and microservices architecture.

5.  Justify the statement: "Designing is not Coding and Coding is not Designing"

• The statement "Designing is not Coding and Coding is not Designing" is a fundamental principle in software engineering that highlights the distinct and sequential nature of these two activities.  
• They are separate phases in the software development lifecycle, each requiring a different skill set and mindset.

Designing: The Blueprint Phase 🗺️

• Designing is a high-level, abstract process. It's the intellectual work of creating a plan or blueprint for the software. This phase happens before any code is written and focuses on the overall structure and architecture of the system.
• Designers analyze the requirements, user needs, and business goals to determine the best way to solve a problem. They decide on the system's architecture, its major components, and how they will interact.
• Design involves making high-level decisions without getting bogged down in the implementation details. It's about thinking in terms of modules, interfaces, and data flow, not specific lines of code.

Coding: The Construction Phase 🔨

• Coding, also known as implementation, is the low-level, concrete process of translating the design specifications into executable source code. This phase follows the design and focuses on the detailed mechanics of building the software.
• Coders take the design documents and write the actual code in a specific programming language. They focus on the syntax, algorithms, data structures, and the logic required to make the system function as designed.

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