Page 233 - DCAP104_EXPOSURE_TO_COMPUTER_DISCPLINES

Exposure to Computer Disciplines

Notes 12.2 Software Development Activities

The large and growing body of software development organizations implement process
methodologies. Many of them are in the defense industry, which in the U.S. requires a rating
based on ‘process models’ to obtain contracts.

The international standard for describing the method of selecting, implementing and monitoring
the life cycle for software is ISO 12207.
A decades-long goal has been to find repeatable, predictable processes that improve productivity
and quality. Some try to systematize or formalize the seemingly unruly task of writing software.
Others apply project management techniques to writing software. Without project management,
software projects can easily be delivered late or over budget. With large numbers of software
projects not meeting their expectations in terms of functionality, cost, or delivery schedule, effective
project management appears to be lacking.
Organizations may create a Software Engineering Process Group (SEPG), which is the focal point
for process improvement. Composed of line practitioners who have varied skills, the group is at
the center of the collaborative effort of everyone in the organization who is involved with software
engineering process improvement. The activities of the software development process represented
in the waterfall model. There are several other models to represent this process.

12.2.1 Planning
The important task in creating a software product is extracting the requirements or requirements
analysis. Customers typically have an abstract idea of what they want as an end result, but not what
software should do. Incomplete, ambiguous, or even contradictory requirements are recognized
by skilled and experienced software engineers at this point. Frequently demonstrating live code
may help reduce the risk that the requirements are incorrect. Once the general requirements are
gathered from the client, an analysis of the scope of the development should be determined and
clearly stated. This is often called a scope document. Certain functionality may be out of scope of
the project as a function of cost or as a result of unclear requirements at the start of development.
If the development is done externally, this document can be considered a legal document so that
if there are ever disputes, any ambiguity of what was promised to the client can be clarified.

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