Page 15 - DCAP405_SOFTWARE_ENGINEERING

Software Engineering

Notes Myth 6: Aim has now shifted to develop working programs.
The aim now is to deliver good quality and efficient programs rather than just delivering
working programs. Programs delivered with high quality are maintainable.

The list is unending. These myths together with poor quality, increasing cost and delay in the
software delivery have lead to the emergence of software engineering as a discipline.

1.3.1 Types of Myths

Software Myths

Software Myth beliefs about software and the process used to build it – can be traced to the
earliest days of computing. Myths have a number of attributes that have made them insidious.

Example: For instance, myths appear to be reasonable statements of fact, they have an
intuitive feel, and they are often promulgated by experienced practitioners who “know the
score”.

Management Myths

Managers with software responsibility, like managers in most disciplines, are often under
pressure to maintain budgets, keep schedules from slipping, and improve quality. Like a
drowning person who grasps at a straw, a software manager often grasps at belief in a software
myth, If the Belief will lessen the pressure.
Myth: We already have a book that’s full of standards and procedures for building software.
Won’t that provide my people with everything they need to know?
Reality: The book of standards may very well exist, but is it used?
Are software practitioners aware of its existence?
Does it reflect modern software engineering practice?

Is it complete? Is it adaptable?
Is it streamlined to improve time to delivery while still maintaining a focus on Quality?
In many cases, the answer to these entire question is no.
Myth: If we get behind schedule, we can add more programmers and catch up (sometimes called
the Mongolian horde concept)
Reality: Software development is not a mechanistic process like manufacturing. In the words of
Brooks: “Adding people to a late software project makes it later.” At first, this statement may
seem counterintuitive. However, as new people are added, people who were working must
spend time educating the newcomers, thereby reducing the amount of time spent on productive
development effort
Myth: If we decide to outsource the software project to a third party, I can just relax and let that
firm build it.
Reality: If an organization does not understand how to manage and control software project
internally, it will invariably struggle when it out sources software project.

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