Nt1330 Unit 1 Assignment For Research Paper

ASSIGNMENT -2

1.) Based on your own knowledge of some of the application types discussed in class(lecture 1), explain, with examples, why different application types require specialized software engineering techniques to support their design and development.

Different application types require the use of various development techniques for a number of reasons. The below are a few such reasons:
• Costs and frequency of change:
Few systems for example: an embedded system is safety critical when installed in a vehicle. Such systems are extremely expensive to change; others must change frequently in response to varying requirements (e.g. business systems). Systems which are very expensive to change need extensive in advance analysis to ensure

that the requirements are consistent. This is not cost effective for systems that change very rapidly.
• Non-functional requirements:
Different systems have different priorities for non-functional requirements.

For example, gaming should be developed using a series of prototypes whereas a real-time control system in an aircraft has safety as its principal priority; an interactive game has responsiveness and usability as its priority. The techniques used to achieve safety are not required for interactive gaming; the extensive UI design required for games is not needed in safety-critical control systems.
• Software lifetime and delivery schedule:
Some software systems have a relatively short lifetime (many web-based systems), others have a lifetime of tens of years (large command and control systems). Some systems have to be delivered quickly if they are to be useful. The techniques used to develop short-lifetime, rapid delivery systems (e.g. use of scripting languages, prototyping, etc.) are inappropriate for long-lifetime systems which require techniques that allow for long-term support such as design modelling.
2.) Discuss whether professional engineers should be certified in the same way as doctors or lawyers.
Certification of professional engineers has both advantages and disadvantages. Both pros and cons are listed

below.
Advantages of getting certified:
a) Certification conveys employer’s minimum level of competence of an individual.
b) Certification improves the positive public image of the profession.
c) Certification generally means establishing and checking educational standards and is therefore a mechanism for ensuring course quality.
d) Certification implies responsibility during disputes. Certifying body is likely to be accepted at a national and international level as „speaking for the profession.
e) Certification may increase the status of software engineers and attract particularly able people into the profession.
Disadvantages of certification:
a) Certification tends to lead to protectionism where certified members tend not to protect others from criticism.
b) Certification does not guarantee competence merely that a minimum standard was reached at the time of certification.
c) Certification is expensive and will increase costs to individuals and organizations.
d) Certification tends to stultify change.

This is a particular problem in an area where technology developments are very rapid.
From the above listed pros and cons of having certifications, pros have a slight edge over cons by which we can conclude that a certified engineer will be more valued than uncertified one.
3.) Explain why incremental development is the most effective approach for developing business software systems. Why is this model less appropriate for real-time systems?
This model is most effective for developing business software systems because it is easier to change the process to reflect the updated customer requirements. The basic idea behind incremental method is to develop a system through repeated cycles (iterative) and in smaller portions at a time (incremental), thereby allowing software developers to take advantage of what was learned during development of earlier parts or versions of the system. Learning comes from both the development and use of the system, where possible key steps in the process start with a simple implementation of a subset of the software requirements and iteratively enhance the evolving versions until the full system is implemented. At each iteration, design modifications are made and new functional capabilities are

added.
But this model is less appropriate for real-time systems which usually involve many hardware components which are not easy to change and cannot be incremental. Also real-time systems usually safety critical which needed be built based on well planned process.

Source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iterative_and_incremental_development
http://www.perlmonks.org/?node_id=136842
http://www.csee.umbc.edu/~mgrass2/cmsc345/Chap1-Introduction.pdf