What is Software Engineering?

➢ The term software engineering is the product of two words software and engineering.
➢ The software is a collection of integrated programs.
➢ Software subsists of carefully-organized instructions and code written by developers on
any of various particular computer languages.
➢ Computer programs and related documentation such as requirements, design models and
user manuals.
➢ Engineering is the application of scientific and practical knowledge to invent, design,
build, maintain, and improve frameworks, processes, etc.
➢ Software Engineering is an engineering branch related to the evolution of software product
using well-defined scientific principles, techniques, and procedures. The result of software
engineering is an effective and reliable software product.

Why is Software Engineering required?

Software Engineering is required due to the following reasons:

• To manage Large software

• For more Scalability
• Cost Management
• To manage the dynamic nature of software
• For better quality Management

What is the need of Software Engineering ?

The necessity of software engineering appears because of a higher rate of progress in user
requirements and the environment on which the program is working.

➢ Huge Programming: It is simpler to manufacture a wall than to a house or building,

similarly, as the measure of programming become extensive engineering has to step to give
it a scientific process.
➢ Adaptability: If the software procedure were not based on scientific and engineering ideas,
it would be simpler to re-create new software than to scale an existing one.
➢ Cost: As the hardware industry has demonstrated its skills and huge manufacturing has let
down the cost of computer and electronic hardware. But the cost of programming remains
high if the proper process is not adapted.
➢ Dynamic Nature: The continually growing and adapting nature of programming hugely
depends upon the environment in which the client works. If the quality of the software is
continually changing, new upgrades need to be done in the existing one.
 ➢ Quality Management: Better procedure of software development provides a better and
quality software product.

Characteristics of a good software engineer

The features that good software engineers should possess are as follows:

➢ Exposure to systematic methods, i.e., familiarity with software engineering principles.

➢ Good technical knowledge of the project range (Domain knowledge).
➢ Good programming abilities.
➢ Good communication skills. These skills comprise of oral, written, and interpersonal skills.
➢ High motivation.
➢ Sound knowledge of fundamentals of computer science.
➢ Intelligence.
➢ Ability to work in a team
➢ Discipline, etc.

Importance of Software Engineering

The importance of Software engineering is as follows:

1. Reduces complexity: Big software is always complicated and challenging to progress.

Software engineering has a great solution to reduce the complication of any project.
Software engineering divides big problems into various small issues. And then start solving
each small issue one by one. All these small problems are solved independently to each
other.
2. To minimize software cost: Software needs a lot of hardwork and software engineers are
highly paid experts. A lot of manpower is required to develop software with a large number
of codes. But in software engineering, programmers project everything and decrease all
those things that are not needed. In turn, the cost for software productions becomes less as
compared to any software that does not use software engineering method.
 3. To decrease time: Anything that is not made according to the project always wastes time.
And if you are making great software, then you may need to run many codes to get the
definitive running code. This is a very time-consuming procedure, and if it is not well
handled, then this can take a lot of time. So if you are making your software according to
the software engineering method, then it will decrease a lot of time.
4. Handling big projects: Big projects are not done in a couple of days, and they need lots
of patience, planning, and management. And to invest six and seven months of any
company, it requires heaps of planning, direction, testing, and maintenance. No one can
say that he has given four months of a company to the task, and the project is still in its
first stage. Because the company has provided many resources to the plan and it should be
completed. So to handle a big project without any problem, the company has to go for a
software engineering method.
5. Reliable software: Software should be secure, means if you have delivered the software,
then it should work for at least its given time or subscription. And if any bugs come in the
software, the company is responsible for solving all these bugs. Because in software
engineering, testing and maintenance are given, so there is no worry of its reliability.
6. Effectiveness: Effectiveness comes if anything has made according to the standards.
Software standards are the big target of companies to make it more effective. So Software
becomes more effective in the act with the help of software engineering.

Waterfall model :

When to use SDLC Waterfall Model?

Some Circumstances where the use of the Waterfall model is most suited are:

o When the requirements are constant and not changed regularly.

o The situation is calm .
o Where the tools and technology used is consistent and is not changing .
o When resources are well prepared and are available to use.

Advantages of Waterfall model :

o This model is simple to implement also the number of resources that are required for it is
minimal.
o The requirements are simple and explicitly declared; they remain unchanged during the
entire project development.
o The start and end points for each phase is fixed, which makes it easy to cover progress.
 o The release date for the complete product, as well as its final cost, can be determined before
development.
o It gives easy to control and clarity for the customer due to a strict reporting system.

Disadvantages of Waterfall model :

o In this model, the risk factor is higher, so this model is not suitable for more significant and
complex projects.
o This model cannot accept the changes in requirements during development.
o It becomes tough to go back to the phase. For example, if the application has now shifted
to the coding phase, and there is a change in requirement, It becomes tough to go back and
change it.
o Since the testing done at a later stage, it does not allow identifying the challenges and risks
in the earlier phase, so the risk reduction strategy is difficult to prepare.

Prototype Model :

➢ The prototype model requires that before carrying out the development of actual software,
a working prototype of the system should be built.
➢ A prototype is a toy implementation of the system.
➢ A prototype usually turns out to be a very crude version of the actual system, possible
exhibiting limited functional capabilities, low reliability, and inefficient performance as
compared to actual software.
➢ In many instances, the client only has a general view of what is expected from the software
product.
➢ In such a scenario where there is an absence of detailed information regarding the input to
the system, the processing needs, and the output requirement, the prototyping model may
be employed.
Steps of Prototype Model :

1. Requirement Gathering and Analyst

2. Quick Decision
3. Build a Prototype
4. Assessment or User Evaluation
5. Prototype Refinement
6. Engineer Product

Advantages of Prototype Model :

1. Reduce the risk of incorrect user requirement

2. Good where requirement are changing/uncommitted
3. Regular visible process aids management
4. Support early product marketing
5. Reduce Maintenance cost.
6. Errors can be detected much earlier as the system is made side by side.

Disadvantages of Prototype Model :

1. An unstable/badly implemented prototype often becomes the final product.

2. Require extensive customer collaboration
o Costs customer money
o Needs committed customer
o Difficult to finish if customer withdraw
o May be too customer specific, no broad market
3. Difficult to know how long the project will last.
4. Prototyping tools are expensive.
5. Special tools & techniques are required to build a prototype.
6. It is a time-consuming process.

Agile Process :

When to use the Agile Model?

o When frequent changes are required.

o When a highly qualified and experienced team is available.
 o When a customer is ready to have a meeting with a software team all the time.
o An Agile methodology is a superior choice when the client is uncertain about requirements
or wants to be closely involved in the development process, and if timelines are short and
they want rapid delivery.

Advantages of Agile Method :

1. Frequent Delivery
2. Face-to-Face Communication with clients.
3. Efficient design and fulfils the business requirement.
4. Anytime changes are acceptable.
5. It reduces total development time.

Disadvantages of Agile Model:

1. Due to the shortage of formal documents, it creates confusion and crucial decisions taken
throughout various phases can be misinterpreted at any time by different team members.
2. Due to the lack of proper documentation, once the project completes and the developers
allotted to another project, maintenance of the finished project can become a difficulty.

Spiral Model :

The spiral model is an SDLC model that combines elements of an iterative software development
model with a waterfall model. It is advisable to use this model for expensive, large and complex
projects.

In its diagrammatic representation, we have a coil having many cycles or loops. The number of
cycles varies for each project and is usually specified by the project manager. Each spiral cycle
is a stage in the software development process.

The Spiral Model allows the product to be rolled out and refined in each phase of the spiral,
with the ability to build prototypes in each stage. A prototype is created at the beginning of each
phase as a risk management technique.

The most important feature of the model is that once the project starts, it has the ability to
manage unknown risks.
Spiral Model Phases :

It has four stages or phases: The planning of objectives, risk analysis, engineering or
development, and finally review. A project passes through all these stages repeatedly and the
phases are known as a Spiral in the model.

1. Determine objectives and find alternate solutions – This phase includes

requirement gathering and analysis. Based on the requirements, objectives are
defined and different alternate solutions are proposed.

2. Risk Analysis and resolving – In this quadrant, all the proposed solutions are
analyzed and any potential risk is identified, analyzed, and resolved.

3. Develop and test: This phase includes the actual implementation of the different
features. All the implemented features are then verified with thorough testing.

4. Review and planning of the next phase – In this phase, the software is evaluated
by the customer. It also includes risk identification and monitoring like cost
overrun or schedule slippage and after that planning of the next phase is started.

Advantages of Spiral Model :

1. The spiral model is perfect for projects that are large and complex in nature as
continuous prototyping and evaluation help in mitigating any risk.

2. Because of its risk handling ability, the model is best suited for projects which are
very critical like software related to the health domain, space exploration, etc.

3. This model supports the client feedback and implementation of change

requests (CRs) which is not possible in conventional models like a waterfall.
 4. Since customer gets to see a prototype in each phase, so there are higher chances of
customer satisfaction.

Disadvantages of Spiral Model :

1. Because of the prototype development and risk analysis in each phase, it is

very expensive and time taking.

2. It is not suitable for a simpler and smaller project because of multiple phases.

3. It requires more documentation as compared to other models.

4. Project deadlines can be missed since the number of phases is unknown in the
beginning and frequent prototyping and risk analysis can make things worse.

Comparision of Life cycle models :

Classical Waterfall Model: The Classical Waterfall model can be considered as the basic
model and all other life cycle models are based on this model. It is an ideal model. However,
the Classical Waterfall model cannot be used in practical project development, since this model
does not support any mechanism to correct the errors that are committed during any of the
phases but detected at a later phase. This problem is overcome by the Iterative Waterfall model
through the inclusion of feedback paths.
Iterative Waterfall Model: The Iterative Waterfall model is probably the most used software
development model. This model is simple to use and understand. But this model is suitable only
for well-understood problems and is not suitable for the development of very large projects and
projects that suffer from a large number of risks.
Prototyping Model: The Prototyping model is suitable for projects, which either the customer
requirements or the technical solutions are not well understood. This risks must be identified
before the project starts. This model is especially popular for the development of the user
interface part of the project.
Evolutionary Model: The Evolutionary model is suitable for large projects which can be
decomposed into a set of modules for incremental development and delivery. This model is
widely used in object-oriented development projects. This model is only used if incremental
delivery of the system is acceptable to the customer.
Spiral Model: The Spiral model is considered as a meta-model as it includes all other life cycle
models. Flexibility and risk handling are the main characteristics of this model. The spiral model
is suitable for the development of technically challenging and large software that is prone to
various risks that are difficult to anticipate at the start of the project. But this model is more
complex than the other models.
Agile Model: The Agile model was designed to incorporate change requests quickly. In this
model, requirements are decomposed into small parts that can be incrementally developed. But
the main principle of the Agile model is to deliver an increment to the customer after each Time-
box. The end date of an iteration is fixed, it can’t be extended. This agility is achieved by
removing unnecessary activities that waste time and effort.