Although there may be many definitions of software engineering, they are all variations on a theme, one in which the principles of engineering are applied to the production of software. The Joint IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Computer Society and ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) Steering Committee defines software engineering as: “The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software; that is, the application of engineering to software.”
Simply stated, Software Engineering is a methodical, step-by-step approach to software development. At Yacoset, we apply time-tested software engineering techniques to ensure the production of software that meets each customer’s requirements, processes efficiently, is fully tested, stable, reliable, secure and of high quality. Our systematic approach further ensures that the software application is more malleable, and can grow and respond to a changing environment, evolve over time. This results in an application that is easier to maintain at a lower cost to the customer.
Many believe that their software requirements may be small or simply do not necessitate a software engineering approach to the development cycle. Software programs, whether small or large, must be reliable, error-free and maintainable in order to meet the demands of today’s business environment. Software engineering ensures that the client’s business needs are properly analyzed and translated into documentation that thoroughly details the functionality of the software. Design establishes quality assurance as well as solutions to problems and provides a solid foundation for programming the software. In conjunction with systematic testing, errors are eliminated early and a high-quality, premium software application is delivered.
The Components of Software Engineering
Software engineering consists of three main components: methods, tools and procedures. The methods employed in software engineering include the sequential phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC, also called the Classic Life Cycle or the Waterfall Model): System Engineering, Analysis, Design, Coding, Testing and Maintenance. Software Engineering tools are employed to assist with and automate some of the various phases of the SDLC, such as portions of the Design Phase and Coding Phase. These tools are collectively called CASE, or Computer Aided Software Engineering, tools. A Software Engineer employs procedures to organize and manage the methods and tools of the software engineering process. This includes specifying timeliness, deadlines, customer and software requirements, milestones, analyzing progress, consulting with the customer, effectively communicating requirements to the development team and ensuring quality of the software being constructed.
Phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle
The SDLC requires a systematic, methodical approach to software development, employing the properties of engineering in the development of software applications. The phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle consist of the following:
- Systems Engineering
- Analysis
- Design
- Coding
- Testing
- Maintenance