Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
1.3.5 Using and Managing Resources
The materials dedicated to software engineering are nearly boundless. A resource is
anything that will be utilized or consumed during a software engineering project.
Common resources include time and money; however, resources also include all the
people working on the project and the machines on which the project is developed.
Improper allocation and management of resources can lead to the failure of a project,
while appropriate use can help make the software development process a success.
1.3.6 Reaching Milestones and Producing Deliverables
A software engineering project begins with the elicitation of requirements from the
client and ends with the delivery of a software product. As a means of maintaining
communication to ensure adequate progress, the client and the software engineers
agree on milestones to be met along the way. Milestones serve as benchmarks, and
allow the client to evaluate the work being done. In addition, a software engi-
neering project is continually producing deliverables during the process. A
deliverable is any artifact created during the software development process, such
as documentation, files, or the code itself, and is classified as either internal or
external. An internal deliverable is intended to be seen and used only by those
working on the project, whereas an external deliverable is meant for the client.
Deliverables are maintained throughout the development process for various
reasons, and some, such as documentation, are even delivered to the end users
along with the product. These deliverables, along with the meetings of milestones,
are a form of communication between the client and a software engineering
development team (Sommerville
2004
).
1.3.7 Maintaining a Product
It is easy to imagine that the software development process ends with the delivery
of the product to the client. This is not the case. At this point, the software
engineering project simply moves into its next phase: product maintenance. Even
the most successful software engineering firms do not produce perfect software.
Bugs will be found. So, if a firm's success is not based on the production of a
perfect product, than what is it based on? In part, it is based on effective product
maintenance.
The process of maintaining a software product involves three basic steps. First,
the existing product is cleaned, meaning that the bugs are fixed. Then, the product
is stabilized to ensure that the updated product functions as intended. Finally, any
enhancements or additions are added to the product to adjust functionality or
