Software Development
Unit 3 Homework/Course Material -- 2007
Text Book : Fitzpatrick , Keane "Software Development"

Unit 3 focuses on the techniques and procedures for determining the ability of networked information systems to meet organisational needs and on how the development of purpose-designed software, using a programming language, helps fulfil these needs. Students explore the roles and functions of networked information systems, and the types of networks. They apply three phases of the waterfall model of the systems development life cycle (SDLC): analysis, design and development. They use this concept as the methodology for making changes to networked information systems.

Unit 3 Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to analyse an existing networked information system used in an organisation, and propose physical design specifications for a new or modified networked information system.

In achieving this outcome the student will draw on knowledge described in Area Of Study 1 ( Systems analysis and design ).  To achieve this outcome the student should demonstrate knowledge of

Key knowledge

1. types of information systems and settings in which they are used;

2. information system goals and objectives;

3. types of networks, and strengths and weaknesses of different network topologies;

4. purpose and functions of operating systems and network operating systems;

5. purpose, functions and capabilities of communications technology, including network interface cards, transmission media (cables and wireless), routing devices and protocols;

6. economic, social and technical factors prompting organisations to change information systems;

7. threats to data integrity and security of information, including deliberate actions, accidental actions  and technical failures;

8. technical underpinnings of actions that threaten the security of information stored and transmitted, including viruses, trojans, spyware, hacking and denial of service;

9. security devices and procedures available to protect data and information; .

10. the systems development life cycle (SDLC) and techniques for managing this, including a detailed study of the waterfall model of the SDLC and an overview of rapid application development (RAD),  prototyping, and Agile models;

11. the analysis phase of the SDLC, including identification of what systems currently do and what  new or modified systems have to do;

12. tools for representing the logical designs of networked information systems, including context  diagrams, data flow diagrams, data dictionaries;

13. methods for collecting data for analysis, including direct observation, surveys, interviews, reading  system program documentation and logs;

14. the design phase of the SDLC, including identification of the components (people, procedures, data and equipment) that will enable the logical design specifications to be implemented;

15. tools for representing the physical designs of the new or modified systems, including system flow charts, structure charts;

16. functions and characteristics of hardware and software components, including security devices  available to protect data and information;

17. physical design specifications for the input, processing and output requirements that will enable  the new or modified information systems to achieve their goals.

Key Skills

Unit 3 Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to produce a software module suitable for implementation on a portable computing device, in response to a design specification, verify its performance against this specification and explain how the program has taken into account an ethical dilemma or a legal obligation.

In achieving this outcome the student will draw on knowledge described in Area Of Study 2 ( Software Development ).  To achieve this outcome the student should demonstrate knowledge of

Key knowledge

1. stages of software development, including design, development and testing;

2. procedures and techniques for handling and managing files, including security, archiving, backing up and disposing of files;

3. data types, data structures and data representation methods;

4. data validation strategies;

5. types and specifications of portable (mobile) computing devices, including personal digital assistants (PDAs), mobile phones, laptops, gaming consoles;

6. methods of expressing software design using data tables and algorithms, including an overview of flow charts, pseudocode, Nassi-Shneiderman diagrams, object descriptions and a detailed understanding of one of them;

7. purpose and characteristics of internal documentation;

8. naming conventions for program elements;

9. legal obligations of programmers and ethical considerations regarding the development of programming solutions;

10. characteristics of high-quality user interface;

11. criteria for evaluating software, including effectiveness, efficiency, stability, reliability, usability, maintainability;

12. a programming language as a method for developing software;

13. techniques for checking that coded programs meet design specifications, including construction of test data;

14. principles of hardware operation essential to the development of software modules.

Key Skills

1. interpret the design specifications by representing processes in the form of algorithms and data structures in the form of a data table;

2. use a programming language from the list published annually by the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority;

3. apply appropriate naming conventions and formatting;

4. apply data validation techniques;

5. document the code;

6. apply relevant constructs of the programming language to produce a working module within the constraints of the chosen portable computing device;

7. develop and apply a testing strategy to compare the intended with the actual module capabilities;

8. explain how the program has taken into account an ethical dilemma or a legal obligation.

    

Unit 4 - Software Development
Text Book : Fitzpatrick , Keane "Software Development"

This unit focuses on techniques, procedures and strategies to develop, implement and evaluate proposed networked information systems. Students explore the technical, human, procedural, economic and management factors that need to be considered when undertaking these phases of the systems development life cycle (SDLC). The development phase is realised through the creation of software solutions using the programming language studied in Unit 3.

Unit 4 Outcome 1

On completion of this unit the student should be able to apply the stages of software development to produce purpose-designed software that takes into account a networked information system objective and the needs of end-users.

Key knowledge

1. types of information system goals and objectives;

2. stages of software development: analysis, design, development, testing, documentation,

3. implementation and evaluation;

4. methods of organising files to suit particular software needs, including serial, sequential and random access;

5. factors affecting access of data, including file size, storage medium, organisation of files;

6. naming conventions for program elements;

7. the syntax of a programming language;

8. factors affecting software design, including user interface, end-user needs, processing efficiency, development time;

9. forms and uses of data structures to organise and manipulate data;

10. methods and techniques of representing an algorithm;

11. data validation and testing strategies;

12. forms of user documentation, including printed, CD, online Internet site, and types of user documentation, including quick start guide, tutorial, content sensitive help and manual;

13. applications and purposes of utilities in a programming environment;

14. the relationship between the developers of purpose-designed software and end-users.

Key Skills

Unit  Outcome 2

On completion of this unit the student should be able to propose and justify strategies for managing, developing, implementing and evaluating the introduction to an organisation of a networked information system that will operate in a global environment.

In achieving this outcome the student will draw on knowledge described in Area Of Study 2 ( Systems engineering: Development, implementation and evaluation ).  To achieve this outcome the student should demonstrate knowledge of

Key knowledge

1. purposes for organisations using information systems in a global environment;

2. advantages and disadvantages for organisations and society in using information systems in a global environment;

3. the development phase of the systems development life cycle (SDLC), including the realisation of the physical design specifications with respect to acquiring the identified hardware requirements, acquiring and/or developing software, identifying required personnel and their knowledge and skills, and assembling and testing the new information systems;

4. project management tools and techniques to schedule and monitor tasks, assign resources, identify milestones and determine contingency plans;

5. technical, human, procedural, economic and management factors influencing the acquisition of specific hardware and software components to fulfil design specifications;

6. testing techniques to ensure that the components operate as intended and to gain acceptance of the networked system;

7. the implementation phase of the SDLC, including preparation of user documentation, designing and conducting training programs, preparation of disaster recovery plans and the changeover to new systems;

8. types of system support documentation to assist end-users with the implementation of the proposed information systems;

9. training requirements for the users of the proposed information system, including location of training and nature of training;

10. methods for implementing the proposed information systems, including direct, phased, pilot and parallel conversions;

11. procedures to protect and secure stored and communicated data and information;

12.  the evaluation phase of the SDLC, including determining if the information system is fulfilling its design specifications;

13. criteria and strategies for evaluating the performance of the proposed information systems.

Key Skills