what is involved in defining and analysing the requirements of a problem (syllabus)
- demonstrating needs or opportunities
- assessing scheduling and financial feasibility
- generating requirements including functionality and performance
- defining data structures and data types
- defining boundaries
what are some tools used to develop ideas and generate solutions
- brainstorming, mind-mapping and storyboards
- data dictionaries, including selecting appropriate data types
- algorithm design
- code generation
- testing and debugging
- installation
- maintenance
what are types of software implementation methods
- direct (switch from old to new)
- phased (gradually implementing in phases/modules)
- parallel (new/old run simultaneously for a period)
- pilot (new system for some users before full scale implementation)
what is the waterfall approach and its advantages/disadvantages (syllabus)
- logical progression of steps used throughout the life cycle
- stages of ‘falling water’ (requirements, specifications, design, development, integration, testing and debugging, installation, maintenance)
- scale and types of developments (clearly defined requirements, large)
- clear milestones, good when requirements unlikely to change, easier to manage
- BUT inflexible, can be high risk, not suitable for evolving projects
what is the agile approach (syllabus)
- rate of developing a final solution (incremental/frequent releases of working software, continuous feedback loop)
- method tailoring (adjusting sprints to fit team, project type, etc)
- iteration workflow (cycle of planning, development, testing, review)
- scale and types of developments (small-large teams, unclear/changing requirements, close stakeholder collaboration)
what is the wagile approach (syllabus)
- hybrid model
- when (agile after initial planning/requirements - cycles used in development, testing, refinement stages)
- how (sprints, user stories, continuous integration, stakeholder involvement)
- scale and types of developments (projects require extensive initial planning, requirements known at high level, specifics may change)
project management techniques that can help plan and conduct the development and implementation of a project or software solution (syllabus)
- scheduling and tracking using a software tool
- gantt charts (display component tasks on estimated timeline, showing dependencies, resource allocation)
- collaboration tools (managing communication, file sharing, team coordination)
Explore social and ethical issues associated with project work (syllabus)
- working individually
- working collaboratively
- responding to stakeholders
What are key communication issues to consider during software project work? (syllabus)
- involving and empowering the client (engaging early and throughout project)
- enabling feedback (continuous, two way communication)
- negotiating (boundaries, feasibility, managing conflicts)
Why is feedback important during software engineering projects?
- helps identify issues early
- improves functionality and usability
- encourages iterative improvements and better stakeholder alignment
What is quality assurance in software engineering?
the process of ensuring a software product meets defined standards and user expectations through continuous monitoring, testing and validation
How is software quality defined and measured?
- defining criteria on which quality will be judged (measurable - functionality, usability, performance, security, maintainability, accessibility)
- ensuring requirements are met using a continual checking process (ongoing testing, feedback loops, iterative refinements)
- addressing compliance and legislative requirements (privacy laws, accessibility standards, copywriting, licensing)
What is the purpose of modelling tools in software engineering?
help developers visualise, plan and communicate software structure, logic and data flows before and during development
- planning/documentation
- identify issues early
What are examples of modelling tools used in software engineering?
- DFDs (show how data moves through the system)
- class diagrams (define object relationships and attributes)
- decision trees (model logic and conditions)
- gantt charts (project scheduling)
- storyboards/wireframes (model UI and navigation)
what is the contribution of back-end engineering in the success and ease of software development?
- technology used (languages, frameworks, databases, APIs)
- error handling (detecting, logging, managing)
- interfacing with front end (APIs, HTTP requests, data formats)
- security engineering (authentication, authorisation, validation/sanitisation, encryption)
What does it mean to design, construct, and implement a solution in software engineering?
- design - creating models, wireframes
- constructing - writing code and developing features
- implementing - testing, deploying
Why is resource allocation important during software development?
- efficient progress
- risk reduction
- balanced workload
what are strategies to respond to difficulties when developing a software solution
- looking for a solution online
- collaboration with peers
- outsourcing
what are some language-dependent code optimisation techniques
python
- list comprehensions
- built in functions
js
- asynchronous methods
sql
- indexed queries
How can feedback be analysed and responded to in software development?
- collecting user/client feedback
- identifying issues/patterns
- applying changes that meet expectations and technical feasibility
how to evaluate effectiveness of a software solution
- developing a report to synthesise feedback
- developing a test plan (what, how, expectations)
- testing data used/generated based on path and boundary testing (making sure all possibilities are tested + values at edge of input ranges)
- comparing actual output with expected output
