Introduction  (Page 3/8)

2. All aspects of software production: Software engineering is not just concerned with the technical processes of software development but also with activities such as software project management and with the development of tools, methods and theories to support software production.

In general, software engineers adopt a systematic and organised approach to their work as this is often the most effective way to produce high-quality software. However, engineering is all about selecting the most appropriate method for a set of circumstances and a more creative, informal approach to development may be effective in some circumstances. Informal development is particularly appropriate for the development of web-based e-commerce systems which requires a blend of software and graphical design skills.

What’s the difference between software engineering and computer science?

Essentially, computer science is concerned about theories and methods which underlie computers and software systems whereas software engineering is concerned with the practical problems of producing software. Some knowledge of computer science is essential for software engineers in the same way that some knowledge of physics is essential for electrical engineers.

Ideally, all of software engineering should be underpinned by theories of computer science but in reality this is not the case. Software engineers must often use ad hoc approaches to develop the software. Elegant theories of computer science are cannot always be applied to real, complex problems which require a software solution.

What is the difference between software engineering and system engineering?

System engineering or, more precisely, computer-based system engineering is concerned with all aspects of the development and evolution of complex systems where software plays a major role. System engineering is therefore concerned with hardware development, policy and process design and system deployment as well as software engineering. System engineers are involved in specifying the system, defining its overall architecture and then integrating the different parts to create the finished system. They are less concerned with the engineering of the system components (hardware, software, etc.).

System engineering is an older discipline than software engineering. People have been specifying and assembling complex industrial systems such as aircraft and chemical plants for more than 100 years. However, as the percentage of software in systems has increased, software engineering techniques such as use-case modelling, configuration management, etc. are being used in the systems engineering process.

What is a software process?

A software process is the set of activities and associated results which produce a software product. These activities are mostly carried out by software engineers. There are four fundamental process activities which are common to all software processes. These activities are:

1. Software specification: The functionality of the software and constraints on its operation must be defined.