Software Engineering: A Methodical Approach

This text provides a comprehensive, but concise introduction to software engineering. It adopts a methodical approach to solving software engineering problems proven over several years of teaching, with outstanding results.

The book covers concepts, principles, design, construction, implementation, and management issues of software systems. Each chapter is organized systematically into brief, reader-friendly sections, with itemization of the important points to be remembered. Diagrams and illustrations also sum up the salient points to enhance learning. Additionally, the book includes a number of the author’s original methodologies that add clarity and creativity to the software engineering experience, while making a novel contribution to the discipline.

Upholding his aim for brevity, comprehensive coverage, and relevance, Foster’s practical and methodical discussion style gets straight to the salient issues, and avoids unnecessary topics and minimizes theoretical coverage.

• The main activities of the software development life cycle (SDLC)
• How to conceptualize, research, design, construct, implement, and manage top quality software systems
• How to evaluate the impact of software systems on organizations
• The nature, importance, and scope of software engineering as opposed to programming

This book is best suited for students who are pursuing a course in software engineering. Practicing software engineers who need a quick reference on various aspects of the field will also find this text useful.

Part I: Fundamentals

Chapter 01: Introduction to Software Engineering

Chapter 02: The Role of the Software Engineer

Part II: Software Investigation and Analysis

Chapter 03: Project Selection and Initial System Requirement

Chapter 04: The Requirements Specification

Chapter 05: Information Gathering

Chapter 06: Communicating via Diagrams

Chapter 07: Decision Models for System Logic

Chapter 08: Project Management Aids

Part III: Software Design

Chapter 09: Overview of Software Design

Chapter 10: Database Design

Chapter 11: User Interface Design

Chapter 12: Operations Design

Chapter 13: Other Design Considerations

Part IV: Software Development

Chapter 14: Software Development Issues

Chapter 15: Human Resource Management

Chapter 16: Software Economics

Part V: Software Implementation and Management

Chapter 17: Software Implementation Issues

Chapter 18: Software Management

Chapter 19: Organizing for Effective Management

Part VI: Final Preparations

Chapter 20: Sample Exercises and Examination Questions

Part VI: Appendices

Appendix 01: Sample Examination Questions and Case Studies

Appendix 02: Overview of Fundamental Object-Oriented Methodologies

Appendix 03: Object-Oriented Information Engineering

Appendix 04: Basic Guidelines for Object-Oriented Methodologies

Appendix 05: Categorizing Objects

Appendix 06: Specifying Object Behavior

Appendix 07: Tools for Object-Oriented Methodologies

Appendix 08: Project Proposal for a Generic Inventory Management System

Appendix 09: Requirements Specification for a Generic Inventory Management System

Appendix 10: Design Specification for a Generic Inventory Management System