Module Leader: Prof. E.L. Hines

External Lecturer: Mr S.A. Perry

Module Information

Scope

This 15 CATS module is one of the third year modules for:

Aims

The module aims to provide a sound understanding of the design, analysis and implementation of software and software-based systems. It aims to develop the student’s ability to:- specify, design, construct, test and maintain software products and components; understand the principles underlying the generation of software; use practical skills in laboratory session in which relevant test and measurement equipment is available; select and apply appropriate computer languages and tools; design and implement small real-time systems using structured, modular and concurrent programming techniques.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the module the student should be able to...

• Understand the importance of the various stages of the development lifecycle
• Use object oriented methods of modelling and design in the development of software-based applications
• Design and implement small real-time systems using structured, modular and concurrent techniques
• Appreciate typical problems, and some solutions, of applying software in critical applications
• Use computer packages to model signals and processes
• Use practical skills: Use test and measurement equipment in the laboratory to evaluate software
• Communicate in a professional and scientific manner, making use of graphs and equations where necessary
• Display enhanced cognitive skills in formulating and testing concepts and hypotheses

Syllabus

Software Engineering in Context: functional and economic considerations; software engineering as an element of system development; the software development lifecycle, requirements, specification, design, construction, testing and maintenance; software efficiency; why software fails.

Object-Oriented Modelling and Design: revision of fundamentals; models and notations; use case modelling; static and dynamic models; class specification; software architecture and design.

The Unified Modelling Language (UML):concepts and an overview of UML notation; object-oriented design using UML.

Real-Time Considerations: properties and requirements of real-time systems; hard and soft timing constraints; design strategies - single, foreground/background and multiple task approaches; implementation of real-time software; choice of programming languages for real-time applications - overview of Ada, C, modula-2.

Concurrent programming techniques: use of concurrent techniques in operating systems; databases and distributed systems.

The software development environment: software development tools; use of software in critical applications; software errors and fault tolerance; cost estimation.

Teaching Methods

This module includes 20 hours of lectures, 3 hours of examples classes, 5 hours of seminars and 6 hours of laboratory sessions.

Required self-study: 116 hours

Assessment

A 15 CATS module: 80% examined via a 3 hour paper

Exam rubric information:

• Answer 4 Questions chosen from 6

and 20% assessed consisting of an assignment.

Links to:

Student Resources

Staff Pages

Reading List

Required Textbook:

Sommerville, I., Software Engineering, 7th or 8th ed., Pearson Education, 2004 (2006)

Holt, J., UML for Systems Engineering: Watching the Wheels, 2nd ed., (IEE) IET Publishing, 2004