Лекция: The objectives of software engineering

Software engineering is the profession which is likely to replace programming and systems analysis over the next ten years. The objectives of software engineering are as stated above: the development of very large, complex, software items, which satisfy strict standards of performance and correctness, in a controlled, scheduled, budgeted and cost-effective way. Software engineers require, in addition to a proficiency in programming, a knowledge of formal mathematics and logic, computing science, economics and management.

Software engineering is carried out by teams of people. When a software development project is started, the teams are set up with a management structure corresponding to the structure of the software itself. A schedule is drawn up for the project, and costs are allocated to the various portions and stages. Each team has a team leader, whose task is to make sure that the software developed by the team is correct, properly structured, has the right interfaces to the software being developed by the other teams, and is on schedule and within budget. This is a very difficult task, which requires a wide range of technical and management skills.

Software engineering is concerned with the entire lifecycle of a software project: design. development, testing, use and maintenance. All the work done is aimed at the highest possible standards at the lowest possible costs throughout this lifecycle.