Fall 2005

Description

This course is an introduction to the basic concepts of software engineering including software lifecycle, requirements analysis, design, coding, testing and documentation. Professional ethics in computer science and the social impact of computing are discussed. Additional topics may include tools for software development, software metrics, and software maintenance. The objectives of the course are met using classroom presentations, guest lecturers, and a semester-long project developed in a team setting.

Textbook

Writting Effective Use Cases -- Alistar Cockburn Addison-Wesley 2000 ISBN 0-201-01702258

Objectives

The major objective of this course is to give the student real-life software development experience. This objective is accomplished through the student's participation on a team that will develop a single software product over the course of one semester. Product development will follow the full software development lifecycle from requirements analysis through product delivery. More specific objectives are:

To understand the software development process
To learn the definition, goals, and principles of software engineering and how to apply them
To experience working in a software development team
To experience taking a leadership role in a software development team
To enhance verbal and written communication skills
To learn about professional ethics in computer science and the social impact of computing

Grading

Your grade will contain elements of individual accomplishments and team accomplishments broken down as follows:

Quizzes (10 %)
-- an individual grade
-- 2 announced quizzes during the semester
Project Artifacts (25%)
-- a team grade
-- You will be responsible for the timely delivery of the following artifacts:

System Requirements Specification (10%)
System Design Document (10%)
User Manual (5%)

See the Project Description for details.

Customer Statisfaction Reports (10%)
-- a team grade
-- Customers will be asked periodically throughout the semester to fill out reports indicating their current satisfaction with the team. See the Customer Satisfaction Report for details.
Final Product Delivery and Demonstration (10%)
Final Product (45%)
-- a team grade
-- This grade will be based on the product's adherence to the software requirements, the quality of the product, and the degree of customer satisfaction. Note that you must receive a grade of "C" or above on the final product in order to pass the class.