Comp 523: Software Engineering Laboratory
Spring 2008

In its SWEBOK project, IEEE defines software engineering as

The application of a systematic, disciplined, quantifiable approach to the development, operation, and maintenance of software; that is, the application of engineering to software. (Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge, IEEE 2001)

But in general, you will find a broad range of usages.

Software Engineering has come to mean at least two different things in our industry.  First of all the term "software engineer" has generally replaced the term "programmer".  So, in that sense there is a tendency to extrapolate in people's minds that Software Engineering is merely the act of programming.  Secondly, the term "Software Engineering" has been used to describe "building of software systems which are so large or so complex that they are built by a team or teams of engineers", as was used in Fundamentals of Software Engineering by Ghezzi, Jazayeri, and Mandrioli.  (Software Engineering Yellow Pages)

Underlying all the definitions is a set of processes and technologies that take software development from the sphere of art to an engineering discipline. Software engineering is still an emerging discipline and some of the technologies and models accepted today will be discredited, but given the importance of software development in today's world, its growth as an engineering discipline is certain.

Course Description:

The goal of this course is to teach the skills necessary for building a software product as a team. The lecture portion of the class will cover the broader picture of software engineering that includes a wide range of software development projects in terms of size, complexity, and criticality.

There will be no written exams;  there will be a number of essays assigned to cover the key concepts of the course.

The essence of the course, however, is the faculty-coached team project. Teams of 2-4 students spend the semester negotiating, estimating, scheduling, specifying, coding, debugging, integrating, documenting and testing a substantial programming product. Each project has a real client that is expecting a completed project. Each document will be submitted to the professor in draft form and will be revised based on comments.  In addition, documentation needs to be maintained to reflect changes in the product that is being produced. 

Project grades are based on code, documentation, ambition, effort, teamwork, and accomplishment. 

The final exam is a presentation of the end product.

At the end of the course, each student will have experienced all aspects of a software development project, including

• working with a client to define goals and priorities
• designing a system
• scheduling and planning a multi-person project
• effective communications
• running meetings
• writing technical documentation
• preparing web content
• writing and testing code
• deploying the system
• public presentations