Software as a Product (CH4)

Slide 1

Software as a Product

 Jim Tomayko     Orit Hazzan 

Slide 2

• Why do we write software?

• What are the targets of software development?

Discussion Framework

We examine software that is
written for customers.

The target: Supply the customers
the software they need!

Similar to the case of house construction.

(Look at: Worldwide Institute of
Software Architects )

Slide 3

Discussion Framework

One of the course s aims: Examination of different points of view at software development processes.

Two topics:

• Requirements management

• Data collection tools

Slide 4

Requirements Management

• A developing area

• Efficient requirements management improves also the communication between the development and marketing departments

• Sometimes, the marketing department promises customers features that the development department is not aware of

Slide 5

Requirements Management

• Requirements management is a strategic decision of a company

• In many cases: If requirements are managed properly, all the development continues smoothly

• The case of eXtreme Programming

Slide 6

Requirements
Management Tools

• Web-based tools, Data bases.

• Characteristics: From Chapter 4.

  • Accessibility

  • Tracing the requirements and their development

• Knowledge is Power ”How is it connected to our course?

• The introduction of requirements management tools sometimes raises resistance as those who have the knowledge, loss of their power.

Slide 7

Data Gathering Tools

• Documents

• Interviews

• Observations

• Questionnaires

  • In many cases more than one tool is used.

  • The literature about the topic is vast.

  • Here we see some general guidelines.

Slide 8

Data Gathering: Documents

Become familiar with the organization:

• Structure

• Roles

• Procedures, etc.

  • May be helpful, for example, for selecting those who will be interviewed.

Slide 9

Data Gathering: Interviews

• Important tool for requirement gathering

• Interviews give us:

  • Information

  • Estimations

  • Opinions

  • Feelings

Sometimes people beautify the reality.

Hence, different data gathering tools should be used.

Slide 10

Data Gathering: Interviews

Relevant issues:

• Selecting the interviewees

• Interviewer-interviewee relationships

• Order of interviews

• Kinds of questions ( open /close)

• Kind of interview (structured, semi-structured)

Slide 11

Data Gathering: Questionnaires

Questioners are effective when:

• There is a need to collect information from many people

• People are located in different places (and it is impossible to interview all of them).

Important: Pilot!

When the rate of answers is low! Be careful!

Slide 12

Data Gathering: Observations

Fits to situation/ professions such as services

Observation teaches us about:

• The kind of work

• How long the work takes

• Relationships between workers

• Employee-customer relationship.

Slide 13

Data Gathering: Observations

Location (fixed/not fixed)

• Structured/not structured

• Problem: People may change their behavior.

Slide 14

Class Activity

Select a company for which you are going to develop a web-based system.

Develop a set of data collection tools in order to collect data about the company.