CHAPTER TWENTY
Software Development
THIS CHAPTER LOOKS at the software development design process and covers the separation of specification and implementation in programming, requirements-specification methodologies, and technical process design. In addition, database creation and manipulation, principles of good screen and report design, and program language alignment are covered.
DEVELOPING A SYSTEM
The process of developing a new computer system is commonly known as the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and consists of a finite and predefined number of tasks, which include:
- Analyze
- Design
- Code
- Test
- Retest
- Redesign
- Retest
- Run
- Audit
As seen in Chapter 11, the SDLC can come in a variety of forms including the waterfall, iterative spiral, or vee, to name but three. Regardless of the model taken SDLC will split these tasks into:
- Feasibility study to decide if the project is worthwhile
- Outline design, which involves analyzing and designing the new business system
- Detailed design, where computer programs are specified, file layouts designed, and access rules laid out
- Code, test, and implement, where programs are written, tested, and signed-off
- Conversion, which involves acquiring data and converting it into the new formats
- Installation and live running
- Post-implementation review to determine what went wrong with the SDLC process itself
Feasibility Study
Systems proposals come from a variety of sources and for a variety of reasons. They may come from the Board of Directors ...
