K. Ingram 1 Oct 2001 Software Development Tools

K. Ingram 2 Oct 2001 Contents l Tools – what are they, why are they needed? l Software Development Tools – why are they needed l Existing Toolkits l Integration l CASE

K. Ingram 3 Oct 2001 Tools Ref. Longman’s dictionary: l An implement that is used,.., to carry out work of a mechanical nature l Something used in performing an operation or necessary in the practice of a vocation or profession Why use tools? l To make tasks easier l To increase productivity (volume, strength or quality of outputs) l Allow larger or more complex products to be produced

K. Ingram 4 Oct 2001 The need for Software development tools l 1960s – Wages were low, hardware costs high l 1990s – Wages extremely high, hardware costs low l Thus need to make software development efficient, so reducing costs l Advent of more complex and more critical software

K. Ingram 5 Oct 2001 Costs in Software Development l Analysis and Design time-consuming l Systems are complex to comprehend l Coding may be tedious l Testing can be all of the above l Documentation may become out-of-date l Fast turn-over of staff

K. Ingram 6 Oct 2001 Aims of Software Development Tools l To increase: –Productivity –Product quality –Use of less skilled staff –Staff satisfaction l To reduce: –Software development time –Amount of testing –Training –Errors –Costs

K. Ingram 7 Oct 2001 Programmer’s Toolkit l Basic needs: Operating system utilities, Editors, Translators l Further assistance: language sensitive editors, debuggers, utility programs (e.g. sorts), component libraries l Extra: test data generators, code generators, report generators, configuration managers

K. Ingram 8 Oct 2001 Designer’s Toolkit l Screen painters, data dictionary, wizards for table/form/report/query design, diagram manipulators for flowcharts

K. Ingram 9 Oct 2001 Analyst’s Toolkit l Diagram manipulators for models, model consistency checkers, word processors

K. Ingram 10 Oct 2001 Computer Aided Software Engineering Tools l Classified by function: (ref. Appendix) –Project management –Support –Analysis and design –Programming –Integration and testing e.g. simulation e.g. test management –Prototyping e.g. 4GLs –Maintenance e.g. reverse engineering

K. Ingram 11 Oct 2001 Computer Aided Software Engineering Tools l Classified by level: –Lower-CASE: specific to an architecture –Upper-CASE: architecture-independent –Integrated-CASE Planning System investigation Systems analysis System design Implementation Review and maintenance

K. Ingram 12 Oct 2001 Integration l Most people do not work alone these days – tools must incorporate group work, job overlaps and flow between tasks l Integrated tools have been available since 1980s e.g. Cradle e.g. Select SSADM e.g. Select Enterprise - Any problems?? l Groupware l Process-centred software engineering environments

K. Ingram 13 Oct 2001 Summary: Software Engineers as Producers l Engineers use their skills and a toolset, at a workbench, in a workshop, to make products l Software engineers: –The skills = analysis, design, programming, etc. –The tools = useful facilities e.g. program editor –The workbench = the environment in which the tool sits e.g.Microsoft’s Visual Basic software –The workshop = an Integrated Project Support Environment

K. Ingram 14 Oct 2001 Conclusion l Software engineering: A technological and managerial discipline concerned with the systematic production and maintenance of high quality software products that are developed and modified on time and within cost estimates l Software development tools aim to increase the chances of success in an ever-changing discipline, with ever-changing technology.

K. Ingram 15 Oct 2001 Appendix 1

K. Ingram 16 Oct 2001 Project Management Tools l cost estimating e.g. Cocomo, Putnam l time/resource scheduling e.g. Pert, Network Analysis l metrics for productivity, quality, complexity e.g. McCabe method, e.g. Halstead method

K. Ingram 17 Oct 2001 General Support Tools l documentation l infrastructure l configuration, traceability, re-use repositories

K. Ingram 18 Oct 2001 Analysis and Design Tools l for diagrams and their attributes l consistency checking - between levels, between diagrams

K. Ingram 19 Oct 2001 Programming Tools l 3GL coding tools l 4GL tools l object oriented tools

K. Ingram 20 Oct 2001 Integration and Testing Tools l data collection l static measurement l dynamic measurement l simulation l test management

K. Ingram 21 Oct 2001 Prototyping Tools l executable language specifications l very HLLs l 4GLs l operating system utilities

K. Ingram 22 Oct 2001 Maintenance Tools l reverse engineering l code restructuring and analysis