Lecture - Introduction - Course Policies and Why Software Engineering Matters

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi

Lecture material introduces a software engineering course organized around design as the central focus, including object-oriented programming, medium-scale software design, and team-based software construction. It explains expected skills such as abstraction, design patterns, Java implementation, and producing dependable, flexible software without hacking. The lecture outlines course administration, staff roles, materials, grading breakdown, quizzes, and team project structure, then motivates software engineering through economic impact, infrastructure dependence, pervasive embedded systems, and evidence of development failures and accidents.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages206

Reading Time8 h 39 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

What’s About

Admin & Policies

Why Software Engineering Matters

Development Failures

Accidents

Lecture 􀃯: Introduction 􀃯.􀃯 What 􀃴􀃯􀃵􀃮’s About Course is actually three courses in one: · crash course in object-oriented programming · software design in the medium · studio course on team construction of software Emphasis is on design. Programming is included because it’s a prerequisite; the project is included because you only really learn an idea when you try and use it. You will learn: · how to design software: powerful abstraction mechanisms; patterns that have been found to work well in practice; how to represent designs so you can communicate them and critique them · how to implement in Java · how to get it right: dependable, flexible software. Not hacking · how to be an architect, not just a low-level coder · how to avoid spending time debugging 􀃯.􀃰 Admin & Policies Course staff intros: · Lecturers: Daniel Jackson and Rob Miller · TAs: you’ll meet in review session next week · LAs: you’ll meet in clusters · Hours: see website. Lecturers don’t have fixed office hours but happy to talk to students: just send email or drop by. Materials: · course text by Liskov; read according to schedule in general info handout · lecture notes: usually published the day of the lecture · ‘Gang of Four’ design patterns book: recommended · ‘Effective Java’ by Bloch: recommended · Java tutorial: see general information handout for details Recommended texts are really superb; will be good references, and will help you become a good programmer faster. Special deal if you buy as package. Course organization: · First half of term: lectures, weekly exercises, reviews, quiz · Second half of term: team project. More to say on this later. A change from previous terms: no need to worry now about who will be in your team. Expect to switch TA’s at half term. Reviews: · Weekly sessions with TAs will be used for review of student work · Initially, TAs will pick fragments of your work to focus on · Whole section will discuss in a constructive and collaborative way · Absolutely essential part of course: opportunity to see how ideas from lecture get applied in practice Learning Java: · It’s up to you, but we try and help · Use Sun’s Java tutorial and do exercises · Great team of lab assistants on hand in clusters to help you Collaboration and IP policy: · see general info · in short: you can discuss, but written work must be your own; includes spec, design, code, tests, explanations · you can use public domain code · in team project, can collaborate on everything Quizzes: · two in-class quizzes, focusing on lecture material Grading: · 70% individual work = 25% quizzes + 45% problem sets · 30% final project, all in team get same grade · 10% participation extra credit · no late work will be accepted 􀃯.􀃱 Why Software Engineering Matters Software’s contribution to US economy (1996 figures): · greatest trade surplus of exports · $24B software exported, $4B imported, $20B surplus · compare: agriculture 26-14-12, aerospace 11-3-8, chemicals 26-19-7, vehicles 21-43-(22), manufactured goods 200-265-(64) (from Software Conspiracy, Mark Minasi, McGraw Hill, 2000). Role in infrastructure: · not just the Internet · transportation, energy, medicine, finance Software is becoming pervasive in embedded devices. New cars, for example, have between 10 and 100 processors for managing all kinds of functions from music to braking. Cost of software: · Ratio of hardware to software procurement cost approaches zero · Total cost of ownership: 5 times cost of hardware. Gartner group estimates cost of keeping a PC for 5 years is now $7-14k How good is our software? · failed developments · accidents · poor quality software 􀃯.􀃱.􀃯 Development failures IBM survey, 1994 · 55% of systems cost more than expected · 68% overran schedules · 88% had to be substantially redesigned Advanced Automation System (FAA, 1982-1994) · industry average was $100/line,

FAQs

What is the course’s main emphasis and how is it structured?

The course emphasizes design. It combines an object-oriented programming crash course, medium-scale software design, and a studio-style team course on building software.

How is course work assessed and what are the main components of grading?

Assessment includes 70% individual work (25% quizzes and 45% problem sets), 30% a final team project with the same grade for all team members, plus 10% participation as extra credit. Late work is not accepted.

Why does the lecture argue that software engineering matters?

It highlights software’s economic role, its importance to infrastructure beyond the Internet, and how software is pervasive in embedded devices. It also points to high costs, failed developments, accidents, and poor quality as evidence of why stronger engineering practices are essential.

Sep 21, 2026

Uploaded by Levi