Objectives

As specific objectives, by the end of the course students should be able to:

• Understand the benefits of object-oriented analysis and design, its concepts and processes.
• Be familiar with formal design tools for object orientated design and analysis.
• Recognise and understand some frequently used design patterns.
• Be aware of the process involved in user interface design.
• Understand software development methodologies.
• Understand the main issues and processes necessary to achieve effective software product development.

Content

Software forms an important part of many modern engineering products, from telecommunications to automotive to internet-based systems. This course will provide an understanding of the technical and management processes involved in the design of software systems. Software engineering concepts are considered at a range of scales, from the manipulation of object-orientated concepts, through architectural design components, to the building of large complex software systems. 

Software Design (10L)

• Concepts Behind Software Design: managing complexity of the software systems and 
minimizing risks.
• Object-Oriented Software Design Principles: abstraction, problem partitioning, how 
to identify components.
• Object-Orientated, Design and Analysis: classes and objects, 
encapsulation and data hiding, abstraction and inheritance, polymorphism.
• Formal Tools: introduction to UML.
• Design Patterns: frequently occurring design techniques and their role in building 
systems.
• Principles of Good Design and User Interface Design: designing experiences, 
designing for the user, use cases, process and main elements, usability. 
 

Software Systems and Engineering (6L)

• Quality Assurance and Risk Management: testing, automated testing, tools.
• Software Development Methodologies: from waterfall to agile programming.
• Software Management: project lifecycle, source code control, code reviews, testing, 
the nightly build, release management, maintenance and refactoring, organising 
software teams.
• Software Innovation and Entrepreneurship.