Subject: Software Engineering

Topic: Introduction to Software Engineering

Difficulty: High

The next two sections describe the nature of these activities. The section after that describes the nature of engineering in terms of its conceptual relationships with sciences and crafts. The last section discusses characteristics of software engineering that are not common to all engineering disciplines.

Sciences

A science is a body of causal knowledge about a subject matter, organized into theories. The theories provide explanations of relationships between characteristics of objects covered by the subject matter and the behavior of those objects. Scientific understanding begins with an understanding how things behave. Later, a science focuses more on why they behave as they do. In some areas of science, this understanding can be used to predict behavior, leading to a utilitarian value for science.

However, a well developed science has a core which is concerned with understanding for its own sake. Most sciences attempt a quantification of the rel-event concepts if it is practical. In some well-developed sciences, such as physics and chemistry, the quantification plays a central role, resulting in a mathematical theory at the heart of the science. In some areas of science, such as evolutionary theory in biology, measurement is not always practical and the mathematical theory is not very well developed.

Crafts

A craft is concerned with the production of a type of product. In some cases, a craft is also concerned with maintenance of the products. Like a science, a craft involves a body of knowledge. In part the knowledge concerns the behavior of the products and their constituents. In addition, a craft requires the development of tools and techniques involved in production. This implies a second type of knowledge. This is the "know how" of a craft - skills involved in the use of the tools and techniques. . As in science, quantification may be important in a craft. The quantification of physical properties of raw materials may be essential in the construction of a finished product. However, a full-blown mathematical theory is usually not needed.

Engineering

Conceptually, engineering disciplines arise from crafts as their knowledge bases evolve into sciences. The reasons for and impact of this evolution are described in this section. The presentation is not intended to be historically correct. It is approximately correct for civil engineering, but other engineering disciplines vary considerable from the pattern. In spite of historical differences, different engineering disciplines deal with similar problems and those problems have a similar effect on the end result.

If a craft is producing a utilitarian product then there is a demand for greater functionality of the product, higher quality in the product, and greater quantities of the product. Meeting these demands results in more complexity in the product, or in the production process, or both.

An engineering discipline builds on the same knowledge bases as a craft, but they have matured into sciences. An engineering discipline also has tools and techniques as does a craft. However, these tools and techniques are developed within the engineering discipline more as aids to design rather than production. As in a craft, practice is needed to develop habits in their use. The partial automation of the achievement of values is of even greater importance because an engineer has more complex issues to deal with. The knowledge of values together with the practiced habits make up the work ethics of an engineering discipline.

Production of complex products adds another new dimension to the task of an engineer. Production of complex products requires the use of teams of engineers to do the design. When dealing with a lot of people, it is important to have a well-defined design process. It is also important to have a management structure to guide people through the process, identify risks involved, and allocate necessary resources. To manage effectively, the managers must themselves have an understanding of the engineering discipline. Managers of a design process are usually engineers with substantial experience in design. To prepare engineers for this role, management is an important part of engineering education.