CS 501: Software EngineeringAdministrationMaintenanceSlide 4Slide 5Delivering the System: ThemesDelivery of Software: Categories of ProductSlide 8Slide 9TrainingLevels of UsabilityTraining and UsabilityHelp SystemsDocumentationCategories of DocumentationInstallation ToolsDelivery: Summary1CS 501 Spring 2003CS 501: Software EngineeringLecture 26Delivering the System2CS 501 Spring 2003Administration3CS 501 Spring 2003MaintenanceThe objective of maintenance•Add new functionality (e.g., new transaction types)•Adapt to changing circumstances (e.g., organizational change)•Fix problems (e.g., awkward user interface)•Upgrades to hardware or system software (e.g., new operating system)•Increases or changes in load4CS 501 Spring 2003MaintenanceThe perils of maintenance•Changes do not fit within the design of the system. The system becomes a mess of patches and changes that are almost impossible to comprehend.•New bugs and errors are introduced.•The documentation, training materials, etc. are not kept current.•Expense.Eventually almost every system reaches a stage where changes seem to create more problems than they solve.5CS 501 Spring 2003MaintenanceGood habits in maintenance•Clean up as you go along•Stay within the design framework•Test thoroughly (regression testing)•Keep documentation current•Track current releases of system software6CS 501 Spring 2003Delivering the System: Themes• Different categories of software product need different packaging and delivery procedures.• Packaging, support, maintenance and major failures are expensive. Trade-offs must be made.• Pressures to get products to market and in operation often lead to bad decisions.(In my experience, the pain of being late is often less than the pain of putting a bad system into operation.)• Services, such as installation, training, configuration, etc. may be paid for separately.7CS 501 Spring 2003Delivery of Software: Categories of ProductShrink-Wrapped Package• Installation scripts-- automatic -- varieties of hardware and operating systems-- uninstall, reinstall, etc.• Support (very expensive when it requires staff)-- staff training-- documentation (user, system administrator, expert user)• Maintenance-- client does not have source code-- no bug fixing except with new release8CS 501 Spring 2003Delivery of Software: Categories of ProductData Processing System• Acceptance-- acceptance period may cover several months-- client should be comfortable with complete system• Support-- client should be self-sufficient-- documentation and training for system administrators and operators-- well organized source code for maintenance-- maintenance and support contracts9CS 501 Spring 2003Delivery of Software: Categories of ProductEmbedded System• Acceptance-- hardware and software developed together-- acceptance tests combination• Maintenance-- bug fixes require servicing the hardware-- errors may be expensive or dangerous• Support-- training for support personnel-- documentation and training for users10CS 501 Spring 2003TrainingTime and money spent on training is usually well spent:• one-on-one• in-house training • training courses• distance education• online tutorialsDevelopment team needs to provide training materials:• users (perhaps several categories)• system administrators• system maintainers• trainers11CS 501 Spring 2003Levels of Usabilityinterface designfunctional designdata and metadatacomputer systems and networksconceptual model12CS 501 Spring 2003Training and UsabilityA well-designed system needs less training• good conceptual model• intuitive interfacesDifferent skill levels need different types of training• skilled users work from the conceptual model• less-skilled users prefer cook book sets of instructions• occasional users will forget complex details, but remember general structure13CS 501 Spring 2003Help SystemsResources• A good help system is a major sub-project (time-consuming, expensive)• A good help system saves user time and support staff (time-saving, cost-saving)Help system design• Users need many routes to find information (index by many terms, examples, mini-tutorials, etc.)• Help systems need to be tested with real users14CS 501 Spring 2003DocumentationOnline documentation• Much cheaper than print• Fewer restrictions on numbers of pages, colors, etc.• Easy to update (e.g., over the Internet)but... Cannot be used if the user's system is down15CS 501 Spring 2003Categories of DocumentationSoftware development• Requirements, design• Source code, test plans and resultsUser• Introductory (various audiences)• User manualSystem administrator and operator• System manualsBusiness• License, contract, etc.16CS 501 Spring 2003Installation ToolsCreating installation scripts may be a major sub-project• Different scripts, tools and procedures for different categories of software• Testing must be extensive with real users in their own environment17CS 501 Spring 2003Delivery: SummaryA good delivery package results in:• happy client• happy users• less expense in support or maintenancebut most projects rush the packaging, give it to the least experienced members of the team, do not test it properly, and generally neglect this part of the software
View Full Document
Unlocking...