Software Requirements

Course Description

DESCRIPTION
One of the main tasks of graduates in Computing Engineering is the development of tools or software solutions. If the life cycle of a software system development process is analysed, the first step will always be the definition of what this system /tool is supposed to be; those who better know what they want are the system stakeholders, those who are affected by the prospective system. In this subject, students will gain the needed competences for the definition and modelling of a system in an organized and systematic way, as well as the techniques for gathering the required information from the stakeholders.
 

CONTENTS
1. Software Engineering: Definition. Phases. Process Models. RUP.
2. Software Requirements. The Concept of Requirement. Requirements Engineering. Requirements Elicitation. Requirements Analysis, Negotiation and Prioritization. Software Requirement Specification and standards. Requirements Validation. Interviewing and DataGathering Techniques.
3. Modelling. Principles of Modelling. UML. Object Oriented Analysis. Use Cases and Additional diagrams. Conceptual Domain Model.
4. Towards Design. Logical Architecture and Object Oriented Design. Design Class Diagram

METHODOLOGY
The teaching-learning strategy will be implemented by means of the following methods and techniques:
- Lectures: Driven by the professor, who will introduce the contents listed in the subject syllabus in a detailed and structured way in the classroom. Lecture materials, to be used during the lessons, will be previously available for students to read them in advance (chapters of books, scripts, papers and/or slides), organized by units.
- Collaborative work: Scheduled Classroom and Out-of-Classroom activities, in work groups and discussions about several topics.
- Directed Self-study: Understanding and synthesis of basic theoretical concepts, by means of directed self-study out-of-classroom activities.
- Case Study: Development of two case studies; the first one will be focused on the elicitation, analysis and validation of requirements; the second one will concentrate on the modelling of requirements. Alternatives will be considered with the aim of training critical thinking and
fostering discussions in the classroom. The most suitable alternative will be selected, depending on the context of the problem.
- Teamwork: Students, in groups, will face a problem in an organization; the goal will be to obtain, analyse, validate and model the requirements of a software solution that solves the organization problem, and produce the system requirement specification.

ASSESSMENT
- Knowledge test: 30%
- Classroom and Out-of-Classroom Activities: 25%
- Teamwork: 45%
In order to pass the subject, at least 4 points out of 10 must be earned in each of the evaluation items: in the knowledge test, in the grade of the activities and in the teamwork.

READINGS
* Materials for the correct progress in the subject are on the e-learning platform.
* The basic mean of communication will be the News and Forums in the platform; every event
and news related to this subject will be posted on the platform.
Bibliography:
* Ian Sommerville, Software Engineering, Addison Wesley, ISBN: 8478290745.
* Suzanne Robertson, James Robertson, Mastering the Requirements Process. Addison-Wesley Professional, ISBN: 0321419499.
* Craig Larman, Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development, Prentice Hall, ISBN: 978-0131489066.