In principle, cs681 is Software Engineering Theory (Fall semester) and cs682/cs683 is the year long team project. In practice we will mix theory and practice in the Fall (and in the Spring). The course is as much about process as product. We won't learn the (or even a) way to write software, but will learn how to choose and apply a strategy suitable for a particular project.

This course operates at a level above that of those that precede it. The sequence 110-310-680 moves from writing small programs through the understanding of the classical program library APIs to the object architecture of self contained applications. In this course we focus on larger systems, and how to build them. It's quite possible that in your project there will be little actual coding at all - many applications today are build by arranging to have existing tools cooperate. That's particularly true of web software.

• Course goals
  • Study software engineering methodologies
  • Study software engineering tools
  • Learn some of the history of software engineering, and the current trends
  • Work in a small team for a full year
  • Master presentation and documentation skills (speaking and writing!)
  • Build a modest application for a real customer
  • If you don't already have a job in the real world, prepare yourself for one. If you do, learn to do it better.
  • Have fun

• Class work will be a mix of
  • Discussions of assigned readings (SE theory)
  • Guest lectures
  • Student presentations
  • Presentations by prospective customers
  • Study of SE tools
  • Occasional team meetings (since those are times when all of us are sure to be available)
  • Progress reports from the teams

• There will be frequent short written assignments, to make sure that you pay attention in class and keep up with the readings.

• First class
  • This introduction
  • About the required texts ...
  • Assignment for next time: home page, cv, read and respond to Brooks ($cs681/hw1/)
  • Introducing ourselves as professional software engineers (one war story each)

Back to the cs681 home page.