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SEOC2: Lecture slides and notes

Lecture slides will be posted here as the course progresses, along with notes on each lecture.

11 Jan 2005: Introduction (4up version)

Handed out syllabus and gave overview of course, focusing on why large-scale, long-term software projects are difficult, and how SEOC2 can and cannot help you with such projects.

14 Jan 2005: Architecture (4up version)

Introduced architectural patterns by focusing on how they can help by dividing effort between multiple independent programmers or teams developing large-scale systems. Discussed Layers, Pipes and Filters, Blackboard, Broker, and Model-View-Controller.

18 Jan 2005: Architecture continued; Design Patterns (4up version)

Finished discussion of architectural patterns. Handed out the Gamma book's list of design patterns, plus the entries for Composite and Proxy. Discussed the specifics of those two design patterns, presenting Composite in some detail and comparing it to Proxy. The main focus was on how design patterns can help large teams communicate more efficiently and effectively.

21 Jan 2005: Scripting languages (4up version)

Described Scripted Components architectural pattern, and assigned two required-reading articles. (Clarification: all written material handed out during lectures, and all lecture slides, are required reading (i.e., examinable); other links and papers are required only when explicitly stated to be so.) Presented the scenario for Assignment 1, described on the Coursework page.

25 Jan 2005: Methodologies (4up version)

Presented material on the Waterfall Model and the Unified Process, with XP to be covered in the next class. Note that the slides titled "Use Case Example" should better have been called "UP Example", because they include many UP models other than the use case model (which is just the first diagram in the examples). Announced that the details for the first assignment are on the course web page, and discussed how to approach it. Two new handouts are available at the ITO on the 5th floor of Appleton Tower.

28 Jan 2005: Methodologies continued

Covered XP and answered questions about the first assignment. Handed out required readings on UP and refactoring, and made extra copies of old handouts available (now archived on the 5th floor of Appleton Tower).

01 Feb 2005: Open Source Development (4up version)

Discussed open source development methodologies, principles, and examples. Discussed clarifications to Assignment 1. Copies of these slides are now available outside the 5th Floor AT ITO office.

04 Feb 2005:

Discussed progress on Assignment 1, how to approach future assignments, and what will be expected for Assignment 2. Assigned everyone to teams. If you missed class, you will need to contact your team members by email and decide upon a team leader.

08 Feb 2005: Software Measurement

Discussed why and how to measure software metrics.

11 Feb 2005:

Team meeting about your Assignment 2. Be sure to bring a printout of your assignment 1 submission.

15 Feb 2005: Estimation (4up version)

Reviewed material on estimating size and effort, focusing on experiences with assignment 1, when the methods are appropriate, and what their limitations are.

18 Feb 2005: Verification and Validation (4up version)

Reviewed techniques for verification and validation, focusing on what the ideal would be, what you have to do in practice, and what types of testing are most useful.

22 Feb 2005: Lessons from Assignment 1 (4up version)

Discussed common misunderstandings and problems with Assignment 1, drawing general lessons for understanding user requirements and dealing with customers.

25 Feb 2005: Tools (4up version)

Discussed categories and examples of useful software project development and management tools, focusing on small open-source tools that can be used in many projects. Polled the audience for suggestions for other tools, which have been compiled into one list, and also added them to the online lecture slides above (though not the version printed and ready outside the ITO). Passed out evaluation forms to get feedback on how the course is going; if you missed the lecture then you might want to fill that out this Tuesday.

01 Mar 2005: Risk Reduction Patterns (4up version)

Discussed Assignment 3 (which for MSc students is a Literature review). Reviewed a few examples of risk reduction patterns; several more are mentioned in the slides and much more detail is available in the required reading mentioned at the end of the slides.

04 Mar 2005: Software Quality and Standards (4up version)

Discussed tradeoffs and approaches for achieving software quality, how to model quality improvement, and standards designed to ensure quality.

08 Mar 2005: Software Failures (4up version)

Reviewed statistics on project failure, examples of dramatic failures, and common reasons for failures, in the hopes that students will recognize projects about to fail in time to either abort or save the project, as appropriate.

11 Mar 2005: Semester summary and exam review (4up version)

Will review the topics covered this semester, focusing on topics likely to be useful on the exam, and suggest ways to help prepare for the exam. This will be the last class day before the exam.

Last updated: 2005/03/17 13:48:20