CST 438 Week 5

This week, we learned some fundamental concepts in the plan and document method for software engineering, also known as the waterfall method. As opposed to agile development, where teams have rough, generalized objectives (typically represented as stories) which are iterated upon at cyclical intervals, the waterfall method involves a very thorough planning phase where software requirements are extensively documented and followed through the entire development process, with perhaps only small adjustments here and there. We learned about the software requirements specification (SRS) document, which is a sort of blueprint for the software being developed, and how to write key sections in a typical SRS. It was fun learning all about UML case diagrams, use case documentation, and how to properly document database requirements. It's cool to know that the SRS, because of its indifference on exact implementation details, can serve as a type of generalized recipe for the software you are developing. For example, in our project, we do not (and should not) mention exactly what type of entry form we use for finding a student's schedule by year and semester, rather we simply mention that the student can select year and semester, and the frontend liberties are fully granted to the developer(s). I hope we can continue to train with the waterfall method and the agile method, and perhaps other methods in the future.