Aspects of software development: Practice Questions

In the Evaluation stage of software development, a system is assessed for maintainability. What does this specifically measure?

A software engineer is designing a data model for a complex system. They decide to use a prototyping approach during the design and analysis phases. What is the primary advantage of this iterative process?

During the Analysis stage of software development, which of the following best describes the process used to establish system requirements?

A testing plan for a student grading system includes the following test data for a 'Percentage' input (valid range 0 to 100):

Table 1: Test Cases

\(\begin{array}{|c|c|c|} \hline \text{Test ID} & \text{Input} & \text{Type of Data} \\ \hline 1 & 45 & \text{Normal} \\ \hline 2 & 0 & \text{X} \\ \hline 3 & 100 & \text{X} \\ \hline 4 & 105 & \text{Erroneous} \\ \hline 5 & -10 & \text{Erroneous} \\ \hline \end{array}\)

In the context of robust software testing, what is the correct label for the category X?

During the Implementation phase of software development, a team identifies the 'critical path'. Which statement best defines this concept?

Within the Analysis stage of software development, describe how prototyping serves as an iterative tool to ensure the final system requirements accurately reflect user needs.

A system is being developed to monitor industrial temperature sensors in a factory.
(a) Explain the purpose of Prototyping during the Analysis stage for this specific system. (2 points)
(b) Describe how Erroneous test data differs from Boundary test data when testing a sensor input field designed to accept real numbers in the range 0.0 to 100.0. (2 points)
(c) During the Evaluation phase, the client requests a report on the 'efficiency' of the system. Identify two hardware resources that can be measured to evaluate software efficiency. (2 points)

A software company is developing a system for a hospital to manage blood bank inventories. The system tracks blood types, expiry dates, and volumes.
(a) During the Implementation phase, the team focuses on the 'critical path'. Explain the term 'critical path' and why it is prioritized. (2 points)
(b) The Design phase is described as an iterative process. Explain how prototyping during this stage assists in the development of an effective Human User Interface (HUI). (2 points)
(c) A validation routine ensures donation volume \( v \) is within the range \( 200 \le v \le 500 \). Identify one Boundary value and one Erroneous value for this check, and explain why both are necessary for robust testing. (2 points)
(d) During Evaluation, maintainability is assessed. Define this term and explain how a modular approach during Design contributes to it. (2 points)