Week 1: Professional Software Development & Software Processes
Master of Information Technology
Building Tomorrow's Software Solutions
Master industry-standard practices and methodologies
Create maintainable, reliable, and scalable software systems
Develop solutions for critical systems like disaster response
This Unit's Focus: Build a Disaster Response System (DRS) across three progressive assessments
This unit trains you as a Software Engineer - thinking beyond just coding to complete system design and management
"An engineering discipline concerned with all aspects of software production from early specification through to maintaining the system after it has gone into use"
Four fundamental activities in ALL software processes:
Define what the system should do and its constraints
Design and program the software system
Check that it meets customer requirements
Modify software to reflect changing needs
Your DRS Project: You'll experience all four activities across three assessments
Plan-driven
Flexible
Reuse-oriented
What makes software "good"?
Software should evolve to meet changing customer needs
Critical because change is inevitable
Should not cause physical or economic damage
Includes reliability, safety, and security
Shouldn't waste system resources
Memory, processing time, responsiveness
Must be acceptable to intended users
Understandable, usable, compatible
Your DRS must demonstrate all four attributes!
Systems operate across different platforms, devices, and networks
Example: Your DRS must work on various devices in emergency situations
Rapid changes in business environments and user expectations
Example: COVID-19 changed disaster response protocols
Software must be trustworthy and secure
Example: DRS handles sensitive emergency data
From small embedded systems to global cloud platforms
Example: DRS might scale from local council to state-wide
Professional responsibility goes beyond technical skills
Respect employer/client confidentiality regardless of formal agreements
Don't misrepresent skill level; don't accept work beyond competence
Understand and respect patent, copyright, and IP laws
Don't use technical skills to misuse others' computers or systems
Real-world relevance: Emergency response systems require highest ethical standards
Requirements & Design
Week 4 - 20%
DRS-Initial Prototype
Week 9 - 35%
DRS-Enhanced (Team)
Exam Week - 45%
You're not just learning to code
You're becoming a professional software engineer who can build systems that make a real difference in the world!