TASK 4 : SOFTWARE MYTHS

Software Myths –erroneous beliefs about software and the process that is used to build it. Myth has a number of attributes that made them insidious. For instance, they appeared to be reasonable statements of fact (sometimes containing elements of truth), they had an intuitive feel, and they were often promulgated by experienced practitioners who "knew the score."

               Software engineering professionals recognize myths misleading attitudes that have caused serious problems for managers and practitioners.

            There were three classifications of software myths:

·      Management myths

·      Customer myths

·      Practitioner myths

Practitioner's Myths:

Myths that are still believed by software practitioners have been fostered by 50 years of programming culture. During the early days of software, programming was viewed as an art form. Old ways and attitudes die hard.
Myth     :      The only deliverable work product for a successful 

                       project is the working program.

Reality    :      A working program is only one part of a software 

                      configuration that includes many elements. A variety of
                      work product(exp , models, documents, plans) provide a 

                     foundation for successful engineering and ,more   

                     important, guidance for software support.

Management Myths

Managers with software responsibility, like managers in most discipline, are often under pressure to maintain budgets, keep schedules from slipping, and improve quality. Like a drowning person who grasps at a straw, a software manager often grasps at believe in software myth, if that belief will lessen the pressure(even temporarily)Myths     :     "If I decide to outsource the software project to a third 

                party, I can just relax and let that firm build it"

Reality    :     If an organization does not understand how to manage and 

                       control software projects internally, it will invariably struggle 

                        when it out-sources software projects.
                         ·      Software projects need to be controlled and managed

Customer Myths

A customer who requests computer software may be a person at the next desk, a technical group down the hall, the marketing/sales department, or an outside company that has requested software under contract. In many cases, the customer believes myths about software because software managers and practitioners do little to correct misinformation. Myths lead to false expectations (by the customer) and, ultimately, dissatisfaction with the developer

Myths     :     A general statement of objectives is sufficient to begin
                      writing programs-we can fill in the details later.

Realities  :    *Although a comprehensive and stable statement of   

      requirement is not always possible, an ambiguous 

     “statement of objective” is receive for disaster.

                    *Unambiguous requirements (usually derived   

                       iteratively) are developed only through effective and

                       continuous communication between customer and developer.