Software Engineering

Software Design

INTRODUCTION
A design of a system is essentially a blueprint or a plan for a
solution for the system.
Here , we consider a system to be a set of modules with clearly
defined behavior which interact with each other in a defined
manner to produce some behavior or services for its
environment .
The design process for the software has two levels :
Top

level design

Detailed

design

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SoftwareDesign

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 Top

level design (system design) :

Here, we focuses on deciding which module

we need for the system , the specifications for
those modules and how the modules should be
inter connected.

Detailed level design (logical design ) :

Here , the internal design of module, i.e. ,
how the specification of the module can be
satisfied is decided.

SoftwareEngineering

SoftwareDesign

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DESIGN METHODOLOGY

It is the system approach for creating a design by applying a

set of techniques and guidelines .

TYPES :
1) STRUCTURE DESIGN METHODOLOGY:
It focuses on function oriented method.
2) OBJECT ORIENTED DESIGN METHODOLOGY :
It focuses on object oriented method.

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Stages of Design

Problem understanding

Identify one or more solutions

Evaluate possible solutions and choose the most

appropriate depending on the designer's experience and
available resources.

Describe solution abstractions

Look at the problem from different angles to discover the

design requirements.

Use graphical, formal or other descriptive notations to

describe the components of the design.

Repeat process for each identified abstraction

until the design is expressed in primitive terms.

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DESIGN PRINCIPLES

The design of system should be correct ,i.e., system built

precisely according to design satisfying the design of system.

To evaluate a design we have to specify some properties and

criteria that can be used for the evaluation. These properties
should be as quantitative as possible.

A design should be verifiable , complete and traceable.

A design should be efficient and simple .

Effectively handling the complexity will not only reduce the

effort needed but also reduces the scope introducing error
during design.

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SoftwareDesign

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PROBLEM PARTITIONING AND

HIERARCHY

Problem partitioning is essential for solving a complex

problem. It leads to the hierarchy in design.

There are two strategies possible :

1) Top down strategy
2) Bottom up strategy

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ABSTRACTION

An abstraction of a component describes the external

behavior of that component without bothering the internal
details that produce the behavior.

There are two common abstraction mechanism for software

system :
1) Functional abstraction : here , module is specified by
the function it performs. Eg : log function.
2) Data abstraction : it focuses on the object .Here, the
data is not only treated as object with some pre defined
operations on them .It is used within object oriented design.

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Modularity

"modularity is the single attribute of software that

allows a program to be intellectually manageable.
It is clearly a desirable property in a system.
For modularity , each module needs to support a well
defined abstraction and have a clear interface through
which it can interact with other modules.
In almost all instances, you should break the design into
many modules, hoping to make understanding easier
and as a consequence, reduce the cost required to build
the software

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Top-down and bottom-up design

Top-down

design

Top-down design involves starting at the uppermost components in the

hierarchy and working down the hierarchy level by level.

First design the very high level structure of the system.

Then gradually work down to detailed decisions about low-level

constructs.

Finally arrive at detailed decisions such as:

the format of particular data items;

the individual algorithms that will be used.

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Top-down and bottom-up design

Bottom-up design

It starts with designing the most basic components and proceeds to

higher level components that use these lower level components

Make decisions about reusable low-level utilities.

Then decide how these will be put together to create high-level

constructs.

A mix of top-down and bottom-up approaches are

normally used (sandwich approach):

Top-down design is almost always needed to give the system a good

structure.

Bottom-up design is normally useful so that reusable components

can be created.

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MODULE LEVEL CONCEPTS

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SoftwareDesign

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INTRODUCTION

A module is a logically separable part of a program. It is a

program unit that is discreet and identifiable with respect to
compiling and loading.

In a system using functional abstraction , there are two

modularization criteria :
1) coupling
2) cohesion

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Coupling

The degree of dependence such as the amount of interactions among

components

Highly coupled modules are joined by strong interconnections while loosely

coupled modules have weak interconnections.

No dependencies

Loosely coupled
some dependencies

Highly coupled
many dependencies

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Tight Coupling

Module A

Module B

Module C

Module D
Shared data
area

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Loose Coupling
Module A
As data

Module B

Module C

Bs data

Cs data

Module D
Ds data
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Type of Coupling
High Coupling

Loose

Content
Common
External
Control
Stamp
Data
Uncoupled

Low

SoftwareEngineering

Avoid

SoftwareDesign

Try to achieve

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Cohesion

Definition

The degree to which all elements of a component are directed

towards a single task.

The degree to which all elements directed towards a task are

contained in a single component.

The degree to which all responsibilities of a single class are

related.

Internal glue with which component is

constructed
All elements of component are directed
toward and essential for performing the same
task.

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Type of Cohesion
High Cohesion
Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental
Low
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Coincidental Cohesion

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

Def: Parts of the component are unrelated

(unrelated functions, processes, or data)
Parts of the component are only related by
their location in source code.
Elements needed to achieve some
functionality are scattered throughout the
system.
Accidental
Worst form

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Example
1.

Print next line

2.

Reverse string of characters in second

argument

3.

Add 7 to 5th argument

4.

Convert 4th argument to float

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Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

Logical Cohesion

Def: Elements of component are related logically and not

functionally.

Several logically related elements are in the same

component and one of the elements is selected by the client
component.

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Example

A component reads inputs from tape, disk, and

network.

All the code for these functions are in the same

component.

Operations are related, but the functions are

significantly different.

Improvement?

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Temporal Cohesion

Def: Elements are related by timing involved

Elements are grouped by when they are processed.

Example: An exception handler that

Closes all open files

Creates an error log

Notifies user

Lots of different activities occur, all at same time

SoftwareEngineering

SoftwareDesign

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

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Example

A system initialization routine: this routine contains

all of the code for initializing all of the parts of the
system. Lots of different activities occur, all at init
time.
Improvement?

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Procedural Cohesion

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

Def: Elements of a component are related only

to ensure a particular order of execution.
Actions are still weakly connected and unlikely
to be reusable.
Example:

...
Write output record
Read new input record
Pad input with spaces
Return new record
...

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Communicational Cohesion

Def: Functions performed on the same data or to produce the

same data.

Examples:

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

Update record in data base and send it to the printer

Update a record on a database

Print the record

Fetch unrelated data at the same time.

To minimize disk access

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Sequential Cohesion

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

Def: The output of one part is the input to another.

Data flows between parts (different from procedural cohesion)

Occurs naturally in functional programming languages

Good situation

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Functional Cohesion

Def: Every essential element to a single

computation is contained in the component.

Every element in the component is essential

to the computation.

Ideal situation

What is a functionally cohesive component?

One that not only performs the task for which it

was designed but

it performs only that function and nothing else.

SoftwareEngineering

SoftwareDesign

Functional
Sequential
Communicational
Procedural
Temporal
Logical
Coincidental

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Examples of Cohesion
Function A
Function Function
B
C
Functio Function
n
E
D

Coincidental

Parts unrelated

logic

Function A

Time t0

Function A

Time t0 + X

Function A

Logical

Similar functions

Time t0 + 2X

Temporal

Related by time

Function A
Function B
Function C

Procedural

Related by order of functions

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Examples of Cohesion (Cont.)

Function A

Function A

Function B

Function B

Function C

Function C

Communicational

Sequential

Access same data

Output of one is input to another

Function A part 1
Function A part 2
Function A part 3

Functional

Sequential with complete, related functions

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GUIDELINES SUGGESTING TYPE

OF COHESION WITHIN A MODULE

If a sentence is compound sentence, if it contains comma or

it has more than one verb then the module is probably
performing more than one function so it probably has
sequential / communicational cohesion.

If a sentence contains word relating to time such as first ,

next, when and after then the module probably has
sequential or temporal cohesion.

If the predicate of sentence doesnt contain a single specific

object following the verb then the module probably has
logical cohesion.

Words like initialize and cleanup implies temporal cohesion.

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Techniques for making good

design decisions

Using priorities and objectives to decide among alternatives

Step 1: List and describe the alternatives for the design

decision.

Step 2: List the advantages and disadvantages of each

alternative with respect to your objectives and priorities.

Step 3: Determine whether any of the alternatives prevents you

from meeting one or more of the objectives.

Step 4: Choose the alternative that helps you to best meet your
objectives.

Step 5: Adjust priorities for subsequent decision making.

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THANKING
YOU
SoftwareEngineering

SoftwareDesign

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