Unit 7 Listen and Read:
Software design and implementation
The implementation stage of software development is the process of converting a system specification into an executable system. It always involves processes of software design and programming, but if an incremental approach to development is used, may also involve refinement of the software specification. A software design is a description of the structure of the software to be implemented, the data models and structures used by the system, the interfaces between system components and, sometimes, the algorithms used. Designers do not arrive at a finished design immediately but develop the design iteratively. They add formality and detail as they develop their design with constant backtracking to correct earlier designs. Most software interfaces with other software systems. These include the operating system, database, middleware, and other application systems. These make up the ‘software platform’, the environment in which the software will execute. Information about this platform is an essential input to the design process, as designers must decide how best to integrate it with the software’s environment.