Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Content: Software Design and Development Stage 6 HSC

Course

9.1

Development and Impact of Software Solutions

9.1.1 Social and ethical issues

Students undertaking the HSC course should be aware of the broader social and ethical issues
associated with the development and use of software.
This topic builds on the concepts covered in the Preliminary course and looks specifically at the
rights and responsibilities of developers from a number of perspectives. Both past and current
problems arising from the use of software are investigated to illustrate the effects on society of
these and similar problems.

Outcomes
A student:
H2.2 explains the relationship between emerging technologies and software development
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts.

33

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

The impact of software

inappropriate data structures, for example the year
2000 problem
computer malware such as viruses
reliance on software
social networking
cyber safety
huge amounts of information (which may be
unsupported, unverifiable, misleading or incorrect)
available through the internet

Rights and responsibilities of software developers

acknowledging the intellectual property of others
recognition by others of the developers
intellectual property
producing quality software solutions
appropriately responding to user-identified
problems
adhering to code of conduct
neither generating nor transmitting malware
addressing ergonomic issues in software design
ensuring software addresses inclusivity issues
ensuring individuals privacy is not compromised
Software piracy and copyright
concepts associated with piracy and copyright,
including:
intellectual property
plagiarism
copyright laws
licensing issues
licence conditions
shareware
public domain
open source
ownership versus licensing
collaboratively developed software
reverse engineering
decompilation
current and emerging technologies used to combat
software piracy (see Course Specifications
document)

34

recognise the effects of software solutions on

society
identify the impact of inappropriately
developed software on users
identify the effect of the inappropriate use of
software on society and individuals

apply a relevant code of conduct to their own

software development

interpret licence agreements and develop

personal practices that reflect current laws
identify the relationship between copyright
laws and software license agreements
acknowledge all sources in recognition of the
intellectual contribution of authors

identify a range of techniques designed to

combat software piracy

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Use of networks
by the developer when developing software
access to resources
ease of communication
productivity

evaluate the usefulness of networks in the

development environment

identify the impact of dominant developers of

software on software development

discuss the reasons for, and consequences of,

significant legal actions pertaining to the
development of software

by the user when using network based software

response times
interface design
privacy and security issues

The software market

maintaining market position
the effect of dominant developers of software
the impact of new developers of software and new
products
Legal implications
national and international legal action resulting
from software development (see Course
Specifications document)

35

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.1.2 Application of software development approaches

Students should be aware of the appropriateness of each of the different software development
approaches for a given situation. In this topic, students complete a case study of a software solution.
In so doing, students will engage in a real-world investigation of a significant software solution.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H2.2 explains the interrelationship between emerging technologies and software development
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.1 assesses the skills required in the software development cycle
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user.

36

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Software development approaches

approaches used in commercial systems, including:
Structured approach
Agile approach
Prototyping
RAD
End user approach
combinations of any of the above
use of Computer Aided Software Engineering
(CASE) tools and their application in large systems
development, including:
software version control
test data generation
production of documentation
production of code
methods of installation of new or updated systems
direct cut over
parallel
phased
pilot
employment trends in software development, for
example:
outsourcing
contract programmers
trends in software development
changing nature of the environment in which
developers work while creating software
solutions
changing nature of applications
(see Course Descriptions documents)

37

compare and determine the most appropriate

software development approach for a given
scenario

communicate understanding of a commercial

system studied using a case study approach by:
identifying the approaches used
discussing the appropriateness of the
approaches used
describing how the various personnel
contribute to the overall development
critically evaluating how social and ethical
issues were addressed
evaluating how effectively the new system
met the needs of the user

make informed comment on current trends in

software development

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.2

Software Development Cycle

The formal methods that comprise the structured approach to software development empower
students to undertake complex projects, knowing that the developed system will be robust and
easily maintained.
The stages described in this topic should not be studied in isolation or in a sequential fashion.
Students should be exposed to the content in a cyclic fashion and should recognise each stage
during the development of their project(s). It is important that students are able to apply each of the
stages in their project(s).
Areas for investigation in their project(s) could include writing scripts or code for modelling and
simulation, games, scripted hypermedia products and applications.
9.2.1 Defining and understanding the problem
In order for students to be able to develop software to meet an identified need, they first need to be
able to understand the specifications of a problem so that they can eventually translate these
specifications into code.
As well as having good technical skills, it is necessary for students to have good communication
skills so that the users requirements can be fully understood and implemented throughout the
development process. The modelling tools used should conform to those specified in the Software
and Course Specifications document and should provide documentation that can be interpreted by
developers and maintainers. Students should develop and refine skills as an integrated part of
developing their software solutions. It is important at this initial stage of the process that all relevant
social and ethical issues are considered as an integral part of the design and development of the
solution.
Outcomes
A student:
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.1 identifies needs to which software solutions are appropriate
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.1 assesses the skills required in the software development cycle
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people.

38

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Defining the problem

identifying the problem
needs of the client
- functionality requirements
- compatibility issues
- performance issues
boundaries of the problem
Issues relevant to a proposed solution
determining if an existing solution can be used
social and ethical considerations
consideration of existing software products
customisation of existing software
solutions
cost effectiveness
licensing considerations

selecting an appropriate development approach

if there is no appropriate existing solution

Design specifications
specifications of the proposed system
developers perspective in consideration of:
data types
data structures
algorithms
users perspective
interface design
social and ethical issues
relevance to the users environment and
computer configuration
System documentation
representing a system using systems modeling
tools, including:
IPO diagrams
context diagrams
data flow diagrams (DFDs)
storyboards
structure charts
system flowcharts
data dictionaries
algorithms used to document the logic in
modules and subroutines
test data and expected output
Communication issues between client and
developer
the need to consult with the client
the need to incorporate the clients
perspective
the need for the developer to enable and
consider feedback
the need to involve and empower the client
during the development process

39

evaluate the extent to which a proposed system

will meet user needs
evaluate the effectiveness of using existing
software

identify the parts of the proposed system that

require software to be designed and developed
identify a relevant approach for a given problem

develop and interpret design specifications from a

users perspective
recognise the difference between the users and
developers perspectives and the communication
issues that may arise
differentiate between forms of systems
documentation and the purposes for which each is
used
describe a system by interpreting its diagrammatic
representation
create a diagrammatic representation for a system
using appropriate modeling tools

effectively communicate with users regarding a

proposed software solution

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Quality assurance
the need to explicitly define the criteria on
which the quality of the product will be judged
putting in place management processes to
ensure that quality criteria will be met
an ongoing process throughout development to
ensure the quality criteria will be met

40

identify a range of criteria on which the quality of

the product will be judged
identify relevant processes for a given criterion
that will result in a quality product

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.2.2 Planning and designing software solutions

To solve complex problems, students need to develop a strategy. They need to be able to identify
inputs and outputs, to select, describe and use relevant data structures, to explain the procedures
required for the solution and explain how each of these will interact. Well-structured algorithms
should be developed. Desk checking of algorithms and documentation of the proposed solution are
also important.
The development of structured algorithms to document the logical solution of problems is a
fundamental principle of this course. These must be developed independently of any coding
language. Students should appreciate that the real skill is in the development of the algorithm, not
the implementation of the logic in a particular language. Not every algorithm developed in this
section of the course need be implemented.
Problems must be chosen with an appropriate level of difficulty that reflects the ability level of
students. The level of difficulty should be greater than in the Preliminary course. Relevant problems
could include the development of games such as hangman, quizzes, mastermind, draughts and
search-a-word. These problems should include use of data structures such as arrays of records and
multidimensional arrays. Students should experience the storing, retrieving and updating of data in
files.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.1 explains the interrelationship between hardware and software
H1.3 describes how the major components of a computer system store and manipulate data
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.1 identifies needs to which software solutions are appropriate
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people.

41

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Standard algorithms
standard logic used in software solutions, namely:
finding maximum and minimum values in
arrays
processing strings (extracting, inserting,
deleting)
generating a set of unique random numbers
processing of sequential files, including:
- sentinel value
- priming read
- open for input, output or append
- close
- appending records
processing of relative files, including:
- open for relative access
- defining a key field for a relative file
- retrieving, writing and updating a record in
a relative file
linear search
binary search
bubble sort
insertion sort
selection sort
(see Course Specifications document)

recognise the logic in a standard approach,

such as a sort or search
apply standard approaches as part of the
solution to complex problems
read, interpret and modify algorithms
developed by others
document the logic required to solve
problems, including:
nesting of control structures
record structure
the use of files (sequential and relative)
random number generators
arrays of records
multidimensional arrays
develop a suitable set of test data
desk check algorithms and source code that
include complex logic
select an appropriate data structure to solve a
given problem

Custom-designed logic used in software solutions

requirements to generate these include:
identification of inputs, processes and outputs
representation as an algorithm
testing of the logic in the algorithm
identification and definition of required data
structures
use of data structures, including
multidimensional arrays, arrays of records, files
(sequential and relative)
(see Course Specifications document)
customised off-the-shelf packages
identifying an appropriate package
identifying the changes that need to be made
identifying how the changes are to be made
Standard modules (library routines) used in
software solutions
reasons for the development and use of standard
modules
requirements for generating a module or subroutine
for re-use, including:
identification of appropriate modules or
subroutine
appropriate testing using drivers
thorough documentation of the routine:
- author
- date
- purpose

42

develop and appropriately document a

module for use by others
correctly incorporate a standard module into
a more complex solution, passing parameters
effectively

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

- order and nature of parameters to be passed

issues associated with reusable modules or
subroutines, including:
identifying appropriate modules or subroutines
considering local and global variables
appropriately using parameters (arguments)

Documentation of the overall software solution

tools for representing a complex software solution,
including:
algorithms
refined system modeling tools, including:
- IPO diagrams
- context diagrams
- data flow diagrams (DFDs)
- storyboards
- structure charts
- system flowcharts
- data dictionaries
Interface design in software solutions
the design of individual screens in consultation
with the client, including:
consideration of the intended audience
identification of screen size
identification of data fields and screen elements
required and their appropriate on-screen
placement
online help
consistency in approach
recognition of relevant social and ethical issues
current common practice in interface design
(see Course Specifications document)
Factors to be considered when selecting the
programming language to be used
sequential or event-driven software
driven by the programmer or user
features required, and features available in the
language
commands within the language to interface with the
required hardware
ability to run under different operating systems
Factors to be considered when selecting the
technology to be used
performance requirements
benchmarking

represent a software solution in

diagrammatic form

interpret and modify existing system

modeling diagrams

select and use appropriate software to assist

in the documentation of a software solution

recognise the relevance of CASE tools in the

planning and design of a software solution

design and evaluate effective interfaces for

software solutions
use a RAD environment to produce user
interfaces

recognise that the choice of programming

language to be used depends on the problem
to be solved

interpret a benchmark report to select the

most suitable technology for a specified task
produce a benchmark report for a simple
iterative process running under two different
environments or conditions

43

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.2.3 Implementation of software solution

In the implementation phase of the software development cycle, previously developed algorithms
are converted to a form that can be processed by a computer. Students will need to learn the syntax
of the language, macro or script being used to successfully implement their solutions. Knowledge of
a metalanguage such as EBNF or railroad diagram(s) is essential in understanding both the syntax
of a language and how a translator can detect syntax errors in source code. The need for a
translation process should be recognized. In the case of code, students should be aware of the
relevance of the different translation methods available. Students will need to recognise the
approach being used (that is, sequential or event-driven) and will need to make appropriate
decisions about the design of interfaces and the documentation produced. Relevant social and
ethical issues should be considered during this implementation process.
Outcomes
A student:
H1.1 explains the interrelationship between hardware and software
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H1.3 describes how the major components of a computer system store and manipulate data
H2.1 explains the implications of the development of different languages
H2.2 explains the interrelationship between emerging technologies and software development
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people.

44

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Implementation of the design using an appropriate

language
the different programming languages and the
appropriateness of their use in solving different
types of problems
construction of syntactically correct code that
implements the logic described in the algorithm

Language syntax required for software solutions

use of EBNF and railroad diagrams to describe the
syntax of statements in the selected language

The need for translational to machine code from

source code
translation methods in software solutions including:
compilation
interpretation

advantages and disadvantages of each method

steps in the translation process

lexical analysis including token generation
syntactical analysis including parsing
code generation

interpret metalanguage definitions for

commands in a selected language
produce syntactically correct statements using
the metalanguage definitions
produce a generic metalanguage definition for
a set of syntactically correct statements that
use the same command
implement a solution from a complex
algorithm using syntactically correct
statements

explain the use of tokens and the role of the

parsing process during the translation of
source code to machine code

recognise that machine code is the only code

able to be executed by a computer
identify the most appropriate translation
method for a given situation
use the features of both a compiler and an
interpreter in the implementation of a
software solution

45

identify an appropriate language to solve a

particular problem
recognise the appropriateness of either a
sequential or event-driven approach to solve a
particular problem
develop syntactically correct code to solve a
problem in a given language

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

The role of machine code in the execution of a

program
machine code and CPU operation
instruction format
use of registers and accumulators
the fetchexecute cycle
use of a program counter and instruction register
execution of called routines
linking, including use of DLLs
Techniques used in developing well-written code
the use of good programming practice, including:
a clear and uncluttered mainline
one logical task per subroutine
use of stubs
appropriate use of control structures and data
structures
writing for subsequent maintenance
version control
regular backup
recognition of relevant social and ethical issues
the process of detecting and correcting errors,
including:
types of error
- syntax errors
- logic errors
- runtime errors, including:
- arithmetic overflow
- division by zero
- accessing inappropriate memory
locations
methods of error detection and correction
- use of flags
- methodical approach to the isolation of
logic errors
- use of debugging output statements
- peer checking
- desk checking
- structured walkthrough
- comparison of actual with expected output
the use of software debugging tools, including:
use of breakpoints
resetting variable contents
program traces
single line stepping
Documentation of a software solution
forms of documentation, including:
log book
user documentation, including:
- user manual
- reference manual
- installation guide
- tutorial
- online help

46

recognise, interpret and write machine code

instructions for a problem fragment

employ good programming practice when

developing code

justify the use of a clear modular structure

with separate routines to ease the design and
debugging process

differentiate between types of errors

recognise the cause of a specific error and
determine how to correct it

effectively use a variety of appropriate error

correction techniques to locate the cause of a
logic error and then correct it

produce user documentation (incorporating

screen dumps) that includes:
a user manual
a tutorial
online help

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

technical documentation, including:

- systems documentation
- algorithms
- source code
use of application software including CASE tools to
assist in the documentation process

differentiate between types of user

documentation

identify the personnel who would be likely to

use the different types of documentation

recognition of relevant social and ethical issues

produce technical documentation for an

implemented software solution

Hardware environment to enable implementation of

the software solution
hardware requirements
minimum configuration
possible additional hardware
appropriate device drivers or extensions

recognise the need for additional hardware

identify potential compatibility issues for a
newly developed software solution

recognise the implications of emerging

technologies for the developer in terms of the
code written to make use of these
technologies
recognise the implications of emerging
technologies for the code development
process

Emerging technologies
the effect of emerging hardware and software
technologies on the development process (see
Course Specifications document)

47

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.2.4 Testing and evaluating of software solutions

Students should verify their solutions using test data both at program and system level. Live testing
of programs should take place so that potential problems can be identified and addressed. Students
should also check that original requirements are met and that there are no logic errors. All user
interfaces should also be evaluated at this stage.
These steps are critical in ensuring that the developed product meets the users needs in terms of
relevance, reliability and quality.

Outcomes
A student:
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.1 assesses the skills required in the software development cycle
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people.

48

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Testing the software solution

comparison of the solution with the design
specifications
generating relevant test data for complex solutions
comparison of actual with expected output
levels of testing
module
- test that each module and subroutine
functions correctly
- use of drivers
program
- test that the overall program (including
incorporated modules and subroutines)
functions correctly
system
- test that the overall system (including all
programs in the suite) functions correctly,
including the interfaces between programs
- acceptance testing
the use of live test data to ensure that the testing
environment accurately reflects the expected
environment in which the new system will operate
large file sizes
mix of transaction types
response times
volume of data (load testing)
effect of the new system on the existing
systems in the environment into which it will
be installed
Reporting on the testing process
documentation of the test data and output
produced (see Course Specifications document)
use of CASE tools
communication with those for whom the solution
has been developed, including:
test results
comparison with the original design
specifications
Evaluating the software solution
verifying the requirements have been met
appropriately
quality assurance

49

differentiate between systems and program test

data

test their solution with the test data created at

the design stage, comparing actual with
expected output
use drivers and/or stubs to test specific modules
and subroutines before the rest of the code is
developed
recognise the importance of module testing
before the module or subroutine is incorporated
into the larger solution
recognise that while an individual program or
module may have been successfully tested,
when it is incorporated into a larger system,
problems may become apparent

demonstrate the features of a new system to the

client

assess the new software solution to ensure that

it meets the specified quality assurance criteria

assess the performance of the new software

solution against the criteria specified by the
benchmark

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Post implementation review

facilitation of open discussion and evaluation with
the client
client sign off process

50

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.2.5 Maintaining software solutions

Modifications to source code are often required. Often these are not made by the original
developers. Under these circumstances, original documentation is of importance, as is the
readability of the source code. As a minimum, all modified or new code should adhere to the
standards of the original code.
Students should be given opportunities to modify and document their own code and experience
modifying and documenting the code of others. Documentation is an integral part of this process.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.1 assesses the skills required in the software development cycle
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Modifying code to meet changed requirements

identifying reasons for change in source code
locating of sections to be altered
determining changes to be made
implementing and testing solution

Documenting changes
including relevant comments in the source code to
highlight the modification
updating associated hard copy documentation and
online help
using CASE tools to monitor changes and versions
(see Course Specifications document)

51

read and interpret source code created by other

developers
design, implement and test modifications
recognise the cyclical approach to maintenance
document modifications with dates and
reasons for change

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.3

Developing a Solution Package

Project work in the HSC course is intended to reinforce the content covered in the other topics in
the course. Students need to experience working collaboratively with their peers and others, as this
is common in the computing field beyond school. In order to be able to develop software
successfully, students need to be able communicate well with others. Project work gives students
these opportunities.
The development of project(s) will build students understanding of the content dealt with
elsewhere in the course and should be integrated throughout the duration of this course.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.1 explains the interrelationship between hardware and software
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H1.3 describes how the major components of a computer system store and manipulate data
H3.1 identifies and evaluates legal, social and ethical issues in a number of contexts
H3.2 constructs software solutions that address legal, social and ethical issues
H4.1 identifies needs to which software solutions are appropriate
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H4.3 applies a modular approach to implement well structured software solutions and evaluates
their effectiveness
H5.1 applies project management techniques to maximise the productivity of the software
development
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions
H6.1 assesses the skills required in the software development cycle
H6.2 communicates the processes involved in a software solution to an inexperienced user
H6.3 uses and describes a collaborative approach during the software development cycle
H6.4 develops and evaluates effective user interfaces, in consultation with appropriate people

52

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Designing and developing a software solution to a

complex problem
defining and understanding the problem
identification of the problem
generation of ideas
communication with others involved in the
proposed system
draft interface design
representing the system using diagrams
selection of appropriate data structures
applying project management techniques
consideration of all social and ethical issues
planning and designing
algorithm design
refined systems modeling, such as:
- IPO diagrams
- context diagrams
- data flow diagrams (DFDs)
- storyboards
- structure charts
- system flowcharts
- data dictionaries
additional resources
- Gantt charts
- logbooks
- algorithms
- prototypes
selecting software environment
identifying appropriate hardware
selecting appropriate data structures
defining files
- purpose
- contents
- organisation
defining records
defining required validation processes
identifying relevant standard or common
modules or subroutines
using software to document design
identifying appropriate test data
enabling and incorporating feedback from
users at regular intervals
considering all social and ethical issues
communicating with others involved in the
proposed system
applying project management techniques
implementing
converting the solution into code
systematic removal of errors
refining the data dictionary
including standard or common modules or
subroutines
using software to refine documentation
creating online help

define the problem and investigate alternative

approaches to a software solution
evaluate the ideas for practical implementation

select an appropriate solution

produce an initial Gantt chart

use a logbook to document the progress of their

project (see Course Specifications document)
document the software solution

53

generate a fully documented design for their

project after communication with other
potential users

use and modify a Gantt chart as appropriate

implement a fully tested and documented

software solution in a methodical manner

use project management techniques to ensure

that the software solution is implemented in an
appropriate time frame

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

reporting on the status of the system at regular

intervals
applying project management techniques
testing and evaluating
completing thorough program and system
testing
completing all user documentation for the
project
maintaining
modifying the project to ensure:
- an improved, more elegant solution
- all needs have been met
- the software solution operates under
changed environments or requirements
updating the software specifications and
documentation to reflect the changes

Whole project issues

project management techniques
social and ethical issues
feedback from users at regular intervals

ensure that relevant ethical and social issues are

addressed appropriately

evaluate the project in relation to the original

understanding of the problem
review and evaluate the quality of the solution
making the necessary changes

54

manage the project effectively

communicate effectively with potential users

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.4

Options

The option topics in this course extend students software development experiences in one of two
dimensions.
Option 1 Programming Paradigms broadens students understanding of different types of
programming languages by looking at two different types and the reasons for their development.
Option 2 The Interrelationship Between Software and Hardware extends students understanding of
software development by investigating the more detailed relationships between hardware and
software and how the hardware is used by the software to allow specified instructions to be
performed.

9.4.1 Option 1 Programming Paradigms

This topic offers students the opportunity to look at different types of programming languages.
Each of these was developed in an attempt to improve programmer productivity. By focusing on
each of the different paradigms, students should gain an insight into how effective each approach
has been, together with an understanding of the specific areas where the use of a particular
paradigm could be particularly appropriate. This understanding will broaden the students
experience of different paradigms and will also offer them a wider choice from which to select an
appropriate language to solve a specific problem.
Students are expected to implement solutions to a number of small relevant problems using an
appropriate language. A range of problems should be selected. Some problems will require the use
of the logic paradigm, while other problems will require the use of the object oriented paradigm.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.2 differentiates between various methods used to construct software solutions
H2.1 explains the implications of the development of different languages
H2.2 explains the interrelationship between emerging technologies and software development
H4.1 identifies needs to which software solutions are appropriate
H4.2 applies appropriate development methods to solve software problems
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions.

55

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Development of the different paradigms

limitations of the imperative paradigm
difficulty with solving certain types of problems
the need to specify code for every individual
process
difficulty of coding for variability
emerging technologies
simplifying the development and testing of some
larger software projects
strengths of different paradigms

Logic paradigm
concepts
variables
rules
facts
heuristics
goals
inference engine
backward/forward chaining
language syntax
variables
rules
facts
appropriate use, such as:
pattern matching
AI
expert systems

Object oriented paradigm

concepts
classes
objects
attributes
methods/operations
variables and control structures
abstraction
instantiation
inheritance
polymorphism
encapsulation
language syntax
classes
objects
attributes
methods/operations
variables and control structures
appropriate use, such as
computer games
web-based database applications

56

identify the needs that led to the development

of different paradigms
recognise the issues associated with using an
imperative approach to solve some problems
such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and
computer gaming

recognise representative fragments of code

written using the logic paradigm (see Course
Specifications document)
recognise the use of the logic paradigm
concepts in code
interpret a fragment of code written using the
logic paradigm, and identify and correct logic
errors
modify fragments of code written using the
logic paradigm to incorporate changed
requirements
code and test appropriate solutions in a
language using the logic paradigm
assess the appropriateness of a software
solution written using the logic paradigm
against a solution written using an imperative
approach
recognise representative fragments of code
written using the object oriented paradigm
(see Course Specifications document)
recognise the use of the object oriented
concepts in code
interpret a fragment of code written using the
object oriented paradigm, and identify and
correct logic errors
modify fragments of code written using the
object oriented paradigm to incorporate
changed requirements
code and test appropriate solutions in a
language using the object oriented paradigm
assess the appropriateness of a software
solution written using the object oriented
paradigm against a solution written using the
imperative approach

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Issues with the selection of an appropriate paradigm

nature of the problem
available resources
efficiency of solution once coded

programmer productivity
learning curve (training required)
use of reusable modules
speed of code generation
approach to testing

57

describe the strengths of the imperative, logic

and object oriented paradigms
identify an appropriate paradigm relevant for
a given situation
evaluate the effectiveness of using a particular
paradigm to solve a simple problem

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

9.4.2 Option 2 The interrelationship between software and hardware

This topic looks in much more depth at how software uses hardware to achieve the desired
outcomes. In Section 9.2.3 Implementation of Software Solutions students are introduced to how
instructions are processed by the CPU.
In this topic students are shown how data is stored in binary format. Students investigate further
how the basic arithmetic processes and storage of data are performed by electronic circuitry.
Students should recognise that the design of such circuitry follows the same cyclic process as the
design of software once the problem has been identified, an appropriate solution is designed and
tested. A completed circuit can be modified to meet changing requirements and all solutions should
be documented and subsequently evaluated.
This topic also introduces students to data streams and their use in communication between the
CPU and a range of hardware devices.

Outcomes
A student:
H1.1 explains the interrelationship between hardware and software
H1.3 describes how the major components of a computer system store and manipulate data
H2.2 explains the interrelationship between emerging technologies and software development
H4.1 identifies needs to which software solutions are appropriate
H5.2 creates and justifies the need for the various types of documentation required for a software
solution
H5.3 selects and applies appropriate software to facilitate the design and development of software
solutions.
Students learn about:

Students learn to:

Representation of data within the computer

character representation, namely:
ASCII
Unicode
(see Course Specifications document)

representation of data using different number

systems
binary
hexadecimal
decimal

convert a binary or hexadecimal representation to

its equivalent character from the ASCII or
Unicode table

represent a string of binary digits as its

hexadecimal equivalent and vice versa
convert integers between binary, decimal and
hexadecimal representations

58

effectively use an ASCII table to convert a

character to its equivalent ASCII value and vice
versa
recognise the relationship between upper and
lower case letters and digits, and their ASCII
representation
use the Unicode table which represents a larger
character set than is available with ASCII

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

integer representation, including:

sign and modulus
1s complement
2s complement

floating point/real representation

very large positive and negative values
very small positive and negative values
integer and non-integer values
limitations

Students learn to:

binary arithmetic, including:

addition
subtraction using 2s complement
representation
multiplication (shift and add)
division (shift and subtract)

Electronic circuits to perform standard software

operations
logic gates, including:
AND, OR, NOT, NAND,
NOR, XOR
truth tables
Boolean algebra
describing a circuit
simplifying an existing circuit
circuit design steps
identify inputs and outputs
identify required components
check solution with a truth table
evaluate the circuit design
specialty circuits, including:
half adder
full adder
flip-flops

perform arithmetic operations in binary

generate truth tables for a given circuit

describe the function of a circuit from its truth
table
design a circuit to solve a given problem
convert between the Boolean representation of a
circuit and its circuit diagram
build and test both user-designed and specialty
circuits using integrated circuits or simulation
software
use a cyclical approach when designing circuits
modify an existing circuit design to reflect
changed requirements
describe the function of specialty circuits
analyse a specialty circuit in order to determine
its output
explain how a flip-flop can be used in the storage
and shifting of a bit in memory

Programming of hardware devices

the data stream
format of the data stream
- header information
- data block
- trailer information
use of control characters
use of hardware specifications to describe the
expected format of the data stream

59

convert between decimal fractions and the

equivalent IEEE754 single precision floating
point representation
recognise implications of the limitations of
particular data representations

interpret a data stream for a device for which

specifications are provided
modify a stream of data to meet changed
requirements, given the hardware specifications
generate a data stream to specify particular
operations for a hardware device, for which
specifications are provided such as a printer, to
specify line feed, form feed, font and style
change, and line spacing

Software Design and Development Stage 6 Syllabus

Students learn about:

Students learn to:

processing an input data stream from sensors and

other devices
the structure of the data stream
- the need to recognise and strip control
characters
- the need to identify the data characters
interpreting the data stream
(see Course Specifications document)
generating output to an appropriate device
determining the purpose of the output
the structure of the data stream
- required header information
- the need for control characters
- specification of data characters
- required trailer information
(see Course Specifications document)
issues with interpreting data streams

develop an algorithm to identify and extract data

and/or control characters in order to interpret a
data stream sent from the hardware

develop an algorithm to generate a data stream to

provide relevant instructions to the hardware

recognise that a string of binary digits can have

many different meanings
interpret a string of binary digits, given a number
of different possible specifications

60