Chapter 4

Software Design
Basic
OBJECTIVES

 Define software design and understand different

design levels
 Describe the concepts of modularization,
concurrency, coupling and cohesion.
 Understand different interface design and GUI
Tools
 Software design is a
process to transform user
Software requirements into some
suitable form, which
Design helps the programmer in
software coding and
implementation.
Software Design Levels
Software design is
done in three levels : Architectural Design is the highest abstract version
of the system.
1. Architectural Design
2. High-level Design
High Level Design breaks the ‘single entity-
3. Detailed Design multiple component’ concept of architectural
design into less-abstracted view of sub-systems and
modules and depicts their interaction with each
other.

Detailed Design defines logical structure of each

module and their interfaces to communicate with
other modules.
  Modularization is a technique
to divide a software system
into multiple discrete and
Modularization independent modules, which
are expected to be capable of
carrying out task(s)
independently.
 Advantages of Modularization
1. Smaller components are easier to maintain
2. Program can be divided based on functional aspects
3. Desired level of abstraction can be brought in the
program
Modularization 4. Components with high cohesion can be re-used again
5. Desired from security aspect
6. Concurrent execution can be made possible
  Concurrency is implemented
by splitting the software into
multiple independent units of
Coupling execution, like modules and
and executing them in parallel.
Cohesion  The quality of a “design of
modules” and their interaction
among them can be measured
using coupling and cohesion.
Coupling and Cohesion
- Coupling and cohesion are principles used to measure whether the
design was well divided into modules.
Coupling - is the strength of interdependence between software modules.
The more dependent is module A to module B internals, the stronger is
the coupling between A and B. Strong coupling implies the modules
involved are harder to understand because they must be understood
together, harder to change because these changes will impact more than
one module, and harder to correct because the problem may be spread
over the tightly coupled modules.

Cohesion - is an intra-module measure. Cohesion is the strength of

relation between tasks performed by a module. The different types of
cohesion are Functional cohesion, Sequential cohesion, Communicational
cohesion, Temporal cohesion, Procedural cohesion, Logical cohesion,
Coincidental cohesion.
A good system design will have strong (high) cohesion and weak (low)
coupling.
Coupling: Degree of dependence among components

No dependencies
Loosely coupled-some dependencies

High coupling makes

modifying parts of the
system difficult, e.g.,
modifying a component
affects all the components
Highly coupled-many dependencies to which the component is
connected.
Types of coupling
• Content coupling (high)Content coupling (also known as
Pathological coupling) occurs when one module modifies or
relies on the internal workings of another module (e.g., accessing
local data of another module).Therefore changing the way the
second module produces data (location, type, timing) will lead to
changing the dependent module.
– Component modifies another’s code, e.g., jumps (goto) into the middle of
a routine.
• Common coupling (also known as
Global coupling) occurs when two
modules share the same global data
(e.g., a global variable).Changing the
shared resource implies changing all
the modules using it.
• More than one component share
data such as global data structures.
External coupling occurs when two modules share an
externally imposed data format, communication protocol,
or device interface. This is basically related to the
communication to external tools and devices.
• Two components share something externally
imposed, e.g.,
– External file
– Device interface
– Protocol
– Data format
• Control coupling is one module controlling the flow of
another, by passing it information on what to do (e.g., passing a
what-to-do flag).
• Component passes control parameters to coupled
components.
• Stamp coupling (Data-structured coupling) occurs
when modules share a composite data structure and use only a part of it,
possibly a different part (e.g., passing a whole record to a function that only
needs one field of it).This may lead to changing the way a module reads a record
because a field that the module does not need has been modified.
• Component passes a data structure to another component that does not have
access to the entire structure.
• Requires second component to know how to manipulate the data structure
(e.g., needs to know about implementation).
• Data coupling occurs when modules share data through, for
example, parameters. Each data is an elementary piece, and these are
the only data shared (e.g., passing an integer to a function that
computes a square root).
• Component passes data (not data structures) to another
component.
• Example: Customer billing system – The print routine takes the
customer name, address, and billing information as arguments.
• Message coupling (low). This is the loosest type of coupling.
It can be achieved by state decentralization (as in objects) and
component communication is done via parameters or message
passing (see Message passing).

• No coupling - Modules do not

communicate at all with one another.
Type of Coupling

High Coupling
Content Avoid
Common

External
Control
Loose
Stamp

Message Try to achieve

Low Data
Uncoupled
8 8
Let’s Try:
1. Refer the
below given
diagram and
identify the
coupling
between Pairs
AX External Coupling
of Modules
into the given A Y Control Coupling
table: Y B Data Coupling
BZ Global Coupling
ZC Stamp or DS Coupling
Let’s Try:
Analyze the
given diagram
and identify the
types of
coupling
Modules A B
available
between the
X
modules:
Content Coup Message Coup
Y
Global Coup Control Coup
Types of Cohesion
Coincidental cohesion
• Coincidental cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped
arbitrarily; the only relationship between the parts is that they
have been grouped together (e.g. a “Utilities” class).
Logical cohesion
• Logical cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped because
they are logically categorized to do the same thing, even if they
are different by nature (e.g. grouping all mouse and keyboard
input handling routines).
Temporal cohesion
• Temporal cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped by
when they are processed - the parts are processed at a particular
time in program execution (e.g. a function which is called after
catching an exception which closes open files, creates an error
log, and notifies the user).
• Procedural cohesion
• Procedural cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped
because they always follow a certain sequence of execution (e.g. a
function which checks file permissions and then opens the file).
• Communicational/informational cohesion
• Communicational cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped
because they operate on the same data (e.g. a module which
operates on the same record of information).
• Sequential cohesion
• Sequential cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped
because the output from one part is the input to another part like
an assembly line (e.g. a function which reads data from a file and
processes the data).
• Functional cohesion
• Functional cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped because
they all contribute to a single well-defined task of the module (e.g.
Lexical analysis of an XML string).
Cohesion types:
 Coincidental cohesion
 Coincidental cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped arbitrarily; the only
relationship between the parts is that they have been grouped together (e.g. a
“Utilities” class).
Logical cohesion
 Logical cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped because
they are logically categorized to do the same thing, even if they
are different by nature (e.g. grouping all mouse and keyboard
input handling routines).
 Ex: Read from tape, disk, network
Temporal cohesion
 Temporal cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped by
when they are processed - the parts are processed at a particular
time in program execution (e.g. a function which is called after
catching an exception which closes open files, creates an error log,
and notifies the user).
• Ex-Modules that perform activities like
 “initialization”, “clean-up”, and “termination”
Procedural cohesion
 Procedural cohesion is when parts of a module are
grouped because they always follow a certain sequence
of execution (e.g. a function which checks file
permissions and then opens the file).
 Ex: Open Database, Read data, modify and then
close
Communicational/informational cohesion
 Communicational cohesion is when parts of a module are grouped because they
operate on the same data (e.g. a module which operates on the same record of
information).
 Ex: Read the record, modify it ,print the same
record
  Sequential cohesion is when parts of a module are
grouped because the output from one part is the input
to another part like an assembly line (e.g. a function
which reads data from a file and processes the data).

 Ex: Reads the data and process it

Sequential
cohesion
 • Functional cohesion is when parts of a module are
grouped because they all contribute to a single well-
defined task of the module (e.g. Lexical analysis of an
XML string).
• is the strongest cohesion.
Functional • all the elements of the module are
related to performing a single function.
Cohesion
• Ex: calculate average
Cohesion types
Range of Functional
Informational
High Cohesion

Cohesion Communicational

Procedural

Temporal

Logical

Coincidental
Low
 • Reduced module complexity (they are
simpler, having fewer operations).
Advantages • Increased system maintainability-
because logical changes in the domain
of Cohesion affect fewer modules, and changes in
one module require fewer changes in
other modules.
• Increased module reusability, because
application developers will find the
component they need more easily
among the cohesive set of operations
provided by the module.
  User interface is the front-end
Software application view to which user
interacts in order to use the
User software.
Interface  UI provides fundamental platform
Design for human-computer interaction.
 UI can be graphical, text-based,
audio-video based, depending upon
the underlying hardware and
software combination.
 UI can be hardware or software or a
combination of both.
Software User Interface Design
The software becomes more popular if its user interface
is:
Consistent on
Responsive in Clear to
Attractive Simple to use all interfacing
short time understand
screens

UI is broadly divided into two categories:

Command Line Interface Graphical User Interface

Software User Interface Design
USER INTERFACE CATEGORIES

1. Command Line Interface (CLI) - 1.

CLI PROVIDES A COMMAND PROMPT, THE PLACE WHERE THE USER
TYPES THE COMMAND AND FEEDS TO THE SYSTEM.

2. Graphical User
Interface - GUI PROVIDES A SET OF
COMPONENTS TO INTERACT WITH
SOFTWARE OR HARDWARE.
 CLI provides a command
GUI provides a set of
prompt, the place where
components to interact
the user types the
CLI VS GUI command and feeds to
with software or
hardware.
the system.

Command Line Command Prompt is a text-based

Interface (CLI) notified that is mostly shows the
context in which the user is working.

Cursor is horizontal line or a vertical

bar of height of line, to represent
position of character while typing.

Command is an executable
instruction.
 Graphical User Interface

 GUI provides a set

of components to
interact with
software or  Window an area where contents of application are
hardware. displayed.
 Tabs allows application appear on the screen as
separate window.
 Menu is an array of standard commands, group
together and placed at a visible place.
 Icon a small picture representing an associated
application.
 Cursor is a pointer in GUI system.
Application
Specific GUI
Components  Most application window uses the constructs supplied
by operating systems.
 The dialog box is a child window that contains message
for the user and request for some action to be taken.
 The textbox provides an area for user to type and enter
text-based data.
 The buttons are used to submit inputs to the software.
 The radio button displays available option for selection.
 The checkbox functions similar to list box.
 The list box provides list of available items for selection.
Application Specific GUI
Components
 The dialog box is a child window
that contains message for the user
and request for some action to be
taken.
 The textbox provides an area for
user to type and enter text-based
data.
 The buttons are used to submit
inputs to the software.
 The radio button displays available
option for selection.
 The checkbox functions similar to
list box.
 The list box provides list of
available items for selection.
Design Verification

User Interface
Design
Activities

 By structured verification approach,

reviewers can detect defects that might be
caused by overlooking some conditions.
  Mobile GUI, Computer GUI, Touch-Screen
GUI etc. Here is a list of few tools which
come handy to build GUI:
 FLUID GUI Implementation
User Interface  AppInventor (Android)
Tools
Design  LucidChart

Activities  Wavemaker
1. The process of GUI design and Implementation is
 Visual Studio alike SDLC.

2. Any model can be used for GUI implementation

among Waterfall, Iterative or Spiral Model.
GUI Design
GUI
User Task &
Requirement
Analysis Analysis implementat Testing
Gathering
ion
 User Interface Golden Rules
1. Strive for Consistency
2. Enable frequent users to use
short-cuts

3. Offer Informative feedback

4. Design Dialog to Yield
Closure
5. Offer simple error handling
6. Permit Easy Reversal of
Actions

7. Support Internal
Locus of Control 8. Reduce short-term
memory load
 Let’s Try:
1. You are assigned as the Software Engineer for “E-Services for
Water and Electricity Installation” in Muscat Municipality. The
modules are: (1) Registration Module that allows the applicant to
register data such as: name, mobile number, e-mail address,
username and password; (2) Log-in Module, and (3) Payment that
allows applicant to pay through a debit or credit card after selecting
the type of card either master or visa. The card details will be
validated by the Bank and will automatically send an OTP (One-
Time Password) to the applicant;

• Construct/draw the graphical user interface for the “Payment

Module” on the above scenario, Provide at least four (4) menu
items.
 ID
Full Name
Address
Phone
number
The END
Username
Password
  Four basic design principles are applicable to component-level
design and have been widely adopted when object-oriented
software engineering is applied. The underlying motivation for
the application of these principles is to create designs that are
more amenable to change and to reduce the propagation of
side effects when changes do occur. You can use these
principles as a guide as each software component is
developed.
 SOLID is an acronym that stands for five key design
Basic Principles principles:
 Single responsibility principle : “a class should have one, and
Design only one, reason to change.”
 Open-closed principle : “ A module (component) should be open
for extension but closed for modification” .
 Liskov substitution principle : “ Subclasses should be
substitutable for their base classes”
 Interface segregation principle : “Many client-specific interfaces
are better than one general purpose interface”
 Dependency inversion principle : “ Depend on abstractions. Do
not depend on concretions”
References…

http://www.tutorialspoint.com/
Recommended books :
 Sommerville, Ian, Software engineering. — 10th
ed,
 Pressman, Roger S, Software engineering: a
practitioner’s approach / Roger S. Pressman.8th
ed