Methodology


	Providing elegant solutions to your Software Requirement.

Methodology

Bent Tree Systems uses software engineering principles to ensure that the product produced for our customers is the highest quality possible, and that it is exactly what was requested.

Software Engineering is the applying of Systems Engineering Principles to software design and writing. In fact the process used is not very special, it is merely the process which any good programmer would use. The only difference being that the process is formalised so that the customer and the developer both know what the other expects, and the formalised process is then used in order to ensure best results every time.


	*The development process is made-up of the following steps:*

First Step: Analysis

The requirement is carefully analysed in consultation with the customer.

Determining exactly what the customer wants is THE most important part of the process.

A Software Requirement Specification is written.

Approval by the customer must be obtained before continuing.

Analysis may also require modeling the system and the writing and testing of prototype code to verify any ‘tricky’ parts.




		All of these steps are tailored to an appropriate size for the task in hand.

Second Step: Design

The software is carefully designed with respect to Architecture, Modularity, Usability, Security and Maintainability. (see also Architecture)

A project plan is prepared showing system milestones and re-estimating individual task durations.

A short design document is prepared describing the final system and how it will be built.

A test plan is also written for use in accordance with the Software Requirements Specification for use during the fourth step - System Testing

Third Step: Coding

The program modules are written in accordance with the specifications, and the code is debugged.

The coding (programming) is performed by making as much use as possible of automated coding tools such as add-ins and wizards. In order to save time and increase accuracy.

This step usually includes installing the customer’s existing data into the data tables of the new software.

Any “bugs” detected in the program are eliminated before the project proceeds to the testing phase.

Fourth Step: Testing

The software is tested using the test plan developed in the Design Phase before deploying to the customer’s computers, and using the dataset supplied by the user.

If there is a lot of data to migrate to the new system, a separate data migration task and a data verification task is added to the process. This allows the live data to be duplicated at any time and used with the ”live software”.

The project cannot continue to the deployment phase if it is not agreed that it has o have satisfactorily passed the testing phase.

Fifth Step: Deployment

Often overlooked in poor system planning, this step can make or break an application.

Deployment consists of installing the tested system onto the customers’ computers and installing the up-to-date dataset.

The new system is then run in parallel with the old system to allow the users to gain experience and discover any lingering difficulties.

The final stage of deployment - stand alone is only started after consultation with the customer and agreement is achieved that the system and the users are ready.


	The Software Engineering Method used by Bent Tree Systems and described here, is tailored to the needs of producing small to medium sized databases and other applications. Should the customer require a larger system, a more detailed systems engineering. method will be required.

Phone:
0411 761 648

email:
enquiries@benttree.com.au

Previous applications

Click here for a list of applications that we have previously written for other clients.

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Architecture

A short discussion about the different architectures of database systems showing

Stand alone
Shared tables
Client-server
Distributed
Web-enabled.