Why Software Must Evolve

Why operational software has to keep changing to stay useful, the business cost of evolution, and brownfield development.

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QUESTION OF

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Views #: 195

Questions #: 11

Time: 10 minutes

Pass Score: 80.0%

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Step

List

Mode

Exam

Practice

Lifetime of Large Software Systems

1 pts

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True or False: Large infrastructure and military software systems, such as air traffic control systems, may remain in operational use for 30 years or more.

True

False

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Why Operational Software Must Change

1 pts

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Which of the following are valid reasons why an operational software system has to change over its lifetime to remain useful? Select all that apply.

The software must adapt to changes in its hardware and software platform

Errors found during operation need to be corrected

Non-functional characteristics such as performance may need improvement

Competitors introduce new features that create pressure to keep pace

Business changes generate new requirements for the software

The original programming language used becomes fashionable again

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Proportion of Software Costs Spent on Evolution

1 pts

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According to historical industry data, approximately what proportion of total software costs are evolution costs rather than initial development costs?

Exactly 50%

Between 60% and 90%

Between 10% and 30%

Less than 5%

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Development Staff Involved in Evolution

1 pts

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A workforce study found that a high proportion of development staff in the United States were involved in software evolution activities rather than new development, and predicted this percentage was unlikely to fall. Approximately what percentage was found?

About 95%

About 50%

About 25%

About 75%

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System of Systems and Evolution Cost

1 pts

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Why is software evolution particularly expensive when an individual software system is part of a broader system of systems?

Because systems of systems cannot be tested using normal release testing methods

Because systems of systems always use more expensive programming languages

Because changing one system may require other systems in its environment to also evolve to cope with that change

Because a system of systems requires twice as many developers as a standalone system

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Brownfield Software Development

1 pts

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What does the term 'brownfield software development' describe?

A development approach that only uses open-source components

Building software systems entirely from scratch with no existing dependencies

Developing software exclusively for environmentally sustainable hardware

Developing and managing software systems in an environment where they depend on other software systems

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Drivers of New Software Releases

1 pts

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Fill in the blanks to complete the statement about why new software releases are created: 'The (1) of installed software systems change as the business and its environment change, so new (2) of the systems that incorporate changes and updates are usually created at regular intervals.'

Please drag and drop the selected option in the right place or type it instead

releases

requirements

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Software Engineering as a Spiral Process

1 pts

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Why is software engineering described as a spiral process rather than a one-time linear process?

Because the spiral model eliminates the need for testing after the first release

Because software development teams are organized in a circular reporting structure

Because requirements, design, implementation, and testing continue throughout the lifetime of the system across successive releases

Because spiral diagrams are easier to draw in presentation slides than linear diagrams

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Reduced Time Between Releases

1 pts

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True or False: Because of competitive pressure and the need to respond quickly to user feedback, the gap between releases of some modern apps and web-based systems may now be measured in weeks rather than years.

True

False

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Software Products vs. Custom Software Evolution Models

1 pts

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To complete the line match

Click on an item in the first group
Click on an item in the second group
To delete a match, double click on a line

Situation

Same company is responsible for the software throughout its lifetime, with seamless transition from development to evolution

A customer pays a software company to build a system, then takes over support and evolution using its own staff or another contractor

Model

Custom software maintenance model

Software product evolution model

Match each evolution model to the situation it best describes.

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Discontinuities in Custom Software Evolution

1 pts

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Why are discontinuities more likely to occur in the evolution process of custom software compared to software products?

Custom software is always written in more obscure programming languages

Custom software is never tested before delivery, leading to immediate post-delivery rewrites

Requirements and design documents may not be passed from the developing company to the company responsible for support, and companies may merge, reorganize, or inherit software unexpectedly

Custom software cannot be modified once it has been delivered to the customer

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Undergraduate Professional

Lifetime of Large Software Systems

Correct Answer

Explanation

Why Operational Software Must Change

Correct Answer

Explanation

Proportion of Software Costs Spent on Evolution

Correct Answer

Explanation

Development Staff Involved in Evolution

Correct Answer

Explanation

System of Systems and Evolution Cost

Correct Answer

Explanation

Brownfield Software Development

Correct Answer

Explanation

Drivers of New Software Releases

Correct Answer

Explanation

Software Engineering as a Spiral Process

Correct Answer

Explanation

Reduced Time Between Releases

Correct Answer

Explanation

Software Products vs. Custom Software Evolution Models

Situation

Model

Correct Answer

Explanation

Discontinuities in Custom Software Evolution

Correct Answer

Explanation

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