Nature and Challanges of Software Engineering

A common misconception about software engineering is that it is primarily about rocessoriented activities (i.e., requirements, design, quality assurance, process improvement, and project management). In this view, competency in software engineering can be achieved by acquiring a strong engineering background, a familiarity with a software development process and a minimal computing background, including experience using one or more programming languages.

Such a background is, in fact, quite insufficient; the misconception that leads to such thinking is based on an incomplete view of the nature and challenges of software engineering.In the historical development of computing, computer scientists produced software and electrical engineers produced the hardware on which the software runs. As the size, complexity,and critical importance of software grew, so did the need to ensure that software performs as intended.

By the early 1970’s, it was apparent that proper software development practices required more than just the underlying principles of computer science; they need both the analytical and descriptive tools developed within computer science and the rigor that the engineering disciplines bring to the reliability and trustworthiness of the artifacts they engineer.


Software engineering thus is different in character from other engineering disciplines, due to both the intangible nature of software and to the discrete nature of software operation. It seeks to integrate the principles of mathematics and computer science with the engineering practices developed to produce tangible, physical artifacts. Drawing on computing and mathematics as foundations, software engineering seeks to develop systematic models and reliable techniques for producing high-quality software; and these concerns extend all the way from theory and principles to the development practices that are most visible to those outside of the discipline.

While it is not expected that every software engineer will have deep expertise in all of aspects of computing, a general understanding of their relevance and some expertise in particular aspects are a necessity.