© 2013, published by flat world knowledge chapter 10 understanding software: a primer for managers...

© 2013, published by Flat World Knowledge

Chapter 10

Understanding Software: A Primer for Managers

10-1


Introduction• Computing hardware: Physical components of

information technology which includes the computer and its peripherals– Storage devices– Input devices– Output devices

• Software: Computer program or collection of programs– Precise set of instructions that tells hardware what to

do

10-2


Software

• Operating system: Software that controls the computer hardware– Establishes standards for developing and executing

applications• Applications: Desktop applications, enterprise

software, utilities, and other programs that perform specific tasks for users and organizations

10-3


Figure 10.1 - The Hardware/Software Layer Cake

10-4


Operating Systems

• Provides a common set of controls for managing computer hardware– Makes it easier for users to interact with computers

and for programmers to write application software• User interface: Mechanism through which users

interact with a computing device

10-5


Firmware and Embedded Systems

• Software store on nonvolatile memory chips

Firmware

• Special-purpose software designed and included inside physical products

Embedded systems

10-6


Application Software

• Performs the work that users and firms are directly interested in accomplishing

• Platform: Products and services that allow for the development and integration of software products and other complementary goods

• Desktop software: Applications installed on a personal computer, typically supporting tasks performed by a single user

10-7


Enterprise Software

• Applications that address the needs of multiple users throughout an organization or work group– Software package: Software product offered

commercially by a third party– Enterprise resource planning (ERP): Software package

that integrates the many functions of a business• Sales and inventory• Manufacturing and purchasing• Human resources• Order tracking and decision support

10-8


Enterprise Software

• Systems used to support customer-related sales and marketing activities

Customer relationship management (CRM)

• Systems that can help a firm manage aspects of its value chain• Through delivery of finished products and services at the

point-of-consumption

Supply chain management

• Systems that use data created by other systems to provide reporting and analysis for organizational decision making

Business intelligence (BI) systems

10-9


Database Management System

• Software for creating, maintaining, and manipulating data– Referred to as database software

• Stores and retrieves the data used by the other enterprise applications

• Firms with common database systems and standards benefit from increased organizational insight and decision-making capabilities

10-10


Figure 10.5 - Database Management System

10-11


Distributed Computing

• Form of computing where systems in different locations communicate and collaborate to complete a task

• Server: Program that fulfills the requests of a client– Hardware context - Computer that has been

configured to support requests from other computers– Software context - Program that fulfills requests

• Client: Software program that makes requests of a server program

10-12


Distributed Computing

• Software that houses and serves business logic for use and reuse by multiple applications

•Used by more advanced distributed environments

Application server

• Small pieces of code that are accessed via the application server which permit interoperable machine-to-machine interaction over a network

Web services

• Programming hooks, or guidelines, published by firms that tell other programs how to get a service to perform a task such as send or receive data

Application programming interfaces (APIs)

• Set of Web services built around an organization’s processes and procedures

Service-oriented architecture (SOA)

10-13


Figure 10.6 - Multitiered Distributed System

10-14


Formats to Facilitate Sharing Data

• Set of standards for exchanging messages containing formatted data between computer applications

EDI (electronic data interchange)

• Tagging language that can be used to identify data fields made available for use by other applications• New generation of more-flexible technologies

Extensible markup language (XML)

10-15


Writing Software

• Provides the standards, syntax, statements, and instructions for writing computer software

Programming language

• Application that includes an editor, debugger, and compiler, among other tools• IDE will also compile a programmer’s code

• Compile: Program code written in a language that humans understand is converted into a form that can be understood and executed by a microprocessor

Integrated development environment (IDE)

10-16


Total Cost of Ownership

• All of the costs associated with a software system– Design– Development– Testing– Implementation– Documentation– Training– Maintenance

10-17


Why Do Technology Projects Fail?

• Unrealistic or unclear project goals• Poor project leadership and weak executive

commitment• Inaccurate estimates of needed resources and badly

defined system requirements• Allowing feature creep during development• Poor reporting of the project’s status• Poor communication among customers, developers,

and users

10-18


Why Do Technology Projects Fail?

• Use of immature technology• Unmanaged risks• Inability to handle the project’s complexity• Sloppy development and testing practices• Poor project management• Stakeholder politics• Commercial pressures

10-19

© 2013, published by flat world knowledge chapter 10 understanding software: a primer for managers...

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