Software Engineering

6.3  Architecture-driven software development .......................................................... 108
This chapter investigates the challenges associated with the development of a soft-
ware product. This investigation concentrates on identifying the inherent features 
of software that obstruct the design of software products and the informal practices 
applied to influence a software design. The characteristics of software as a “raw 
material” are discussed, which contributes to the challenges of fashioning a soft-
ware product. This exploration investigates the history of programming as it has 
evolved since Charles Babbage designed the first programmable computer, called 
the Analytical Engine, in 1837. The history of software development is examined to 
expose the challenges that threaten every software development project. The value 
of software engineering is substantiated to demonstrate how it provides a progres-
sive, disciplined, and beneficial approach to software development.
In 1995, the Standish Group published the first CHAOS report from 1994, 
which assessed the success rates associated with software development through-
out the industry. This report depicted the state of software development as being 
woefully deficient. The Standish Group’s research showed that a staggering 31% of 
commissioned software projects fail or are cancelled before they are completed, and 
53% of projects experienced cost overruns of 189% of their original estimates. U.S. 
companies and government agencies spent $81 billion for cancelled software pro-
jects and an additional $59 billion to complete projects that exceeded their budgets. 
Software development had become a liability to the United States and worldwide 
economic growth at that time.
The CHAOS study has been conducted every two years since 1994. The 2008 
report published in 2009 indicated an increase in software development success 
rates to 32% while only 44% of projects were challenged (late, over budget, and/or 
with less than the required features and functions). Still, the failure rate (cancelled 

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