Software Engineering

Table 5.1 
Comparison of Hardware and Software Development Phases
Hardware 
Development Phases
Traditional Software 
Development Phases
Software Engineering 
Development Phases
HWCI preliminary 
design
—evaluates the 
system requirements 
allocated to hardware 
configuration items 
and prepares a 
specification of 
requirements.
CSCI preliminary 
design
—evaluates the 
system requirements 
allocated to software 
configuration items 
and prepares the 
software component 
specifications 
(allocation of software 
requirements).
Software architecture 
preliminary design
—evaluates 
the software requirements 
and generates the software 
product’s functional architecture. 
Generates behavioral models to 
assess product performance. 
Results in the identification 
and specification of functional 
components and units.
HWCI detailed 
design
—develops 
models and 
prototypes to assess 
design concepts 
and generates 
manufacturing 
engineering drawings 
and diagrams.
CSCI detailed 
design
—evaluates the 
software component 
requirements and 
prepares the software 
unit specifications 
(allocation of software 
requirements).
Software architecture detailed 
design
—evaluates the software 
functional units and establishes 
the software product’s physical 
architecture. Generates models 
and prototypes to support design 
trade-off analysis. Results in the 
identification and specification 
of structural units and integrated 
components. Establishes the 
software integration strategy.
HWCI fabrication
—
the production 
organization utilizes 
the engineering 
drawings and 
produces a working 
prototype for testing.
CSCI code, testing, and 
integration
—designs, 
codes, and tests 
software units against 
unit specifications. 
Performs software 
component integrations 
and testing.
Software implementation
—
designs, codes, and tests 
software units. Performs software 
integration and testing according 
to the software integration 
strategy. Performs product 
testing to ensure the software 
product is ready for acceptance 
testing.
HWCI testing
—
formally test the 
hardware items 
against their 
requirements 
specifications.
CSCI testing
—formally 
tests the software 
configuration items 
against their requirement 
specifications.
Acceptance testing—formally 
tests the software product 
against its requirement 
specifications.
HWCI 
=
 Hardware Configuration Item; CSCI 
=
 Computer Software Configuration Item.

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