In the first module of this course, you were introduced to the fundamentals of User Experience - the way end-users ‘experience’ the developed product. In this module you will focus on the actual development of the product itself. This is called software development.
Before considering what software development is, it might be useful to define what software is
IBM define software as “the set of instructions or programs that tell a computer what to do”1. It is the programmes, procedures and routines that are developed to direct the computer’s hardware and peripherals to performs tasks and functions.
There are three basic types of software:
- System Software
- Programming Software
- Application Software
In this course you will be focusing on the development of both web and mobile application software.
Software development is the process of designing, creating, and maintaining the various components of software. It is a process that moves from the conception of the desired software right through the final iteration of the software. It is a planned and structured process that is an iterative cycle. This means that you will repeat steps again and again in order to improve the software being developed. In this module you will gain an understanding of the Software Development life-cycle (SLDC), and what happens at the various steps in this process. Each phase of the process works together in the design, development and deployment of software products efficiently.
The following video provides a high-level overview of software development and role of the software developer.
