Software Engineering: An Unconsummated Marriage

David Lorge Parnas, P.Eng.

Software Engineering Research Group
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
McMaster University
Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1
Canada

Abstract

Although the first of many conferences on "Software Engineering" was held in Munich nearly three decades ago, communication between those who study software and those who work as Engineers has not been effective. Today, the majority of Engineers understand very little of the "science of programming". On the other side, the scientists who study programming understand very little about what it means to be an Engineer, why we have such a profession, how the profession is organised, and what Engineers learn during their education. In spite of this mutual ignorance, today's Engineers spend much of their time writing and using software, and an increasing number of people trained in Computer Science or Mathematics pontificate about "what Engineers do".

Studying the traditional areas of engineering we find (1) that they have faced, and developed solutions to, many of the issues that software engineering experts are discussing today. We also find that traditional engineers are beginning to recognise the need to treat software development as a new branch of Engineering. Many cannot do their jobs properly without a better knowledge of the science of software. Others cannot live up to their own professional responsibilities unless if they use software packages developed by people who do not take responsibility for their "fitness for use".

We conclude that the two fields have much to learn from each other and that the marriage of software and engineering should be consummated.