Reflect on Software Engineering
12 May 2025
Reflections on Software Engineering: Beyond Web Development
Throughout this course, I’ve gained hands-on experience with building web applications, but more importantly, I’ve developed a deeper understanding of foundational software engineering principles that apply to a wide range of development contexts—not just web-based ones. Concepts like Agile Project Management, Configuration Management, and Design Patterns have transformed the way I think about software development as a discipline. These ideas extend beyond any specific technology stack and are essential tools for any kind of software project.
Agile Project Management and Issue-Driven Development
One of the most influential ideas I encountered in this course was Agile Project Management. Agile is a flexible approach to managing software projects that emphasizes iterative development, customer feedback, and adaptability. Unlike traditional “waterfall” models, Agile allows teams to deliver functional pieces of software in small increments, which improves the ability to respond to changing requirements.
Within this framework, we practiced Issue Driven Project Management (IDPM), a lightweight implementation of Agile. In IDPM, all tasks are broken down into small, actionable issues, each of which can be tracked, assigned, and completed independently. This structure promotes accountability, clarity, and progress visibility.
While we used IDPM primarily for building a web application, I can easily imagine applying this system to other kinds of projects—such as mobile apps, system tools, or even team-based academic research. By tracking progress through issues and focusing on incremental goals, teams can stay organized and adapt to new information in any collaborative setting.
Configuration Management
Another concept that stood out to me was Configuration Management, which refers to the process of systematically handling changes to software so that the integrity and traceability of the product are maintained over time. In our course, we used Git and GitHub to version our code, collaborate with teammates, and roll back changes when necessary.
This skill is essential in any software development environment, not just for websites. Whether you’re working on embedded systems, data pipelines, or even game development, having a reliable way to manage source code and track changes is critical. Tools like Git help prevent conflicts, document project history, and support collaboration across teams and time zones. Configuration management ensures that a project is reproducible and that bugs can be traced and resolved effectively.
Design Patterns
Finally, we explored Design Patterns, which are general solutions to common problems in software design. These are not code snippets but abstract templates for solving problems in a reusable way. For example, the Model-View-Controller (MVC) pattern helps organize code by separating concerns: models handle data, views manage UI, and controllers act as intermediaries between them.
Understanding design patterns has changed how I approach programming. Instead of reinventing the wheel, I now look for patterns that can make my code more maintainable, scalable, and understandable. This mindset applies beyond web development. Whether I’m writing a command-line tool or an Android app, I can apply patterns like Singleton (for managing global state), Observer (for event-driven systems), or Factory (for flexible object creation).
Conclusion
This course has shown me that software engineering is much more than writing code to build websites. It’s about using structured, proven approaches to design, manage, and maintain software systems. Concepts like Agile Project Management, Configuration Management, and Design Patterns are essential tools in any developer’s toolkit, regardless of the specific technologies involved. By understanding and practicing these principles, I feel more prepared to take on complex software projects—whether they live on the web or somewhere entirely different.
Acknowledgement: Chatgpt and other online sources were utilized to provide information and insight, to improve grammar, vocabulary, and punctuation.