Question

• Explain why you would or would not agree with the following statements:
  • Hardware is manufactured, while software is engineered.
  • If you follow all the phases of software engineering, it results in a waste of time.
  • A project manager should always accept a change coming from the customer even after the project plan is finalized.

Answer 1

Hardware is manufactured, while software is engineered

I would agree with the statement.

• Software and hardware are two basic components for performing the computational operation.
• The process of building them can be stated as Hardware is manufactured, while software is engineered or developed.
• When a hardware production is done we will have a physical component in hand but is the case of software is a virtual component which gets life only when deployed on hardware.
• Also, when software is designed, the development process is almost done but in hardware, the design is only half of the entire process.
• And the hardware manufacturing faces lots of technical difficulties which cannot theoretically forecast like in software development.
• So manufacturing is important than designing in hardware and once the software is designed it is almost developed in the case of software

If you follow all the phases of software engineering, it results in a waste of time.

I would disagree with the statement.

• Phases of software engineering proven to be the systematical steps and procedures.
• In some smaller and less complex projects you may be able to complete the project without proper steps but even in smaller projects also in larger projects, once you have encountered with any difficulties, only the procedures can help you out in that situation.

A project manager should always accept a change coming from the customer even after the project plan is finalized.

I would disagree with the statement.

• Project manager need not to always accept the changes from the customer, only accept changes when it is necessary
• unnecessary changes have to be prevented by the project manager, and it depends upon the scope of the changes
• Some changes may require entire redesigning of the planning including the cost management
• So rather than always accepting the change project manager has to ensure the scope of the change and accept it only if necessary.