Principles

Hi

Does anyone understand in tutorial letter 102 what is meant by "e.g. Principle 1 Listen as a communication practice, you should be able to tell me what the core of the principle is."

No Idea.
I emailed the lecturer a while back:

"In the exam tut under chapter 5, point number 3.
It says there that when you give us eg Principle 1 Listen as a communication practice, that we should be able to write down what the core of the principle is.
What do you mean by the core of the principle? Should we name all the principles for that practice(p133-135)?
Or what should we answer to the above question? "

Response:
"Dear student

You are referred to page 131 where term Core Principle is defined. "

This didn't help me much, so I replied with:

"I don't understand how the 'core principles' in 5.1.2 links with the practices in section 5.2-5.6. I can't make that link... maybe that's my problem?"

Response:
"Will get back to you"

(the last response was mailed this morning, so I'll post the reply on the forum once i receive it)

If anyone else can explain this... please do.

Hey all.
Here's the response I got from the lecturers:

Dear Student

I hope this helps:


Chapter 5: Software Engineering Practice

Note that: Practice is a collection of concepts, principles, methods and tools that a software engineer calls upon on daily basis. This is the book definition (Page 129)

The word is defined as “an important underlying law or assumption required in a system of thought” (Page 131).

The word core means “most important or central part”.

Core Principles are important or base line rules that need to be followed at a minimum in order to successfully accomplish a software project. Therefore, they focus on software engineering as whole, from the beginning to the end. If you go through those principles, seven of them, you might argue that this is common sense reasoning for problem solving. Section 5.1.2

During software engineering practice there are specific generic framework activities that would be done in the life cycle of the software. For example during requirements elicitation activity, the developer needs to effectively communicate with the client in order to understand the customer’s needs. Effective communication between the two can take place if the communication practice principles are followed (page 133).

How does the practice of software engineering fit in? In chapter 2 section 2.2, generic framework activities are discussed and they are: communication, planning, modelling, construction and deployment. In Software engineering practice, we now focus on the generic concepts and principles that apply to framework activities.

Example: UNISA as a university has its core principles (rules) that govern conduct of all students irrespective of the degree that you are registered for. Within each faculty, there are rules that you have to abide to.

I could be mistaken, but my understanding is then as follows:

- the question will read something like: "Principle 1 of communication practice is Listen. What is the core principle behind this?"
- you then need to remember what the 7 core principles of practice as a whole is, and choose those that will apply.
- write these down and explain how they are the core principles behind the specific principle of the specific practice.

In other words, learn what the 7 core principles of practice is. In the exam, you'll need to think about which of them apply to the principle mentioned.
(Think of it like the lecturer said in the response: Practice is the general term, with many different types of Practice(s). Within each type of Practice, there are certain principles that apply to that specific Practice. Each of these principles, although specific in application to that Practice, is derived from a core principle that applies to Practice as a whole. So in short, all principles, regardless of what Practice they are applicable to, derive from one of the 7 core principles. )

That's my take on it anyway...

O.K so "Listen as a communication practice, you should be able to tell me what the core of the principle is"

its either one of these,, but which one / one's ?

1. The reason it all exists
2. KISS
3. Maintain Vision
4. What you produce others will consume
5. Be Open to the Futere
6. Plan ahead or reuse
7. Think

Or am I loosing the plot here ?

This shouldn't be such an issue. Read over all the principles, if questioned about what they mean, you should have adequate knowledge to explain what they are. Look at the one given in the assignments about picking out from the conversations - something like that.

KeeP it ReaL
The SurFa..

fran13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No Idea.
> I emailed the lecturer a while back:
>
> "In the exam tut under chapter 5, point number 3.
> It says there that when you give us eg Principle 1
> Listen as a communication practice, that we should
> be able to write down what the core of the
> principle is.
> What do you mean by the core of the principle?
> Should we name all the principles for that
> practice(p133-135)?
> Or what should we answer to the above question? "
>
> Response:
> "Dear student
>
> You are referred to page 131 where term Core
> Principle is defined. "
>
> This didn't help me much, so I replied with:
>
> "I don't understand how the 'core principles' in
> 5.1.2 links with the practices in section 5.2-5.6.
> I can't make that link... maybe that's my
> problem?"
>
> Response:
> "Will get back to you"
>
> (the last response was mailed this morning, so
> I'll post the reply on the forum once i receive
> it)
>
> If anyone else can explain this... please do.

So much for principles in the exam ...hey Fran13 ...If the lecturer could only be more specific ....lol !!!!