Video 1:

–> Starting the development of a program:

  • it starts w/ an idea
  • you need to have a specific purpose in mind when creating the program – what do you want the program to accomplish?

(sometimes development changes based on what happens during the process (whether good or bad)

–> Developers then start investigating the problem/purpose:

  • set requirements for what the program must do
  • find and understand constraints (lack of tools, time…)
  • understand interests of user

ways of investigating include surveys, user testing, observations, interviews

–> After investigation: developers begin brainstroming:

  • draw a storyboard
  • planning user experience
  • lay out user interface (how will the user interact w/ the program)
  • organizing/dividing work
  • find a way to test the program

–> Program requirements – how should the program behave?:

  • list of users interactions so that they know what they can actually do w/ the program
  • create prototype of program – an incremental process is usually used to test/refine small parts to make sure they work before putting everything together

–> Testing:

  • testing must happen at every step of the way
  • Testing must happen at the - micro level: make sure each part works as its supposed to - macro: do all the individual parts interact correctly?
  • refine and revise

Video 2:

  • Program development is rarely done alone; instead there are usually teams of ppl (some teams include a few ppl while others could include hundreds)
  • usually there are multiple people/teams that work on individual components
  • everyone must get credit for their work – their names have to written in the documentation of the program
  • make sure to credit partners

  • for some languages you also use comments within the program to give credit – w/ comments, development teams can find out who can/should fix a problem that shows up

  • many times developers use code segments, algorithms, and procedures done by others – if someone already invented it you don’t have to develop the same thing again
  • however, even if they are not part of your team you must credit them: include authors name and source of any code used
  • sort of like a works cited

Video 3:

programers use somethign called program documentation to:

  • describe overall program
  • list specific functions of program
  • describe specific functions or code segments of program
  • list events and outputs
  • how others can interact with program
  • list contributers and other developers of program

documentation happens:

  • at the beginning: list specifications
  • while programming to keep track of progress and issues
  • after to explain the overall process

good documentation can improve:

  • efficiency
  • ability to fix issues/refine the program
  • response to bugs

how to programmers document while programing:

  • most languages allow comments
  • comments are txt written within the program that are not executed and don’t affect the program
  • they are only for developers; computers skip over comments and they are not shown on actual product
  • comments can be useful when working w/ others, or even for yourself

examples of comments:

  • python: # comments are written after the pound sign
  • java: // comments can be written on a single line using double / for multiple lines they must be done w /* on both sides of comment
  • javascript, c++ have comments similar to java
  • HTML uses comments like this: <exclamation mark–comment–>