The Cognitive Dynamics of Computer Science Cost-Effective Large Scale Software Development

by de Gyurky, Szabolcs Michael; Tarbell, Mark A.

• ISBN13: 9780471970477
• ISBN10: 0471970476
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-07-31
• Publisher: Wiley-IEEE Computer Society Pr

Summary

A groundbreaking, unifying theory of computer science for low-cost, high-quality software The Cognitive Dynamics of Computer Science represents the culmination of more than thirty years of the author's hands-on experience in software development, which has resulted in a remarkable and sensible philosophy and practice of software development. It provides a groundbreaking ontology of computer science, while describing the processes, methodologies, and constructs needed to build high-quality, large-scale computer software systems on schedule and on budget. Based on his own experience in developing successful, low-cost software projects, the author makes a persuasive argument for developers to understand the philosophical underpinnings of software. He asserts that software in reality is an abstraction of the human thought system. The author draws from the seminal works of the great German philosophers--Kant, Hegel, and Schopenhauer--and recasts their theories of human mind and thought to create a unifying theory of computer science, cognitive dynamics, that opens the door to the next generation of computer science and forms the basic architecture for total autonomy. * Four detailed cases studies effectively demonstrate how philosophy and practice merge to meet the objective of high-quality, low-cost software. * The Autonomous Cognitive System chapter sets forth a model for a completely autonomous computer system, using the human thought system as the model for functional architecture and the human thought process as the model for the functional data process. * Although rooted in philosophy, this book is practical, addressing all the key areas that software professionals need to master in order to remain competitive and minimize costs, such as leadership, management, communication, and organization. This thought-provoking work will change the way students and professionals in computer science and software development conceptualize and perform their work. It provides them with both a philosophy and a set of practical tools to produce high-quality, low-cost software.

Author Biography

SZABOLCS MICHAEL de GYURKY retired from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory after twenty-five years of service, and is now employed as a consultant and writer. He was responsible for the design, programming, testing, installation, and documentation of approximately 2,500,000 lines of code. An equally important focus of his work has been the reduction of cost and the increased modularity and portability of software. Mr. de Gyurky is the recipient of the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal.

The volume is richly illustrated with computer artwork renditions of de Gyurky's visualizations by associate Mark Tarbell.

Table of Contents

List of Figures	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
Chapter 1 Introduction	1	(10)
1.1 The Retention of Software Jobs	2	(1)
1.2 Depth of Experience	2	(1)
1.3 The Scope of This Book	3	(1)
1.4 The Nature of Computer Science	4	(1)
1.5 The Future of Computer Science	4	(1)
1.6 The Essence of Philosophy	5	(1)
1.7 Why Autonomy?	6	(2)
1.8 An Architecture for Autonomy	8	(1)
1.9 Other Notes	9	(2)
Chapter 2 Prologue	11	(12)
2.1 How This Book Originated	11	(1)
2.2 The Importance of Management	12	(1)
2.3 The Tie-in with Autonomy	13	(1)
2.4 Major Themes of This Book	14	(1)
2.5 The Challenge of a New Idea	14	(1)
2.6 The Importance of Visualization	15	(1)
2.7 The Move Toward Autonomy	16	(1)
2.8 Why I Wrote This Book	17	(1)
2.9 Merging Theory and Practice	18	(1)
2.10 The Pace of Computer Science	19	(2)
2.11 The Importance of Cognitive Dynamics	21	(2)
Chapter 3 The Philosophical Foundations of Computer Software Design	23	(13)
3.1 The Philosophical Origins of Computer Science	23	(2)
3.2 Influence of the Cognitive Philosophers	25	(2)
3.3 Abstracting the Human Thought System	27	(1)
3.4 The Philosophical Foundations of Software Development	28	(1)
3.5 The Phenomenon of Reality	29	(1)
3.6 The Phenomenon of Subjectivity	30	(1)
3.7 Low-Cost Software Development	31	(2)
3.8 "On Budget and On Schedule"	33	(1)
3.9 The Time to Completion: Schedule	34	(1)
3.10 Philosophy and Successful Design	35	(1)
Chapter 4 The Philosophical Imperatives of Architectural Design	36	(18)
4.1 The Manager as Architect	36	(1)
4.2 The Manager as Teacher	37	(1)
4.3 The Manager as Social Worker	38	(1)
4.4 The Manager as Axman	39	(1)
4.5 The Philosophical Imperatives of Architectural Design	39	(1)
4.6 Availability of the Manager	40	(1)
4.7 Project Manager: 10 Key Attributes and Responsibilities	40	(3)
4.8 Philosophical Aspects of Engineering	43	(1)
4.9 The Importance of Finishing the Job	44	(1)
4.10 Visualizing an Architecture	44	(3)
4.11 The Role of Intuition in Design	47	(1)
4.12 "Sufficient Reality" and Inference in the Design Process	48	(1)
4.13 Dialectics in the Achievement of Sufficient Reality	49	(1)
4.14 The Relationship of Logic to Software Architectures	50	(3)
4.15 The Logic of the Systems Design	53	(1)
Chapter 5 Project and Task Organization	54	(26)
5.1 The Role of Organization	55	(2)
5.2 The Ability to Organize	57	(3)
5.2.1 Traditional Hierarchical Project Organization	57	(3)
5.3 The Difficulty of Communication	60	(1)
5.4 The Title of "Manager"	61	(1)
5.5 The Flat, Nonhierarchical Organization	61	(4)
5.6 Projects, Tasks, and Work Units	65	(1)
5.7 Large Organizations and Staffing	66	(3)
5.8 Staffing Up: The Initial Team	69	(4)
5.8.1 The Initial Team	69	(1)
5.8.2 Phase One Team Expansion	70	(2)
5.8.3 Phase Two Team Expansion	72	(1)
5.9 Balancing Hardware and Software	73	(2)
5.10 Incremental Deliveries	75	(1)
5.11 Functional Organization	76	(1)
5.12 Interface Protocols of the Organization	77	(1)
5.13 Completion of the Task	77	(1)
5.14 Detecting the "Fraud"	78	(2)
Chapter 6 The Philosophy of Communication	80	(11)
6.1 "Sanity Is an Achievement!"	81	(1)
6.2 Gauging Understanding	82	(1)
6.3 Internal Team Communication Protocols	82	(2)
6.4 External Team Communication Protocols	84	(1)
6.5 Technical English as the Medium	85	(2)
6.6 Engineers as Technical Writers	87	(1)
6.7 Documentation: Articulation of the Requirements and Design	87	(1)
6.8 The SRD: Software Requirements Document	88	(3)
Chapter 7 Software Management Standards	91	(7)
7.1 Three Good Standards	91	(2)
7.1.1 JPL-STD-D-4000	92	(1)
7.1.2 MIL-STD-498	92	(1)
7.1.3 DOD-STD-2167A	92	(1)
7.2 Aspects Addressed by a Standard	93	(1)
7.3 Preparing to Select the Standard	94	(2)
7.4 Standards for Implementation	96	(2)
7.4.1 Waiving the Standard	97	(1)
Chapter 8 The Estimation of Software Cost	98	(10)
8.1 Sponsor Costing Issues	99	(2)
8.2 Types of Cost Estimates	101	(1)
8.3 "Lines of Code" Metrics	101	(2)
8.4 The Major Work Areas, Functions, and Tasks that Must be Included in the Estimation of Cost	103	(2)
8.5 The Detailed Cost Estimate	105	(1)
8.6 The SRD as a Contract	106	(2)
Chapter 9 The Exercise of Project Control	108	(17)
9.1 The Functions of Project Control and Oversight	109	(1)
9.2 The Requirements Phase	110	(1)
9.3 Contents of the Software Requirements Document	111	(2)
9.4 The Design Phase	113	(1)
9.5 The Implementation Phase	113	(2)
9.6 The Test and Integration Phase	115	(1)
9.7 Personnel Issues	116	(2)
9.8 The Hacker and Other Personalities	118	(1)
9.9 The Buck Stops at the Top	119	(2)
9.10 How People Think, Pay Attention, and Remember	121	(4)
Chapter 10 The Development Process Methodology	125	(11)
10.1 The "Design Hub" as Implementation Tool	126	(1)
10.2 The Architecture Definition Process	127	(2)
10.3 The Use of Large-Scale Representations	129	(1)
10.4 Design Team Meetings	130	(1)
10.5 Rapid Development versus Prototyping	131	(1)
10.6 The Traditional Development Methodology	132	(2)
10.7 Action Items, Change Requests, and Software Discrepancy Reports	134	(1)
10.8 Resolving Problems and Impasses	134	(2)
Chapter 11 The Development of System Architectures	136	(10)
11.1 Pushing the Architecture	137	(1)
11.2 The Point of "Acceptable Reality"	138	(2)
11.3 The Importance and Imperative of Visualizing Phenomena	140	(1)
11.4 Traditional Architectures	141
11.5 The Inferred Architecture	112	(32)
11.6 The Redesign or Upgrading of Existing Systems	144	(1)
11.7 The Approach to New Systems	145	(1)
Chapter 12 The Impact of Leadership on Software Development	146	(26)
12.1 Recognizing Good Leadership	146	(2)
12.2 The Concepts of Management and Leadership,	148	(1)
12.3 Rewarding Failure	149	(2)
12.4 The Leader's Subordinate	151	(1)
12.5 Indications of Poor Leadership	152	(1)
12.6 Leadership and Ethics	153	(1)
12.7 The Attributes of Leadership	153	(11)
12.7.1 Unselfishness	154	(1)
12.7.2 The Welfare of Others	154	(1)
12.7.3 Ambition	154	(1)
12.7.4 Integrity	154	(1)
12.7.5 Loyalty	155	(1)
12.7.6 Knowledge	155	(1)
12.7.7 Tact	156	(1)
12.7.8 Judgment	157	(1)
12.7.9 Initiative	157	(1)
12.7.10 Bearing	158	(1)
12.7.11 Courage	158	(1)
12.7.12 Decisiveness	159	(1)
12.7.13 Dependability	159	(1)
12.7.14 Dynamic Energy	160	(1)
12.7.15 Enthusiasm	161	(2)
12.7.16 Empowerment	163	(1)
12.8 The Ramifications of Failure	164	(1)
12.9 The Absence of Leadership	165	(3)
12.9.1 Absenteeism	166	(1)
12.9.2 Hidden Agendas	166	(1)
12.9.3 Communication Gap	167	(1)
12.9.4 Poorly Defined Goals	167	(1)
12.10 The Basis in Leadership for Failure	168	(1)
12.10.1 Personal Struggles	168	(1)
12.10.2 The "Machiavellian Prince"	169	(1)
12.11 The impact of Poor or Nonexistent Leadership	169	(3)
12.11.1 Conquering the Organization	170	(2)
Chapter 13 Management of Software Systems Development	172	(28)
13.1 Self-Respect in the Manager	173	(1)
13.2 The Ethical Workplace	173	(1)
13.3 Narcotics Use in the Workforce	174	(3)
13.4 Spotting Narcotics Addicts	177	(1)
13.5 Courage and Dynamic Energy in Management	178	(2)
13.6 The Traveling Manager	180	(1)
13.7 The Manager as Architect	181	(1)
13.8 The Phenomenon of Decision Making	182	(4)
13.9 The Concept of "Ability"	186	(1)
13.10 Manager: Administrator or Leader?	187	(2)
13.11 Authority, Responsibility, and Accountability	189	(1)
13.12 The Issue of Contempt	189	(2)
13.13 Management: The Fulcrum of Project Execution	191	(1)
13.14 The Ascendance of Mediocrity	191	(2)
13.15 The Pitfalls of Staffing Up	193	(2)
13.16 Salary Issues	195	(1)
13.17 Contracting Out Work	196	(1)
13.18 Evaluating Proposals	197	(1)
13.19 Cost Bidding too Early	198	(2)
Chapter 14 Four Case Studies of Low-Cost Systems	200	(57)
14.1 Case Study One: The Joint Theater Level Simulation (JTLS)	202	(9)
14.1.1 The Beginnings of JTLS	204	(1)
14.1.2 Estimating the Cost of War	205	(3)
14.1.3 Starting up the Effort	208	(1)
14.1.4 Costly Lessons Learned	209	(2)
14.2 Case Study Two: The Global Decision Support System (GDSS)	211	(22)
14.2.1 GDSS System Size	211	(1)
14.2.2 The History and Background of GDSS	212	(1)
14.2.3 Expediting the System	213	(1)
14.2.4 The Euler Sphere	214	(1)
14.2.5 Beyond State of the Art	214	(1)
14.2.6 A Replicated, Survivable, Synchronous Database Management System	214	(1)
14.2.7 The Ultra Large Screen Display System	215	(1)
14.2.8 The Local Area Networks	215	(1)
14.2.9 The Wide Area Network	215	(1)
14.2.10 Distributed Client/Server Technology	215	(1)
14.2.11 Message Bus	215	(2)
14.2.12 The GDSS Software Architecture	217	(3)
14.2.13 Accepting the Challenge	220	(1)
14.2.14 Initial Conditions	220	(1)
14.2.15 Rapid Development: A Totally Different Approach	221	(2)
14.2.16 There Can Be Only One!	223	(1)
14.2.17 GDSS End-to-End Architecture	224	(1)
14.2.18 Architecting the Development Effort	224	(1)
14.2.19 Inferential Systems Architecture	225	(1)
14.2.20 The GDSS System Software Layer	226	(1)
14.2.21 Applications Language Selection	227	(1)
14.2.22 Project Documentation	228	(1)
14.2.23 Finding an Ada Expert	228	(1)
14.2.24 Testing and Database Design	229	(2)
14.2.25 Additional Difficulties	231	(2)
14.3 Case Study Three: The Topex TCCS System	233	(13)
14.3.1 The Topex TCCS System	233	(1)
14.3.2 System Description	233	(2)
14.3.3 The Initial Conditions	235	(1)
14.3.4 Project Constraints	235	(1)
14.3.5 Implementation Considerations	236	(1)
14.3.6 Development of TOPEX TCCS	237	(1)
14.3.7 Agreeing to Do the Job	238	(1)
14.3.8 Ground Truth	239	(1)
14.3.9 Start of Project Development	239	(2)
14.3.10 Architecting the Environment	241	(1)
14.3.11 Hardware Procurement, Software Procurement	242	(2)
14.3.12 The Relationship with the Contractor	244	(1)
14.3.13 Test Plan Scheduling	245	(1)
14.3.14 Adherence to a Standard	246	(1)
14.4 Case Study Four: The Jason 1 TCCS System (JTCCS)	246	(11)
14.4.1 The Jason 1 TCCS System	247	(1)
14.4.2 System Description	247	(1)
14.4.3 The Initial Conditions	248	(1)
14.4.4 Implementation Considerations	249	(2)
14.4.5 The JTCCS Architecture	251	(6)
Chapter 15 Operations, Operators, and Users: Their Impact on Cost	257	(9)
15.1 The Operational Requirement	258	(1)
15.2 The Lack of an Operational Requirement	259	(1)
15.3 The Operations Scenario	259	(1)
15.4 The Cost of Operators and Analysts	260	(1)
15.5 The Voyager Project Operations Center	261	(1)
15.6 War Gaming	262	(2)
15.7 The Value of Simulation	264	(1)
15.8 Funds: A Perspective	264	(2)
Chapter 16 The Autonomous Cognitive System	266	(13)
16.1 Introduction	266	(1)
16.2 The Scale of Autonomy	267	(3)
16.2.1 Category IV Autonomous Cognitive System: Superman	267	(1)
16.2.2 Category III Autonomous Cognitive System: Perseus	268	(1)
16.2.3 Category II Autonomous Cognitive System: Robot	269	(1)
16.2.4 Category I Autonomous Cognitive System: Automaton	269	(1)
16.3 "I Will, Because I Can"	270	(1)
16.4 Toward Cognitive Dynamics	271	(1)
16.5 Building an Autonomous System	271	(1)
16.6 An Appropriate Model	272	(1)
16.7 System-Level Requirements for Autonomy	273	(1)
16.8 Architectural Domains for Autonomy	274	(3)
16.8.1 Domain I: The Human Thought Architecture Model (Functional Architecture)	274	(1)
16.8.2 Domain II: The Human Thought Process Model (Common Software Services)	275	(2)
16.9 In Summary	277	(2)
Epilogue	279	(4)
The Science of Computer Science	279	(1)
The Professional Software Manager	279	(1)
Cognitive Philosophy in a Modern Technical Context	280	(1)
Cognitive Dynamics is the Unifying Theory	281	(1)
The Issue of Software Cost	281	(1)
The Paradigm Shift of Cognitive Dynamics	282	(1)
Glossary of Acronyms	283	(4)
Index	287