A Methodology for Client/Server and Web Application Development - Softcover

Fournier, Roger

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0135984262 ISBN 13: 9780135984260

Publisher: Prentice Hall, 1998

Synopsis

Demonstrates a method of applying discipline to complex Web and client/server development projects. The author goes through every phase of a project: survey; analysis; design; construction; implementation; and troubleshooting. Also covers software reusability, client-server and Web testing, joint facilitated sessions, and graphical user interface concepts. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

About this title

About the Author

ROGER FOURNIER is a software practitioner who has acquired through the years a solid background in large software development projects. During his career, Roger has held several management positions in different IT organizations and has implemented software systems for large organizations based in Europe and North America. Roger is currently managing a specialized Application Development Technology department, composed of highly skilled database and software development specialists and practitioners, at a world leading jet engine manufacturer.

From the Back Cover

Bring discipline and power to all your Web & C/S projects! Roger Fournier's.

A Methodology for Client/Server and Web Application Development shows you how to impose needed discipline on even the most complex Web and client/server development projects. Fournier's start-to-finish methodology walks you step-by-step through every phase: survey, analysis, design, construction, implementation and beyond. Master powerful techniques for delivering finished software faster, including iterative/incremental development, prototyping, timeboxing and joint facilitated user sessions.

With extensive examples, checklists and worksheets, Fournier demonstrates how to:

• Build an enterprise architecture with true scalability and flexibility.
• Leverage object-oriented programming techniques to the fullest.
• Establish an effective testing process.
• Promote reusability with DCOM/ActiveX ™, CORBA, and JavaBeans ™ components.

Implement technology infrastructures that support Web and C/S development. Discover specific ways to mitigate the risks that lead so many Web and client/server projects to fail. Learn how to improve communication with users, design databases and Web database access more effectively, plan for user training and data conversion and much more. There are no silver bullets, but this book's systematic "best practices" approach, tips and techniques will help you take charge of your Web and client/server development-and deliver business results faster than ever before.

From the Inside Flap

Preface

WHY THIS BOOK?

This book proposes a comprehensive methodology that guides you through the successful development of large-scale and complex client-server or Web database applications. Doing so, it also explains how to circumvent critical issues and potential dangers that might adversely affect the development of large software systems.
Moreover, this book offers several powerful techniques that can be used by your IT organization to accelerate the construction of large and complex business applications, such as iterative/incremental system development, prototyping, timeboxing, and joint facilitated sessions with users. Similarly, the book strongly recommends the use of component-based application development architectures to maximize reusability and hence reduce the cycle time associated with the system development process.

WHAT MAKES THIS BOOK UNIQUE?

This book addresses the various sets of technical activities that must be conducted to effectively develop a sound client-server or Web database system. However, rather than concentrating on the "how to," this publication primarily focuses on the "what to do."
The book contains numerous guidelines, suggested best practices, hints, and checklists that are based on practical experience and that can be advantageously used by practitioners to successfully develop quality-oriented client-server and Web-based software systems.
This book also emphasizes the importance of enterprises investing efforts in developing and implementing a robust yet flexible enterprise technology infrastructure. An efficient enterprise technology infrastructure is mandatory to effectively support the accelerated development of large software systems. The current enterprise technology infrastructures must be re-engineered or extended to appropriately account for the introduction of new development tools, technologies, and techniques. The new enterprise technology infrastructures must be built on industry-wide standards to accommodate the emergence of new and improved technologies, as time goes by.

WHAT DOESN'T THIS BOOK CONTAIN?

This book does not address the set of project management processes that must be conducted to effectively plan, organize, manage, track, and control the development process of large software systems. It addresses solely the technical activities that are involved in developing large software systems. However, a companion publication will likely be developed in the near future, to address the most critical project management best practices and therefore complement the technical information provided in this current book. This book is not your typical "one-minute" methodology cookbook to client-server and Web database application development. Its content is at the right level of detail for large software development undertakings. In fact, the book is primarily intended for "real-world" software practitioners who must work in the "trenches," often with newer technologies, and yet are hard pressed by their customers to deliver workable system solutions in a compressed timeframe.
As such, this book does not promise you silver bullets. It does not attempt to fool you into thinking that large-scale software development efforts are easy and can be achieved overnight, only with the help of the latest RAD tool available on the market, and without the support of a solid information technology infrastructure. Those involved in developing large and complex software systems know better than this the perils of any particular software development process.

WHO SHOULD READ THIS BOOK?

This book should be read by IT executives, managers, project leaders, developers, specific information technology specialists, software testers, and operations staff around the world who are involved in developing large and complex client-server or Web database applications.
The book is also intended for modern IT organizations who are currently in the process of renewing themselves while planning the introduction of new client-server and Web technologies in their enterprise. These organizations will then be interested in reading the chapter titled Client-Server and Web Technology Architecture and Support Services. This chapter provides the readers with a holistic view of the major issues involved in planning, designing, and implementing the new type of enterprise technology infrastructure that is required to successfully nurture the development, deployment, and support of large client-server or Web database applications.
Finally, the book can be used as a textbook for college or university courses on the development of large client-server and Web database systems.

BOOK ROADMAP
Looking at Figure P.1, the book consists of an introduction chapter, which is then followed by three broad logical sections, identified as sections A, B, and C.
Figure P.1 Book Roadmap.
Following is a brief description of the introduction chapter and the three major sections A, B, and C.
INTRODUCTION
The introduction chapter provides an overview of the book and discusses how it is organized. It presents the fundamental concepts that are critical to support the proposed client-server and Web database application development methodology. The process-driven system development methodology that is provided in this book is suited for a variety of business projects of different sizes and complexities. However, it is particularly well adapted for large and complex client-server or Web database applications.

SECTION A
Section A contains the five core chapters that describe in detail the particular system development phases and set of technical activities that should be performed to successfully build a quality client-server or Web database application.
Table P.1 provides a brief description of these five chapters.
Table P.1 Section A:

CHAPTER DESCRIPTION
Chapter 2:
Survey Phase
The preliminary business needs that point toward a client-server/Web application system solution are identified and documented during this stage. A sketch of the initial scope and boundaries of the proposed system are outlined jointly with the customers. Similarly, the development team assesses the major project assumptions, risks, and constraints. The survey phase technical activities can be conducted either through a series of joint facilitated sessions, with the active participation of the users, or in a more traditional system development approach.
Chapter 3:
Analysis Phase
A blueprint of the major application data and functional requirements is quickly captured with the direct involvement of the customers. A series of joint facilitated sessions can be used specifically for this purpose. The preliminary data and process application distribution requirements are also documented at this stage, along with additional system requirements, such as the security, performance, and hardware/software/networking application needs.
If necessary, the system is partitioned into smaller chunks, where core functions can be implemented more rapidly by the development team, either in sequence or in parallel. Moreover, a first stab at defining the system data conversion, training, and testing strategies is done with the users during this phase.
Finally, a live system prototype is quickly constructed to demonstrate the graphical user interface and some of the core functionality elements of the proposed client-server or Web database application. Reusable GUI classes or application system templates are used to speed up the delivery of the initial application graphical interface. This fully interactive prototype is used to firm up the initial set of critical user requirements that center on the application graphical interface.
Chapter 4:
Design Phase
During this phase, the design of the client-server or Web-based system solution is gradually refined and augmented with all the necessary automated solution details. The application reusable GUI classes and system templates may be created or extended, where applicable.
The sets of reusable functions that can be effectively reutilized across the application are developed first, prior to developing the application custom functions.
The detailed design of the database(s) that is(are) required to support the system information needs is finalized, including stored procedures and triggers.
The data and process distribution design solutions are revisited and expanded with more detailed information. Similarly, the system training, data conversion, and testing strategies are refined and augmented with more detailed information. Based on the design specifications, high-level test cases are defined by the developers toward the end of the design phase.
Chapter 5:
Construction Phase
The detailed functional components of the client-server or Web application are coded, unit tested, and then gradually integrated into a complete and robust application system. In parallel to the coding and testing activities, the development team gradually sets up the initial user training

Edition details

• Publisher: Prentice Hall
• Publication date: 1998
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0135984262
• ISBN 13: 9780135984260
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 648