🎓 Software Engineering Final Exam Cheat Sheet

📋 Software Process Models (High Frequency in Exams!)

Quick Model Selector

🏃 Agile, Scrum & XP (Guaranteed Questions!)

Scrum Terminology - Must Know!

XP Practices

• Pair Programming - Two developers, one computer
• Test-First Development - Write tests before code
• Continuous Integration - Frequent code integration
• Small Releases - Frequent delivery
• Simple Design - Avoid complexity
• User Stories - Requirements as scenarios (TRUE in XP!)

📊 UML Diagrams (Drawing & Analysis Questions)

Diagram Types & When to Use

Class Diagram Relationships

Class Diagram Visibility Modifiers

Multiplicity Notations

Sequence Diagram Components

• Actor - Stick figure or box
• Lifeline - Vertical dashed line
• Activation - Rectangle on lifeline (shows active)
• Messages - Horizontal arrows between lifelines
• Alt/Loop blocks - For conditions and iterations

    [Customer]──────(Login)
         │         ↗«include»
         ├────(Withdraw Cash)
         │         ↘«extend»
         ├────(Check Balance)──────(Print Receipt)
         │         ↗«extend»
         └────(Transfer Money)
                    │
              [Bank System]
                    

    Book               Member
    ---------          ---------
    -ISBN: String      -memberID: int
    -title: String     -name: String
    -author: String    -email: String
    -available: bool   -maxBooks: int
                    

    Book               Member
    ---------          ---------
    +checkOut()        +borrowBook()
    +return()          +returnBook()
    +reserve()         +payFine()
                    

    User        LoginUI     AuthController    Database
     |             |              |              |
     |--enter----->|              |              |
     |             |--validate--->|              |
     |             |              |--check------>|
     |             |              |<---valid-----|
     |             |<--success----|              |
     |<--display---|              |              |
                    

         ● Start
         ↓
    [Receive Order]
         ↓
      Stock?
        ◇
  ↙ Yes    ↘ No
[Process Pay]  [Notify Customer]
      ↓              ↓
   Success?     ◉ End
       ◇
 ↙ Yes    ↘ No
   ▬Fork▬    [Cancel]
   ↙    ↘         ↓
[Ship] [Email]    ◉
   ↘    ↙
   ▬Join▬
      ↓
      ◉ End
                    

🎯 Complete UML Symbol Reference

📈 Project Management - Critical Path (Always in Finals!)

Step-by-Step Critical Path Solution

1. Draw Network Diagram - Boxes connected with arrows based on prerequisites
2. Forward Pass - Calculate ES and EF
   ES = Maximum EF of all predecessors
   EF = ES + Duration
3. Backward Pass - Calculate LS and LF
   LF = Minimum LS of all successors
   LS = LF - Duration
4. Calculate Slack
   Total Slack = LS - ES = LF - EF
   Free Slack = ES(successor) - EF(current)
5. Identify Critical Path - Path where all tasks have Total Slack = 0

                    START → A(15) → C(12) → END
                         ↘
                           B(9) → D(10) → END
                                ↘
                                  E(29) → END
                    

Network Diagram Box Format

                    ┌──────────────────┐
                    │  ES | Task | EF  │
                    │  LS | Dura.| LF  │
                    └──────────────────┘
                    

🔧 Requirements Engineering

Functional vs Non-Functional Requirements

Requirements Elicitation Problems (Common MCQ)

• Stakeholders don't know what they want
• Stakeholders use their own terms (domain language)
• Conflicting requirements from different stakeholders
• Political/organizational factors influence requirements

Risk Categories

🏗️ Software Architecture Patterns

Architecture Pattern Selector

MVC Components

• Model - Data and business logic
• View - Presentation/UI
• Controller - Handles user input, updates model/view

🧪 Software Testing (Essential for Finals!)

Testing Levels (Always asked!)

1. Unit Testing - Individual components
2. Integration Testing - Component interfaces
3. System Testing - Complete system
4. Acceptance Testing - Customer validation

Black Box vs White Box Testing

🔍 Basis Path Testing (White Box Technique)

        Node 1: min = A[0]; I = 1;
                ↓
        Node 2: while (I < N) [Decision]
               ↙ True    ↘ False
        Node 3: if(A[I] < min)    Node 6: print min
               ↙ True    ↘ False
        Node 4: min=A[I]  Node 5: (skip)
                ↘        ↙
                 Node 5: I++
                    ↑_______|
        

Integration Testing Strategies

• Bottom-up - Test low-level modules first
• Top-down - Test high-level modules first
• Big-bang - Test all together (risky!)
• Sandwich - Combination of top-down and bottom-up

💎 Software Design Concepts

Cohesion vs Coupling

Design Quality Attributes

• Correctness - No bugs inhibiting function
• Commodity/Suitability - Suitable for intended purpose
• Usability - Pleasant user experience
• Consistency - No contradictions or omissions

class UserManager {
    validateEmail()
    calculateTax()      // ???
    saveUser()
    sendEmail()
    generateReport()    // ???
}
                    

// HIGH Coupling (BAD)
class Order {
    Database db = new Database();
    EmailService email = new EmailService();
    PaymentGateway payment = new PaymentGateway();
    
    processOrder() {
        db.connect();
        payment.charge();
        email.send();
    }
}

// LOW Coupling (GOOD)
class Order {
    processOrder(IDatabase db, IEmail email, IPayment payment) {
        db.save(this);
        payment.charge(amount);
        email.notify(customer);
    }
}
                    

⚡ Quick Exam Reference

Common Traps to Avoid

• ❌ Waterfall is NOT suitable for accommodating changes
• ❌ Scrum Master is NOT a project manager
• ❌ Sprint Backlog is NOT for Product Owner to manage
• ❌ Requirements change affects BOTH project and product risk
• ❌ Sprints are NEVER extended for incomplete work

Must-Remember Numbers

• Scrum team size: 7 (max 10)
• Sprint duration: 2-4 weeks
• Daily Scrum: 15 minutes
• CMM Levels: 1-5 (Initial to Optimizing)

Acronyms to Know

Last-Minute Checklist

• ✅ Know all Scrum roles and artifacts
• ✅ Can calculate critical path (ES, EF, LS, LF, Slack)
• ✅ Know when to use each process model
• ✅ Can distinguish functional vs non-functional requirements
• ✅ Know testing levels order
• ✅ Remember cohesion (high) vs coupling (low)
• ✅ Can identify architecture patterns from descriptions