Software engineering as a business
Increasingly, system functional-ity is implemented in software. Where we used to split hardware from software, the business case entirely determines such boundaries now—what we best package at which level in which component , be it software or silicon. For example, a TV set in the 1970s had no software, whereas today its competitive advantages and the majority of engineering efforts are software-driven. The software business, however , has manifold challenges, ranging from the creation process and its inherent risks to direct balance sheet impacts. For example, the Standish Group found in its survey (2000 edition of the Chaos Report) that only 26 percent of the projects finished on time and within budget and a staggering 28 percent were canceled before deN o matter what business you are in, you are also part of the software business. Software makes the world go round—at ever increasing speeds. Computer-based, software-driven systems pervade today's society. From avionics flight control to the ubiquitous computers in personal digital assistants and cellular phones, to automotive and consumer electronics , software provides features and functions in daily use.