Raytheon Company 6620 Chase Oaks Blvd, MS 8528 Plano, Texas 75023 Phone: 1-972-344-8366 Fax: 1-972-344-7701 Email: d-frailey@raytheon.com or fraileyd@acm.org
Dennis is a Principal Fellow at Raytheon Company in Plano, Texas and an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at Southern Methodist University (SMU). At Raytheon, Dennis is a leader in software engineering improvement, currently focusing on software metrics and cycle time reduction. Prior assignments include computer architect, operating system designer, compiler designer, and speechwriter for company executives. Dennis has also worked at Texas Instruments, the Ford Motor Company, and as a tenured, Associate Professor at SMU. Dennis helped start the software engineering program at SMU and was vice-chair of the ACM/IEEE Software Engineering Coordinating Committee, whose job is to foster the development of software engineering as a professional computing discipline. Dennis was also a computer science accreditation team chair, member of the CSAB Board of Directors, and ACM vice president. He holds an MS and PhD in computer science (Purdue) and a BS in mathematics (Notre Dame).
Today's competitive companies rely on computing science and computer engineering programs to provide highly qualified staff for computer and software development assignments. Accreditation is one way to identify the programs that meet minimum criteria for the computing profession. This talk provides an overview and critique of computer science and computer engineering accreditation and of computing science / engineering programs in general from the viewpoint of industry. Also addressed are the qualifications that industry looks for in computing science / engineering graduates, and some of the likely career options.
Too many people concentrate on getting a job instead of preparing for a career. In a rapidly changing field like computing, this can lead to burnout and dissatisfaction. This talk addresses how one can prepare for a life-long career in computing.
Tales of "glass ceilings" and other career limitations have often driven people away from technical fields. This is especially true of women, minorities and the disabled. Yet computing has proven to be a rich source of opportunity for such individuals. From the top executive ranks down through the management and technical chains, a variety of people can be found holding positions of responsibility at good pay. This talk uses several examples from companies the speaker has worked for to illustrate the opportunities available and to discuss the reasons why software engineering, in particular, has been rife with opportunity and open to all.
It has been said that industry wants software engineers but computer science departments are producing future computer science faculty members. This talk focuses on what must happen to make software engineering the discipline that industry needs it to be. Issues covered include research areas that need more serious work, curriculum gaps, and obstacles commonly encountered in computer science departments. The talk can be tailored for academic or industrial audiences.
Recommended for Academic or Professional Audiences:Distance education is often touted as a way to lower costs and make education more accessable. Yet it is often claimed that distance education depersonalizes the teaching process. This talk, based on over 30 years of distance education experience, explores the benefits and drawbacks of distance education and recommends what to look for, what to avoid, and what to expect. As a rule, distance education works best for working professionals seeking graduate level education or supplementary knowledge. Yet, in the end, it is often a matter of personal preference and learning style.
Is software engineering a profession? Should software engineers be licensed? Is software engineering really a form of engineering, or is it computer science? Or is it something new and different? Who will decide these things? These and other questions are addressed in this presentation, which covers the issues surrounding software engineering's development as a professional computing discipline. The talk also covers the activities and plans of the various organizations involved with defining software engineering under sponsorship of ACM and the IEEE Computer Society.
Being first to market is a critical factor for business success. Yet we often hear complaints about the poor quality of software that was rushed in order to meet a deadline. This talk addresses methods of software cycle time improvement that can also improve quality and lower development cost. The methods are based on techniques widely practiced in other disciplines, such as continuous flow manufacturing and quantitative process management. When applied to software development, these techniques - often counterintuitive - are enabling leading-edge companies to produce high quality software quickly.
The Guide to the Software Engineering Body of Knowledge (SWEBOK) was developed in 1998-2001 to help identify what knowledge a practicing software engineer should possess. It was released for trial use in 2001. This talk discusses some initial applications and experiences with SWEBOK, namely to align a workforce development effort in a major commercial software development company and to improve masters level software engineering programs at two universities. The talk also describes an innovative education program that resulted from a collaborative effort between industry and academia, in which SWEBOK served as a mechanism for achieving common ground.