Q5 Principles of Software Design

What does it mean to 'keep the level of abstraction as high as possible' in software design?

• Emphasize the use of multiple design patterns.

• Focus on the high-level functionality rather than the implementation details.

• Focus solely on implementation details.

• Use only high-level programming constructs.

Answer explanation

To 'keep the level of abstraction as high as possible' means to focus on high-level functionality (B) rather than getting bogged down in implementation details, allowing for better understanding and flexibility in design.

Which principle is concerned with ensuring that components or modules can be reused across different projects?

• Increase reusability

• Enhance modularity

• Minimize dependencies

• Focus on scalability

Answer explanation

The principle of increasing reusability focuses on designing components or modules that can be easily used in multiple projects, enhancing efficiency and reducing redundancy. Thus, the correct choice is B) Increase reusability.

Reusing existing designs and code is part of which principle?

• B) Reuse existing designs

• Design for security

• Design for scalability

• Design for usability

Answer explanation

Reusing existing designs and code directly aligns with the principle of 'Reuse existing designs', making it the correct choice. This principle emphasizes efficiency and consistency in design.

What does 'promote cohesion' mean in software design?

• Ensure that modules are overly simplistic

• Ensure that modules are highly related and focused

• Ensure that modules are only focused on one task

• ) Ensure that modules are dependent

Answer explanation

'Promote cohesion' in software design means ensuring that modules are highly related and focused on specific tasks. This enhances maintainability and clarity, making option B the correct choice.

Which principle focuses on minimizing the impact of changes in software?

• Design for simplicity

• A) Design for flexibility

• Design for performance

• Design for scalability

Answer explanation

The principle 'Design for flexibility' emphasizes creating software that can easily adapt to changes, thereby minimizing the impact of those changes. This makes it the correct choice for the question.

What is the purpose of 'design defensively'?

• To anticipate potential errors and handle them gracefully

• To increase the complexity of the system

• To avoid using design patterns

• To create software that is difficult to use

Answer explanation

The purpose of 'design defensively' is to anticipate potential errors and handle them gracefully, ensuring that the software remains robust and user-friendly. This aligns with choice B, while the other options do not reflect this principle.

What is the effect of high coupling between modules in software design?

• A) It makes the system easier to maintain

• B) It increases the risk of changes affecting multiple modules

• C) It promotes better code reuse

• D) It simplifies the overall architecture

Which type of cohesion is characterized by components that are grouped together because they operate on the same data?

• A) Temporal cohesion

• B) Procedural cohesion

• C) Communicational cohesion

• D) Sequential cohesion

What is the primary goal of achieving low coupling in software systems?

• A) To ensure that modules are highly dependent on each other

• B) To facilitate easier testing and maintenance

• C) To increase the complexity of the system

• D) To promote redundancy in code

Which type of cohesion is achieved when a module performs a single, well-defined task?

• • Functional cohesion

• • Temporal cohesion

• • Coincidental cohesion

• Logical cohesion