In software development, there are a tremendous number of tasks to be completed. One way to prioritise is to analyse what you need to make a 'complete' product and working on those priority tasks first. The general idea is that it is better to have at least something in regard to all software features, rather than one really good thing, and nothing else (which likely means the software is incomplete). However, this concept is not universally true.
Consider data structures and the information they hold. To what extent is incorrect data worse than no data at all? Moreover, what is the best way to handle each circumstance of this, when designing a system? Your task, in this Hand-In Assignment is to explore the circumstances of these questions and make recommendations based on your answers.
To prepare for this Assignment:
- Review your Weekly Learning Resources with a focus on data structures.
- Identify situations where no data would be preferable to incorrect data.
- Reflect on the consequences of incorrect data in your identified situations.
- Reflect on potential solutions to each identified situation.
- Research examples of consequences and solutions for your identified situations.
To complete this Assignment:
Submit a 2-3 paragraph paper in which you address the following:
- Analyse the situations where no data would be preferable to incorrect data.
- Explain why no data would be preferable to incorrect data in your identified situations.
- Provide examples of the consequences of incorrect data.
- Recommend solutions for handling each identified situation when designing a system.
- Explain how these solutions would remedy your situations.
- Provide examples of software developments where these remedies were, or could have been, applicable.
- Fully state and justify any choices, assumptions or claims that you make using the suggested Learning Resources for this Week and/or your own research.
Your document should have 2-3 paragraphs (not including the list of works cited), but it is the quality of the answer that matters, not the number of words. Cite and reference all sources use the Harvard Liverpool Referencing System.