IEEE Computer Society Certified Software Development Professional IEEE CS CSDP overview and Discussi

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• IEEE Computer SocietyCertified Software
  DevelopmentProfessional (IEEE CS CSDP)
  overview and Discussion

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What is the IEEE Computer Society?

• The worlds oldest and largest association of
  computing professionals.
• Vision is to be the leading provider of
  technical information and services personalized
  for members of the worlds computing
  communities.
• IEEE CS is the largest society organized under
  the IEEE.

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What is the CSDP

• Certified Software Development Professional
• A certification, by the IEEE Computer Society,
  that an individual is a competent software
  development professional
• An examination used by the IEEE Computer Society
  as part of the certification process

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What CSDP is REALLY about?

• Harmonization of a global profession Software
  Engineering
• A profession, by its nature and by its act,
  evolves into a global enterprise
• Qualification of software engineers is a major
  concern - domestic or overseas

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Software Engineering is Becoming Recognized as an
Engineering Profession Internationally

• Licensing for software engineers is underway in
  Texas, British Columbia/Ontario, Canada and other
  countries.
• Rochester Institute of Technology granted the
  first Software Engineering bachelors degrees in
  2001. (Five years of study, including industry
  co-op work.)
• ABET now accredits software engineering programs
  in the US.

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Software Engineering is Becoming Recognized as as
Engineering Profession Internationally

• IEEE-CS/ACM Computing Curriculum 2001 is complete
  and includes a SW engineering component.
• A specialized curriculum for SW engineering
  underway
• IEEE-CS Software Engineering Body of Knowledge
  published in book form.
• Trial usage is underway leading to revision in
  about two years. Several USA universities are
  using it to rationalize curriculum.
• ACM/IEEE-CS Software Engineering Code of Ethics
  was completed in 1998.

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What is Certification?

• Formal recognition of demonstrated proficiency
  within and comprehension of a specified body of
  knowledge at a point in time.
• It is peer recognition and not registration or
  licensure.
• Registration listing by and with a body of
  individuals or organizations that are certified
• Licensure authorization granted by government
  body for an individual or organization to
  practice a business or occupation
• Certification is voluntary.

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A Certified Software Development Professional

• Possesses fundamental knowledge and understanding
  of computing principles and concepts and their
  application to the definition, design,
  construction, and testing of software.
• Is able to provide appropriate design with
  technical and economic tradeoffs of modules,
  subsystems, and systems in accordance with
  standards of practice, specifications, and
  principles of behavior of software as required to
  perform the functions as stated in the software
  requirements.
• Has met the IEEE CS CSDP education, experience,
  and examination requirements.

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Why Become Certified?

• Mark of Excellence demonstrates the certified
  individual has the knowledge to ensure that
  recognized principles and practices of software
  engineering are being used.
• Competition in the Marketplace companies and
  organizations need a work force proficient in
  principles and practices of software engineering
  that can work across borders.
• Recognition Customer confidence based on your
  evidence of qualifications and suitability for
  the task or project.

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Why Become Certified? (continued)

• Investment certification is an investment in
  your career and the future of your employer
• Continuous improvement to remain certified
  requires you to continue your education and
  involvement in software engineering-related work
  and activities.

Your skills remain current and your flexibility
to work on a variety of projects or for a variety
of companies improves.
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Can You Be Successful Without Becoming Certified?

• Perhaps
• An individual could be a great inventor or writer
  without a formal education, if properly motivated
  and recognized.
• Certification is not a guarantee, but rather an
  indicator that can motivate and that serves as a
  form of recognition.

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Collateral Project Guide to SW Engineering
Body of Knowledge(SWEBOK Guide)

• Project sponsor IEEE Computer Society
  (1998-2001)
• Corporate sponsors ACM, Boeing, CCPE, Construx
  Software, MITRE, NIST, National Research Council
  Canada, Rational, Raytheon, SAP Labs
• Review process three review cycles with over
  500 participants from 41 countries produced
  nearly 10, 000 comments. All comments and their
  associated dispositions are available at
  www.swebok.org

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SWEBOK Guide Objectives

• Characterize the contents of the Body of
  Knowledge
• Provide a topical access structure
• Promote a consistent view of software engineering
  worldwide
• Clarify the place of, and set the boundary with
  respect to other disciplines
• Provide a foundation for education and licensing

http//www.swebok.org
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Coordinated Projects

• In Computer Society
• Certified Software Development Professional
  examination development and maintenance
• Distance Learning curriculum for software
  engineering
• CCSE curriculum project
• Software engineering standards
• IEEE collection
• Harmonization with ISO/IEC collection
• IEEE CS Press book series on SWE Standards
• Software Engineering Portal
• Elsewhere
• Translations into other languages (e.g. Japanese,
  Chinese, Spanish, French)
• Adoptions by other organizations (e.g. ISO/IEC
  JTC1/SC7)

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Changes in the 2004 Version of the SWEBOK Guide

• Overall goal was to improve readability,
  consistency, and usability.
• Improved consistency of writing style.
• Some topical breakdowns were rebalanced (but
  retained same information).
• Updated reference lists in some KAs.
• Trial usage resulted in the recommendation that
  three Knowledge Areas should be rewritten.
• Practitioners remarked that the Construction KA
  was difficult to apply in a practical context.
• The Management KA was perceived as being too
  close to general management and not sufficiently
  specific to software concerns.
• The Quality KA was viewed as an uncomfortable mix
  of process quality and product quality it was
  revised to emphasize the latter.
• Finally, some KAs were revised to remove material
  duplicating that of other KAs.
• 2004 Version now available at SWEBOK.org

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Software Engineering as a Profession A Model
Individual Engineers Development
Infrastructure Support for the Profession
Professional Societies
Initial professional education
Accreditation and Curriculum
Professional development programs
Skills Development
and others
CSDP
One or both
Certification
Licensing
Professional development programs
Adapted from Steve McConnell, After the Gold
Rush, Microsoft Press, 1999, p. 93
Full Professional Status
Code of ethics
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Background Requirements for CSDP Certification

• Education
• Baccalaureate or equivalent university degree
• Experience
• 9,000 hours of experience (teaching, research, or
  practice) in 6 of the 11 software engineering
  knowledge areas listed in the brochure
• Proof of Professionalism
• Review and acknowledge the Software Engineering
  Code of Ethics and Professional Practice

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Examination for CSDP Certification

• Written Examination
• Four hours long
• Multiple-choice questions selected from a pool of
  questions across each of the knowledge areas
• Total of 180 questions on the examination
• Closed book, calculators provided
• Computer-based test

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Preparation for the Examination

• Depends on level of expertise in areas covered by
  Body of Knowledge
• Focus on areas needing the most review
• Study from the suggested reference material (see
  end of this presentation)
• Unless your background covers most of the Body of
  Knowledge, allow three months of 2-4 hours a week
  for study

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Software Engineering Overview Preparing for the
IEEE CSDP Exam

• New distance learning course
• Provides 10 modules of content for a total of 16
  hours of learning
• Four months of 24x7 access
• Developed with KnowledgeNet/NETg
• Enroll at http//computer.org/certification/distan
  celearning

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Passing Score

• 180 questions are translated into a scale score
  that ranges from 120 to 200
• A passing score is 170
• The passing score was determined by a systematic
  procedure, based on the involvement judgment of
  these groups
• IEEE CS members panel
• CGI (Chauncey Group)
• IEEE CS Certification Committee

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Test Schedule and Fees

• 2006 Testing Windows
• 1 April 30 June
• Application Deadline 1 April
• 1 September 30 October
• Application deadline 1 September 2004
• Member 450, Non-member 550

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Testing Locations
CSDP is given at Prometric Testing Centers
throughout the US and Canada and in select cities
in

• Asia
• China
• India
• Japan
• Europe
• Armenia
• Bulgaria
• Croatia
• Finland
• France
• Georgia
• Germany
• Greece
• Hungary

• United Kingdom
• Uzbekistan
• The Americas
• Argentina
• Bolivia
• Brasil
• Chile
• Colombia
• Dominican Republic
• Guatemala
• Mexico
• Panama
• Peru
• Puerto Rico (Guaynabo)
• Venezuela

• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Kazakhstan
• Lithuania
• Netherlands
• Portugal
• Romania
• Russia
• Spain
• Switzerland
• Turkey
• Ukraine

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IEEE CS CSDP Distribution of Questions Per
Knowledge Area
Knowledge Area ( of questions on exam)

• Business Practices / Engineering Economics (3-4)
• Software Requirements (13-15)
• Software Design (22-24)
• Software Construction (10-12)
• Software Testing (15-17)
• Software Maintenance (3-5)
• Software Configuration Management (3-4)
• Software Engineering Management (10-12)
• Software Engineering Process (2-4)
• Software Tools and Methods (2-4)
• Software Quality (6-8)

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Follow-up Activities

• Responsibilities of CSDP holder
• Signed statement to acknowledge review of the
  Software Engineering Code of Ethics and
  Professional Practice
• Meaning of Certificate
• IEEE CS certification is not a license

Certification lasts for 3 years
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Re-certification

• Every 3 years
• Requires 30 re-certification credits
• Pay fee
• No re-exam required if you re-certify within 3
  years
• Re-certification Credits (summary)
• 3 credits/year for employment in SW engineering
• 2 credits/semester hour for graduate courses
• 5-10 credits for publishing a paper in the field
• 0.3 credits/hour for preparing/giving a
  presentation
• 3-5 credits for professional committee membership
  (NOT just for membership in a professional
  society)
• Also self-study, writing questions for CSDP exam,
  etc.

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Who to Contact For Information

• Stacy Saul, Continuing Education Coordinator
• IEEE Computer Society1730 Massachusetts Ave.,
  NWWashington, DC 20036-1992 USA
• Voice 1-202-371-0101
• Fax [phone]
• E-mail address certification_at_computer.org
• URL http//computer.org/certification

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Questions?