focus Educating Software Professionals Developing Software Engineers at the C-130J Software Factory

• Main Author: Richard Conn
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Subjects: Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.1037.1198; http://www.sigada.org/conf/sigada2002/SIGAda2002-CDROM/SIGAda2002-Proceedings/Conn-presentation/ieee_software/article.pdf

0 7 4 0 -7 4 5 9 / 0 2 / $ 1 7 . 0 0 © 2 0 0 2 I E E E S e p t e m b e r / O c t o b e r 2 0 0 2 I E E E S O F T W A R E 1 Sun workstations and PCs networked to Web servers, a configuration management server, an aircraft simulator implemented in software, and laboratories comprised of the aircraft's hardware mounted in equipment racks for easy access. A Web-based digital nervous system 2 supports software engineering activities including data collection and metrics generation for software product and process evaluation. This IPT has educational needs as diverse as the roles of the C-130J aircraft. IPT activities cover many software development domains that address corporate, Federal Aviation Administration, and national and international military and civilian requirements. Many new hires, however, lack preparation for this environment. This article discusses the IPT's diverse education and training needs, focusing on how to address shortfalls in conventional computer science and engineering education that result in mismatched expectations between the new hire and the company. The C-130J Airlifter and its software factory To appreciate this article's perspective, it's essential to understand the product we create. Lockheed Martin rolled out the first production C-130 aircraft on 10 March 1955. Since then, Lockheed Martin has built more than 2,100 C-130s, and over 60 nations worldwide fly them in dozens of variations. C-130 aircraft I Carry troops, vehicles, and armaments into battle I Drop paratroopers and supplies from the sky I Serve as airborne and ground refuelers I Serve as flying hospitals and hurricane hunters I Provide emergency evacuation and humanitarian relief I Perform airborne early warning and maritime surveillance I Operate in extreme conditions, from the Sahara deserts to the ice of Antarctica I Have helped recover space capsules