Software Engineering principles and
concepts Final Exam questions and answers
2025/2026
1.DARS - answerDecision Analysis and Resolution Process. Is a well defined process to analyze possible
decisions using formal evaluation process, it involves identifying criteria and evaluate alternatives. It
helps to make decision objectively.
Steps to apply DARS - answer1. Draft decision statement
Define the decision we are trying to make, what do we want to accomplish and what questions we will
ask
2. Establish decision objectives
Establish how much time do we have to make de decision, what resources are available.
3. Classify objectives
Identify required and desired objectives.
4. Value the desired objectives
Rank desired objectives in a 1 to 10 scale
5. Identify alternatives
6. Test alternatives against required objectives
Make sure the alternatives identified meet the required objectives, otherwise disregard them
7. Score alternatives against desired objectives
Evaluate the remaining alternatives against the desired objectives and set a score that will show how
well this alternative satisfy our desired objectives
8. Calculate a value score
For each of the alternatives calculate the weight of the alternatives x value of the criteria
9. Total value score
Sum of weights x values
10. Consider risks of selected alternatives
11. Make the decision
, 2.What other approaches to make decisions exist besides DARS? - answerDirective Approach: A leader
makes the decision alone
Consultative Approach: A leader makes the decision with the advise from other people
Democratic Approach: Some key team members vote for the best decision
Consensus Approach: Everybody participates in the decision
3.What is a defect? - answerAny flaw in the specification, design or implementation of a product.
4.What is root cause analysis? - answerIs group reasoning process applied to defect information to
develop organizational understanding of the causes of a particular class of defects. A group of people
analyze a group of defects to try to understand the causes of these defect.
5.What are the steps to perform a root cause analysis? - answer1. Select the defects that will be analyse
by the team and define the goals for the root cause analysis activities
2. Team hold a meeting to identify common root causes, common problems. Techniques such as
Fishbone diagram are used in this phase to support the analysis.
3. From the common root causes identified in the previous meeting, the team select the ones that they
will be addressing. The root causes selected will be usually the ones that cause a lot of the defects.
4. Develop and evaluate proposed solutions to eliminte defect root causes
5. Implement solutions and evaluate the results
6.What are the different categories of defects and how can we avoid those defects? -
answerCommunicative failure
Missing or incomplete information
Establish liaison between groups, better processes and better documentation
Oversight failure
Did not consider all the variables and left out important things
We do checklists, automated checking, work product templates and reviews
Education or lack of thereof
Lack of understanding
Training and staff-ins
concepts Final Exam questions and answers
2025/2026
1.DARS - answerDecision Analysis and Resolution Process. Is a well defined process to analyze possible
decisions using formal evaluation process, it involves identifying criteria and evaluate alternatives. It
helps to make decision objectively.
Steps to apply DARS - answer1. Draft decision statement
Define the decision we are trying to make, what do we want to accomplish and what questions we will
ask
2. Establish decision objectives
Establish how much time do we have to make de decision, what resources are available.
3. Classify objectives
Identify required and desired objectives.
4. Value the desired objectives
Rank desired objectives in a 1 to 10 scale
5. Identify alternatives
6. Test alternatives against required objectives
Make sure the alternatives identified meet the required objectives, otherwise disregard them
7. Score alternatives against desired objectives
Evaluate the remaining alternatives against the desired objectives and set a score that will show how
well this alternative satisfy our desired objectives
8. Calculate a value score
For each of the alternatives calculate the weight of the alternatives x value of the criteria
9. Total value score
Sum of weights x values
10. Consider risks of selected alternatives
11. Make the decision
, 2.What other approaches to make decisions exist besides DARS? - answerDirective Approach: A leader
makes the decision alone
Consultative Approach: A leader makes the decision with the advise from other people
Democratic Approach: Some key team members vote for the best decision
Consensus Approach: Everybody participates in the decision
3.What is a defect? - answerAny flaw in the specification, design or implementation of a product.
4.What is root cause analysis? - answerIs group reasoning process applied to defect information to
develop organizational understanding of the causes of a particular class of defects. A group of people
analyze a group of defects to try to understand the causes of these defect.
5.What are the steps to perform a root cause analysis? - answer1. Select the defects that will be analyse
by the team and define the goals for the root cause analysis activities
2. Team hold a meeting to identify common root causes, common problems. Techniques such as
Fishbone diagram are used in this phase to support the analysis.
3. From the common root causes identified in the previous meeting, the team select the ones that they
will be addressing. The root causes selected will be usually the ones that cause a lot of the defects.
4. Develop and evaluate proposed solutions to eliminte defect root causes
5. Implement solutions and evaluate the results
6.What are the different categories of defects and how can we avoid those defects? -
answerCommunicative failure
Missing or incomplete information
Establish liaison between groups, better processes and better documentation
Oversight failure
Did not consider all the variables and left out important things
We do checklists, automated checking, work product templates and reviews
Education or lack of thereof
Lack of understanding
Training and staff-ins
