A good workshop for any craftsperson—a mechanic, a carpenter, or a software engineer— has three primary characteristics: (1) a collection ...
A good workshop for any craftsperson—a mechanic, a carpenter, or a software engineer— has three primary characteristics: (1) a collection of useful tools that will help in every step of building a product, (2) an organized layout that enables tools to be found quickly and used efficiently, and (3) a skilled artisan who understands how to use the tools in an effective manner. Software engineers now recognize that they need more and varied tools along with an organized and efficient workshop in which to place the tools.
The workshop for software engineering has been called an integrated project suppor environment and the tools that fill the workshop are collectively called computer-aided software engineering.
CASE provides the software engineer with the ability to automate manual activities and to improve engineering insight. Like computer-aided engineering and design tools that are used by engineers in other disciplines, CASE tools help to ensure that quality is designed in before the product is built.
