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There are following seven steps of program solving methodology:
1. Problem Definition: Computer programs are written to solve problems posed by humankind. Prior to writing a program, one has to understand a description of the problem to solve. This description may be very precise or vague, but nevertheless, it is necessary /present. Once programmer is sure of what the problem entails, he must write down a list of specifications. Specifications are precise definitons of what the program must do.
2. Problem Analysis: In this step, the problem has to be fragmented into smaller and manageble parts. The original problem has to be analyzed and divided into a number of sub-problems as these sub-problems are easier to solve and their solutions would become the components of the final problem. Each sub-problem is divided into further smaller ones and this fragmentation has to be continued to achieve simple solutions. The use of modular programming is to get proper solution.
3. Designing the Problem : Designing the problem can be expressed in the form of:
(i) Algorithm
(ii) Flowchart
(i) Algorithm: An algorithm is a set of instructions that describe a method for solving a problem. It is normally given in mixture of computer code and English Language. This is often called “Pseudocode”.
(ii) Flowchart : The algorithm is represented in the form of a diagram with action boxes linked by lines showing the order in which they are executed. This is known as ‘the flow of control’. It is the diagrammatic representation of an algorithm.
4. Coding : The process of translating the algorithm into syntax of a given language is known as ‘coding’. Since algorithm cannot be executed directly by the computer, it has to be translated into a programming language.
5. Program Testing and Debugging : Program testing means running the program, executing all its instructions and testing the logic by entering sample data in order to check the output. Debugging is the process of finding and correcting the errors in the program code.
6. Documentation : The documentation includes the problem definition, design documents, a description of the test perform, a history of the program development and its different versions and a user’s manual. Such a manual is designed for a native user and illustrates the preparation of input data, running the program and obtaining and interpreting the results.
7. Program Maintenance : It is not directly part of the original implementation process, but needs special emphasis. All activities that occur after a program operation are part of the program maintenance. Many large programs have long life span that often exceed the lifetime of the hardware they run on. Maintenance is an important part of the life cycle of a program.