Review By: Kerry Zallar
09/17/2003The title appropriately describes this book’s content. It begins by providing an overview of those components that make up Web systems. It then describes in detail the Requirement-Service Interface (RSI) model with use cases for designing and engineering Web systems. The focus early in the book is to correctly identify user functionality, user interface, and system requirements in a framework that can be used for building and testing Web systems.

The book then provides details on those areas that are especially important to Web systems, including security, performance, scalability, compatibility, and usability. In each of these areas, an overview is provided describing their importance and associated risks. Detailed recommendations are provided on how to engineer Web systems to meet the requirements for each of these important areas as well as insight on where common problems occur. Suggestions are provided not only on how to engineer Web systems to meet these requirements, but also on how to test them. Examples are provided at the end of most chapters by referencing a Technology Bookstore case study.

Also, many references to Web addresses are documented throughout the book within their appropriate chapters. A chapter on tools is left until the end, and the appendix contains a thorough comparison of five major tool vendor products. Also in the appendix is a concise checklist that summarizes the key points and recommendations made in all the chapters that can be used as a reference while designing, building, and testing Web systems.

This book provides a very good overview of Web technology that management can understand, addresses in detail the most important areas of concern about Web systems, and keeps a constant focus on quality throughout the book.

The authors describe and promote the use of the Requirement-Service Interface (RSI) model with use cases. Those new to use cases may need to review this more than once to understand it well. The important point emphasized here is correctly identifying and reviewing early in the lifecycle what should be built; i.e., building the right thing. While this is good, the authors do not make recommendations to other approaches for requirements and design. The authors wrote about those areas of most concern regarding Web systems, including security, performance, scalability, compatibility, and usability, in a very readable and balanced approach. After providing well-written overviews, they identify many important details useful to the practitioner. The book provides a springboard to other books and resources that specialize in each of these areas.

The authors intended the book to also be used for reference. Many references and Web links are provided in each of the chapters, and the summarized checklist of the book’s key points in the appendix is quite useful. The case study is also helpful in encouraging the reader to practice what is being taught. The emphasis on building Web systems correctly up front, with specific advice on how to detect problems in testing, does a good job of covering the subject of quality with regard to Web systems.