Software engineering The systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, through the medium of sound engineering principles, to the production of computer programs, and to the requirements definition, functional specification, design description, program implementation, and test methods that lead up to this code. software engineering ( ′söf′wer ′enjə′niriŋ ) ( computer science ) The systematic application of scientific and technological knowledge, through the definitionengineeringreferencesoftware in About Technology > About Roles & Taskswith engineeringprogrammingsw