In the context of software development, what is the primary role of 'system engineering'?

The primary role of system engineering in software development involves defining component specifications and establishing the overall software architecture. This is crucial because it encompasses the high-level organization of the system, such as how different components will interact, the data flow, and the technical constraints that must be adhered to.

By defining these specifications, system engineers ensure that the software is built on a solid foundation, which supports all subsequent phases of development, including implementation, testing, and maintenance. This architectural work lays out a blueprint that guides developers and helps in making design choices that align with both functional and non-functional requirements.

In contrast, understanding user behavior and optimizing interfaces primarily falls under user experience (UX) design rather than system engineering. The adherence to coding standards is typically managed by quality assurance teams or development leads focused on code quality. Evaluating system performance post-deployment is more aligned with operations or performance engineering, where the emphasis is on monitoring and improving the system in a live environment. Thus, defining specifications and architecture is a cornerstone of system engineering's role in the software development life cycle.