This text provides a firm foundation in the knowledge, skills and techniques needed to develop and produce real-time, and in particular, embedded systems. It provides the arguments, examples, techniques and methodologies to demonstrate that the discipline of software engineering has much to offer the developer of real-time software.   Written in an accessible style and complemented by numerous diagrams, it guides the reader through the steps of a total design approach: from initial definition of the task, through fundamentals of analysis, specification and design, to design methods and development tools, and finally documentation procedures.   The comprehensive coverage and real-world perspective makes the book accessible and appealing to both beginners and experienced designers.