Step 1 Problem analysis. The context of the proposed investigation must be es- tablished to provide the proper motivation for the d esign of a computer program. The designer must fully recognize the need and must develop an understanding of the nature of the problem to be solved. Step 2 Problem statement. Develop a detailed statement of the mathematical problem to be solved with a computer program. Step 3 Processing scheme. Define the inputs required and the outputs to be pro- duced by the p rogram. Step 4 Algorithm. Design the step-by-step procedure in a top-down process that decomposes the overall problem into subordinate problems. The subtasks to solve the latter are refined by designing an itemized list of steps to be programmed. This list o f tasks is the structure plan and is written in pseudo- code (i.e., a combination of English, mathematics, and anticipated MATLAB commands). The goal is a plan that is understandable and easily translated into a computer language. Step 5 Program algorithm. Translate or convert the algorithm into a computer language (e.g., MATLAB) and debug the syntax errors until the tool executes successfully. Step 6 Evaluation. Test all of the options and conduct a validation study of the program. For example, compare results with other programs that do similar tasks, compare with experimental data if appropriate, and compare