COMP2012 Software Engineering Group Project

Basic Information

Description

Aims

• To give students experience of working in a team and of the problems of communication and scale in software engineering.
• To consolidate and integrate the techniques and concepts introduced in earlier courses.
• To demonstrate the need for a professional approach to all aspects of software development.

Learning Outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

1. The professional development of a prototype software system from defined requirements
2. The selection and use of appropriate programing languages and software development tools for a software project.
3. Planning and execution of a professional user acceptance test schedule
4. Realistic estimates of the cost in time and effort required for a project of up to 20 KLOC
5. teamwork and time management

Intellectual Skills

Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:

1. Appreciate the difficulties of professional software development.
2. Appreciate the value and limitations of software tools in all phases of a software development.
3. Appreciate the interdependence and conflict inherent in a group project

Practical Skills

Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:

1. develop, deliver and test a significant prototype software system
2. "pick up" and use new software tools and environments without formal training

General Transferable (key) Skills

Having successfully completed the module, you will be able to:

1. handle some of the conflict inherent in a group project
2. make critical judgements of their own and other peoples work
3. take responsibility for scheduling and running group meetings

Topics Covered

There is a little formal teaching on the unit. Students will exercise and develop skills in the following areas:

• software production methodology, design, implementation and testing
• the value and limitations of software tools in all phases of a software development
• teamwork and time management
• abilities to "pick up" and use new tools and environments without formal training
• planning and execution of a professional user acceptance test schedule
• realistic estimates of the cost in time and effort required for a project of up to 20 KLOC
• responsibility for scheduling and running group meetings

Teaching and learning activities

Teaching methods include

• Self-directed learning
• Facilitated group work
• A small number of lectures, including guest lectures

Learning activities include

1. Scheduled progress report meetings with group supervisor, subject to formal agenda.
2. Informal group meetings to deal with technical and other aspects of the project.
3. Development of prototype software from defined requirements, subject to a documented disciplined development process.

Resources

Background Resources

• Lethbridge T, Laganiere R, Object-Oriented Software Engineering (2nd ed) , McGraw Hill 2005. ISBN 0-07-710908-2 [Library] [Shops]
• Sommerville I, Software Engineering (8th Edition) , Addison-Wesley 2007. ISBN 0-321-31379-8 [Library] [Shops]
• Fowler M and Scott K, UML Distilled, Addison-Wesley 1997. [Library] [Shops]

Notes

Assessment Procedures

Examination regulations obviously insist that individual marks be returned for each person taking the course, even though only one piece of assessed work is available from each group of students. To achieve this, each student is awarded a mark on the basis:

mark = group mark plus personal adjustment

The individual personal adjustments are usually small (less than 20%) in comparison to the group mark, and within each group, it is arranged that the personal adjustments normally sum to zero.

Marks are awarded for various activities within the project and deliverable items such as design documents, programs, and test reports produced by the groups (about 10 items in all) to generate the group mark.

At the end of the project each group will submit if possible an agreed mark distribution profile for the work done during the phase. This distribution serves as a recommendation to the course leader. If a group is unable to agree the mark distribution then each member will be asked to submit their own suggested distribution along with their log books to the course leader whose decision is final.