3 june 20031 project skills module msc computing and msc it school of computing tuesday 3 june 2003...

3 June 2003 1

Project Skills Module

MSc Computing and MSc IT

School of Computing

Tuesday 3 June 2003

© De Montfort University 2002

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Module Aims

• To determine good project management methods

• To provide guidance in good project practice

• To introduce a range of key assessment and application skills

• To appreciate the main differences between undergraduate and postgraduate projects


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Lecture Topics• Tuesday

– Terms of Reference – Product and Academic Objectives– Project Assessment– Contracts, Ethics and Critical Review

• Thursday– The Dissertation and Appendices– Reference Citations– The Demonstration– Interviewing Techniques


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What is a Project?

• A learning experience of value to careers

• Something to be assessed and passed

• Combines skills and knowledge of modules

• A piece of work with described deliverable

• Will be Software Development or Research

• Required by external certification bodies


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Terms of Reference• Sections:

– Your Name and Course– Client/Proposer and Supervisor– Project Background– Objectives– Academic links– Software/Hardware requirements– Resources/Constraints/Sources/Activities– Hand in date/Signatures/Contract


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Product Objectives

• The main deliverables of the project meeting the requirements of the proposer and as you specified in the Terms of Reference

• Typical deliverables– User or functional specification– Working and tested programmes– User Manual– Feasibility Study


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Academic Objectives

• Something new and may relate to areas of interest not fully covered by the modules

• The topic must be capable of precise specification and measurement

• The link between your academic objectives and the product must be clear

• For example - A critical evaluation of the methodology used


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Project Assessment

• A formulaic approach is not used at Masters level

• Assessors independently provide an overall project mark

• All available evidence will be considered

• Moderation meetings will comprise course management team, project co-ordinator and first supervisors


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Assessment Aspects

• Quality of products and Task Complexity

• Systems Design and/or Critical Analysis

• Dissertation

• Demonstration/Viva

• Oral Presentation/Viva

• Management

See Staff and Student Project Guide for details of mark analysis


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Project Contract

• At the Terms of Reference stage you must sign the Project Contract Form. This can be found on the web site at:

www.cse.dmu.ac.uk/~rij

• The signed form must be submitted to the first supervisor and must be included in the project dissertation.


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Ethical Review• University Policy regarding the protection of

individuals who are the subjects of research

• The project may impinge on the confidentiality, privacy, convenience and safety of others.

• We are required to ensure that participants:– be fully informed– volunteer without inducement– free to opt out at any time (section 2.5 of Guide)


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Ethical Review (2)

• The project might involve:– Gathering information by interviewing,

surveys, observation or questionnaires– Using archived data in which individuals are

identifiable– Researching into areas that are at the margins of

the law or risk injury


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Ethical Review (3)

• Process– Complete a form comprising checklist of

ethical issues– Present to your supervisor who will authorise

first 3 outcomes– The fourth outcome is reported to the Faculty

Human Resources Committee for resolution– Sign and give copy to supervisor (+1 in report)


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Critical Review• Projects must exhibit evidence of a thoughtful

investigation of the problem/opportunity

• Any statements made must be justified or referred to another text

• Software development projects must provide thorough testing and analysis of results

• Research projects must show a critical analysis of the approach taken


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Project Skills Module

MSc Computing and MSc IT

School of Computing

Thursday 5 June 2003


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Indicative Timetable• Project Skills sessions May/June• Project details issued towards the end of the

teaching period• Project Co-ordinator allocates projects and

supervisors. Begin preparatory work• Terms of Reference to Supervisor before the

end of the semester• Mid June - full time work on the project


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Estimating

• Yeates– Feasibility Study/Analysis/Design 45%– Programming/Testing/Install 55%

• Grady– Investigation/Specification/Design 35%– Programming/Testing 30%– Implement 35%

• Yourdon– Survey/Analysis 40%– Design/Implementation/Other 60%


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Working on the Project

• Terms of Reference

• Literature Survey or Fact Finding – identifying gaps or defining the requirements

• Fact Analysis – solving identified problem or a requirements

specification

• Implementation– always over estimate time needed


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Report Content

• Evidence of Research and Critical Analysis

• Structure and Readability

• Abstract

• Quoting References

• Acknowledgements

• Dissertation style and presentation

• Copyright © De Montfort University 2002

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Dissertation Style

• Your report will comprise 3 distinct sections:– The Abstract– The Dissertation– The Appendices

• The Abstract (page 16)– 250 words summarising project objectives, methods

and primary achievements– Name, Title, Supervisor, proposer– Will the report attract a researcher’s interest?


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The Dissertation• Typed, 1.5 or double spaced, between 20 and 25

pages and 40mm margins (left and bottom) 15mm margins (right and top)

• Sections– Front Page– Title Page– Acknowledgements– Contents Page– Lists (Diagrams, Figures, Acronyms)


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The Dissertation (2)

• More Sections– Abstract– Introduction– Main Body– Academic Objectives– Conclusions and Recommendations– References– Back Cover


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The Appendices

• May be bound separately– Terms of Reference– Plans and Progress Forms– Design documents– User Manual– Test plan and logs– Requirements documents

• Presentation Check List © De Montfort University 2002

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The Demonstration

• Your opportunity to show (and sell) your product and to prove that your prototype does what you said it would in the Terms of Reference.

• Two Views:– User - features and functionality– Technical - design and coding

• Audience and time allowed © De Montfort University 2002

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The Demonstration

• Good practice– Arrive early– Make a checklist– Do a run through– Relax and be confident– Prepare a demonstration plan– Decide on the structure

• Remember 30 minutes max to complete one of the assessment headings


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Must Do

• Plan the venue

• Rehearse the approach

• Decide what data to use

• Think about possible questions

• Find out who the 2nd marker is

• Have a back up plan

• Bring your disks to the demo.


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Don’t Do

• Say your disks were stolen whilst in Tesco

• Load the software during the demo. time

• Ask for an extension that morning

• Over run 30 minutes

• Wear anything unfashionable

• Complete in under 5 minutes


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A Few Hints

• Be an hour early

• Get the introduction right - if you were listening for the first time …

• State the rules

• Say you are going to work through a typical scenario faced by a member of staff

• Decide whether to use handouts

• Conclude correctly


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Reference Citations

• Within your text– Maron (1987) suggests that this is incorrect– It has been suggested that this in incorrect

(Maron, 1987)

• In the References– List in alphabetical order of surname and

chronologically for the same author. (a,b,c ..)

• This is the Harvard System © De Montfort University 2002

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Interviewing Techniques

• Preparation– Research organisation and product/service– What, Why, When, Who and How– Keep questions simple and in a logical order– Right question to right person– No statements and write brief answers down– Determine meeting time, place and name– Arrive on time


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Interviewing Techniques (2)

• During– Opening discussion, setting scene– Small points but important– Keep to script and no jumping to conclusions or

completing sentences, stay in control– Try not to debate the point (yet)– No rude or emotive language– Do not try to read upside down


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Interviewing Techniques (3)

• Closing– Summarise– Seek agreement to see staff, make notes– May see interviewee again– Offer to provide a written summary of interview– Collect specimens of documents obtained


3 june 20031 project skills module msc computing and msc it school of computing tuesday 3 june 2003...

Documents

montfort university

project dissertation

project coordinator

overall project

project contract form

good project practice

student project guide

product objectives