Print View: INFS7906 - Sem 1 2008 - St Lucia

2. Aims, Objectives & Graduate Attributes

2.1 Course Aims

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to problems, issues, solutions, methodologies and tools in the area of software project management: the business of getting large software systems built, on-time, within budget and with reasonable correctness.

2.2 Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

1  Be able to design and document a significant software project.
2  Be able to apply previous software development experience to build a software system according to client requirements and project deadlines.
3  Be able to investigate and overcome challenges associated with the implementation of new technologies.
4  Be able to recognise the critical importance of the field of project management in the development of a software system, and identify and describe key influences.
5  Be able to describe, analyse and compare a variety of software engineering management tools, approaches and techniques.
6  Know how to critique strategies and processes of software engineering management.
7  Be able to apply project scheduling strategies using a scheduling tool.
8  Understand and be able to describe the fundamental concepts and theories behind Project Management.
9  Be able to demonstrate investigative (research) skills in the software development process.
10  Understand what is required to work successfully in a team environment.
11  Be able to reflect on the processes and methods used by the teams and evaluate their effectiveness.
12  Be prepared for the transition to an IT working environment.

2.3. Graduate Attributes

Successfully completing this course will contribute to the recognition of your attainment of the following UQ (Postgrad Coursework) graduate attributes:

GRADUATE ATTRIBUTE	LEARNING OBJECTIVES
*A. IN-DEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE FIELD OF STUDY*
A2. A broad understanding of the field of study, including how other disciplines relate to the field of study.	1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
A3. A comprehensive and in-depth knowledge in the field of study.
A5. An international perspective on the field of study.
A7. An appreciation of the link between theory and practice.
*B. EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION*
B1. The ability to collect, analyse and organise information and ideas and to convey those ideas clearly and fluently, in both written and spoken forms.	1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12
B2. The ability to interact effectively with others in order to work towards a common outcome.	1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12
B3. The ability to select and use the appropriate level, style and means of communication.	1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 12
B4. The ability to engage effectively and appropriately with information and communication technologies.	1, 2, 6, 10, 12
B5. The ability to practise as part of an interdisciplinary team.
*C. INDEPENDENCE AND CREATIVITY*
C2. The ability to work and learn independently and effectively.	1, 2, 3, 8, 9, 12
C3. The ability to generate ideas and adapt innovatively to changing environments.	1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12
C5. The ability to formulate and investigate problems, create solutions, innovate and improve current practices.	1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
C6. The abilities and skills that provide a foundation for future leadership roles.	4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12
*D. CRITICAL JUDGEMENT*
D2. The ability to apply critical reasoning to issues through independent thought and informed judgement.	1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 12
D4. The ability to process material and to critically analyse and integrate information from a wide range of sources.	1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 12
D5. The ability to evaluate opinions, make decisions and to reflect critically on the justifications for decisions using an evidence-based approach.	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12
*E. ETHICAL AND SOCIAL UNDERSTANDING*
E1. An understanding of social and civic responsibility.	4, 8, 10, 11, 12
E3. An appreciation of the philosophical and social contexts of a discipline.
E4. A knowledge and respect of ethics and ethical standards in relation to a major area of study.	3, 4, 10, 11, 12
E5. A knowledge of other cultures and times and an appreciation of cultural diversity.	4, 10, 11, 12
E7. The ability to work effectively and sensitively across all areas of society.	4, 10, 11, 12
E8. An understanding of and respect for the roles and expertise of associated disciplines.

3. Learning Resources

3.2 Recommended Resources

Ayers, D. et al, Professional Java Server Programming J2EE, Edition 1.3, Wrox Press, c1999

Bai, X., JavaServer Pages, Thomson Course Technology, Boston, USA, 2003.

Barwell, F. et al, Professional VB.NET, 2nd Edition, Wrox Press, 2003.

Horstmann, C. S. & Cornell, G., Core Java 2 Volume 1 - Fundamentals, The Sun Microsystems Press, Palo Alto, USA, 2000.

Leffingwell, D., Widrig, D., Managing Software Requirements, Addison Wesley Longman Inc, New Jersey, April 2000.

Morrison, M. & Morrison, J., Database-Driven Web Sites, Thomson Course Technology, Boston, USA, 2003.

PMI Standards Committee, A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge – 2000 Edition, Project Management Institute, Newtown Square, PA., 2001.

Roof L., Fergus D., The Definitive Guide to the .NET Compact Framework, Apress, California, 2003.

Schwalbe, K., Information Technology Project Management, 3rd ed, Course Technology, MA, 2004.

Stiller, E. & LeBlanc, C., Project-Based Software Engineering, Addison Wesley, Boston, USA, 2002.

Thayer, R. H., Software Engineering Project Management, 2nd ed, IEEE Computer Society, Los Alimitos, Calif, October 1997.

Whitten, J. L., Bentley, L. D. & Dittman, K. C., Systems Analysis and Design Methods, 5th Edition, McGraw-Hill, USA, 2001.

3.3 University Learning Resources

Access to required and recommended resources, plus past central exam papers, is available at the UQ Library website (http://library.uq.edu.au/search/r?SEARCH=INFS7906).

The University offers a range of resources and services to support student learning. Details are available on the myServices website (https://student.my.uq.edu.au/).

3.4 School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Learning Resources

Students enrolled at St Lucia who wish to retain a hard copy of this profile can use the free print quota provided each semester to students enrolled in courses in the School of Information Technology & Electrical Engineering. For information on how to use this print quota, see the School Policy on Student Photocopying and Printing (St Lucia) (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/copy-print.html). Students enrolled at the Ipswich campus will either be provided with a hard copy or given directions in class on how to obtain a free copy.

ITEE course websites can be found at http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~COURSECODE. Many ITEE courses also have Usenet newsgroups, named uq.itee.COURSECODE. Instructions for accessing newsgroups are available at http://studenthelp.itee.uq.edu.au/faq/1stYearFAQ.html#accessnews.

3.5 Other Learning Resources & Information

Documentation Libraries

As well as the required and recommended textbooks, the following will be useful for the project.

MSDN library - Available on-line in the labs.
Oracle documentation - Available on-line in the labs

Notices

Notices to students will usually be delivered electronically (e.g. by a 'News' posting on the course web site or by e-mail). The course web site is available at http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/~infs7906. The course web site will contain important information and links to other sites related to the course. You must be enroled in the course to access the web site.

Email

All students must read their e-mail, preferably on a regular basis. Mailing lists will be established within the first few weeks of semester. E-mail will only be sent to UQ student e-mail addresses. Students are to use the address projectoffice@itee.uq.edu.au to send e-mail to the lecturing staff.

All e-mail communications from students are required to contain the same information as the example below:

Subject:

INFS7906 [Question about requirements]

At the top of the body of the e-mail, the following information is required:

	Name:	[Jo Tappin]
	Student No:	[33333333]
	Project Code:	[GRX]

where [ ] are examples of field to be completed.

Each group should elect a group contact person. All communications between a group and the lecturer / ‘customer’ should be through the group contact. A mailing list with all group contacts may be used in the course for project related announcements. It is the group contact's responsibility to pass information to all group members.

Lecture	Day	Time	Room
L	Friday	12:00pm - 1:50pm	78-224
L	Friday	2:00pm - 2:50pm	78-224

Practical	Day	Time	Room
P1	Monday	12:00pm - 12:50pm	78-110
P2	Tuesday	2:00pm - 2:50pm	78-110
P3	Wednesday	3:00pm - 3:50pm	78-110
P4	Thursday	8:00am - 8:50am	78-110
P5	Thursday	12:00am - 12:50am	78-110

5. Assessment

5.1 Assessment Summary

This is a summary of the assessment in the course. For detailed information on each assessment, see 5.5 Assessment Detail below.

Assessment Task	Due Date	Weighting	Learning Objectives
Project Executing and Controlling Phase	25 Feb 08 - 16 May 08 Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.	88%	1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Project Closing Phase	23 May 08 - 30 May 08 Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.	12%	4, 5, 6, 8, 10

5.2 Course Grading

Grade 1, Fail: Fails to demonstrate most or all of the basic requirements of the course: Final >= 0

Grade 2, Fail: Demonstrates clear deficiencies in understanding and applying fundamental concepts; communicates information or ideas in ways that are frequently incomplete or confusing and give little attention to the conventions of the discipline: Final >= 20

Grade 3, Fail: Demonstrates superficial or partial or faulty understanding of the fundamental concepts of the field of study and limited ability to apply these concepts; presents undeveloped or inappropriate or unsupported arguments; communicates information or ideas with lack of clarity and inconsistent adherence to the conventions of the discipline: Final >= 45

Grade 4, Pass: Demonstrates adequate understanding and application of the fundamental concepts of the field of study; develops routine arguments or decisions and provides acceptable justification; communicates information and ideas adequately in terms of the conventions of the discipline: Final >= 50

Grade 5, Credit: Demonstrates substantial understanding of fundamental concepts of the field of study and ability to apply these concepts in a variety of contexts; develops or adapts convincing arguments and provides coherent justification; communicates information and ideas clearly and fluently in terms of the conventions of the discipline: Final >= 65

Grade 6, Distinction: As for 5, with frequent evidence of originality in defining and analysing issues or problems and in creating solutions; uses a level, style and means of communication appropriate to the discipline and the audience: Final >= 75

Grade 7, High Distinction: As for 6, with consistent evidence of substantial originality and insight in identifying, generating and communicating competing arguments, perspectives or problem solving approaches; critically evaluates problems, their solutions and implications: Final >= 85

Other Requirements & Comments : To attain a grade of 4 or more students must complete all assessable work and achieve a pass in the overall work.

5.3 Late Submission

Any late assessable work may be accepted but a significant late penalty may be imposed. As a guide, this penalty will be 10% of the marks associated with the assessable component for every day it is late. A submission is one day late immediately after the due time (on the due date) has passed. If you know a submission is going to be late for some reason, it is best to contact the relevant lecturer beforehand.

5.4 Other Assessment Information

Submission

Submission box 52 on level 1 of General Purpose South (Building 78) is to be used.

All submissions must be have a signed coversheet declaring that the submission is your / the group members’ original work. Failure to submit the declaration may result in no marks / loss of all marks for that submitted item as it may be considered a late submission.

All project documents including Individual Reports and Project Reports are to be submitted the Submission Box OR directly to the lecturers prior to the deadline OR to the Level 2 Office (reception) if they will not fit into the submission box or if the submission box has been closed (after the deadline).

Group Mark Allocation

Students work as part of a group and are expected to contribute equally to the work of the group. If the contribution of group members is uneven, the group should, in the first instance, seek resolution within the group during their regular group meeting. For some deliverables that are submitted by a group, the group will have the opportunity to decide upon the distribution of marks to members. To determine if marks can be unevenly distributed refer to the corresponding marking sheet for the assessment item. If group members do not want to share marks equally, the group must complete the form, 'Mark Distribution Sheet', and submit it with the deliverable (by the deliverable's due date). This form is available on the course web site. By default, marks will be shared equally and no form is required.

If resolution of issues relating to uneven contributions is not achieved after one meeting, the group should notify the Course Coordinator and arrange a group meeting to resolve the issue. If, despite all efforts to reach agreement, an unequal contribution persists, the Course Coordinator will decide the mark allocations. The Course Coordinator will not attempt to make fine distinctions.

Return of Marked Work

Project work will be handed back in the class following marking unless otherwise notified (notification by email and the 'News' page of the course web site). If you cannot make the class, advise the lecturer so that alternate arrangements may be made.

Assessment

INFS7906 will be assessed by several methods as outlined below. Your final grade (on a 1 to 7 scale) will be determined by combining the marks from the various assessment components. A general description of these assessment items is given in the sections that follow. For specific details about assessment items and submission dates, see the 'Project Deliverable Requirements' document.

Reports

There are two types of reports to be submitted regularly; Project Reports and Individual Reports. So that the marks for reporting are not lost, it is in the best interests of each student to ensure that all reports are submitted on time and completed correctly. Students should consider developing a process that will ensure marks are not lost.

Project Reports are to be completed for all projects. A single Project Report is required from each group.

Individual Reports are required from each student.

Documentation

Documentation submissions will broadly consist of Project Management Plans, Requirements documents, Design documents and Testing documents.

Project Development

During the project, students will develop, test and demonstrate partial builds of the system. Students will demonstrate as a group. This will provide the group with feedback that will assist in meeting requirements for the final demonstration. Students will have opportunities to interview ‘the client’. The interview will be conducted with all the class present. Questions to the client will only be answered at formal interview sessions.

Reflective Components

Students are required to deliver two (2) presentations. The presentations will be delivered as a group activity. These presentations give an excellent opportunity for students to communicate what they have learned about the implementation of project management and the construction of their project. These reflective presentations are informative and require preparation.

Reflective assessment will include reflective reviews in written format.

5.5 Assessment Detail

Executing and Controlling Phase

Type: Project
Learning Objectives Assessed: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Due Date:
25 Feb 08 - 16 May 08 Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.
Weight: 88%
Task Description:

Week 1: optional functionality negotiations, individual component agreements, project reporting #4

Week 2: test plan

Week 3: project reporting #5

Weeks 4-6: demonstration of individual component(s) developed

Week 5: project reporting #6

Week 7: project reporting #7

Weeks 7-8: proven use of project plan and software requirements specification

Week 9: project analysis presentation, project reporting #8

Week 11: final project folder, user manual, demonstration agenda sheet, demonstration of the full working system, project reporting #9

Submission: Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.

Closing Phase

Type: Project
Learning Objectives Assessed: 4, 5, 6, 8, 10
Due Date:
23 May 08 - 30 May 08 Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.
Weight: 12%
Task Description:

Week 12, Sem 2: post implementation review

Week 13, Sem 2: reflective review, class post implementation review

Submission: Refer to the Document, 'Project Deliverable Requirements' available from the course website.

6. Policies & Guidelines

This section contains the details of and links to the most relevant policies and course guidelines. For further details on University Policies please visit myAdvisor and the University Handbook of Policies and Procedures.

6.1 Assessment Related Policies and Guidelines

University Policies & Guidelines

An overview of the University’s assessment-related policies can be found on myAdvisor (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2910).

Academic Integrity
It is the University's task to encourage ethical scholarship and to inform students and staff about the institutional standards of academic behaviour expected of them in learning, teaching and research. Students have a responsibility to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity in their work. Students must not cheat in examinations or other forms of assessment and must ensure they do not plagiarise.

Plagiarism
The University has adopted the following definition of plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the act of misrepresenting as one's own original work the ideas, interpretations, words or creative works of another. These include published and unpublished documents, designs, music, sounds, images, photographs, computer codes and ideas gained through working in a group. These ideas, interpretations, words or works may be found in print and/or electronic media.

Students are encouraged to read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism policy (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25128) which makes a comprehensive statement about the University's approach to plagiarism, including the approved use of plagiarism detection software, the consequences of plagiarism and the principles associated with preventing plagiarism.

Feedback on Assessment
Feedback is essential to effective learning and students can expect to receive appropriate and timely feedback on all assessment. For a detailed explanation of the feedback you are entitled to, you should consult the policy on Student Access to Feedback on Assessment. (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25114&pid=25075)

As a student you have a responsibility to incorporate feedback into your learning; make use of the assessment criteria that you are given; be aware of the rules, policies and other documents related to assessment; and provide teachers with feedback on their assessment practices.

There are certain steps you can take if you feel your result does not reflect your performance. Please refer to the myAdvisor web site. (http://www.uq.edu.au/myadvisor/index.html?page=2953&pid=2910)

School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Assessment Guidelines

Misconduct

Further to the statement on academic integrity and plagiarism above, students are required to read and understand the ITEE policy on Student Misconduct (http://www.itee.uq.edu.au/about_ITEE/policies/student-misconduct.html).

Late Arrival or Non-attendance at Examinations

The policy and procedure for late arrival or non-attendance at centrally controlled examinations is set out in the University's Examinations policy (HUPP 3.30.5), sections 8 and 10.2.

The way in which late arrival at a School-controlled examination is dealt with will be at the discretion of the course coordinator, who may be guided by the policy for centrally controlled exams.

In the case that a student requests a special exam for a School-controlled exam, the request will be considered and, if allowed, the timing shall be determined by the course coordinator, in consultation with the School's Chief Examiner where necessary, and in accordance with HUPP 3.30.5. Unless otherwise indicated in the Course Profile, applications must be made in writing to the Head of School no later than one week after the exam. Late applications will not be accepted.

Examination Feedback

In addition to the advice above, students wishing to view examination answer scripts and/or question papers should consult with the School office (Room 217, General Purpose South Building [78], St Lucia; Room 218, Building 1, Ipswich) regarding arrangements. The ITEE policy on exam script viewing is available at http://study.itee.uq.edu.au/current_students/exam_script_viewing.html.

Supplementary Assessment

If you fail this course you may be eligible for supplementary assessment - see the general award rules and/or your program rules for details. You should note that even though you may be eligible for supplementary assessment under these rules, in some circumstances there may be no practical assessment that can be offered to allow you to meet the minimum passing requirements. These circumstances may include failure based on:

group or team based assessment;
attendance or class participation requirements;
laboratory-based assessment, where laboratories can't practically be made available after classes have finished;
project or thesis-based assessment, where a significant period of time would be required to undertake supplementary assessment;
progressive assessment, where subsequent assessment items build on earlier assessment items; or
multiple assessment items, where it is impractical to offer multiple supplementary assessment items.

If the course coordinator determines that there is no practical supplementary assessment that can be offered to allow you to improve your grade, then you will not be offered supplementary assessment and your grade will remain unchanged.

6.2 Other Policies and Guidelines

University Policies and Guidelines

Placement Courses
Students on a placement course – also known as a work placement, internship, industry study, industry experience, clinical practice, clinical placement, practical work, practicum, fieldwork, teaching practice – should refer to the University policy, Placement Courses (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25120&pid=25075) for detailed information.

Working with Children
Students whose studies include a professional/work placement, internship, clinical practice, teaching practice or other similar activity which involves them in regular contact with children should refer to the University policy, Working with Children Check - "blue card" (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25004&pid=24963) to find out how to apply for a ‘blue card’.

Students with a Disability
Any student with a disability who may require alternative academic arrangements, including assessment, in the course/program is encouraged to seek advice at the commencement of the semester from a Disability Adviser at Student Support Services. Refer to the University policy, Students with a Disability (Disability Action Plan) (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25122&pid=25075) and to the policy on Special Arrangements for Examinations for Students with a Disability (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25111&pid=25075

Where an adjustment is made to an accredited program, it is the responsibility of the relevant Faculty to liaise with professional and registration bodies regarding the acceptability of the change/s.

Occupational Health and Safety
Undergraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25055&pid=25015) and Postgraduate Students (http://www.uq.edu.au/hupp/index.html?page=25057&pid=25015) should be familiar with the University policies on occupational health and safety in the laboratory.

Other School of Information Technology and Electrical Engineering Guidelines

Ethical Clearance

If your course involves assignment or project work involving human subjects or human-related materials, you must investigate the need for ethical clearance and obtain it when required. Information on ethical clearance can be found at http://www.uq.edu.au/research/orps/index.html?page=5064&pid=5256.

Learning Summary

Below is a table showing the relationship between the learning objectives for this course and the broader graduate attributes developed, the learning activities used to develop each objective and the assessment task used to assess each objective.

Learning Objectives

After successfully completing this course you should be able to:

Assessment & Learning Activities

	Learning Objectives
	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11	12
Learning Activities
Week 1 (Project based Learning)
Week 5 (Demonstration)
Week 7 (Group Work)
Week 9 (Presentation)
Week 11 (Demonstration)
Week 12 (Presentation)
Week 13 (Review)
Assessment Tasks
Executing and Controlling Phase
Closing Phase

Graduate Attributes