Note: This unit is an archived version! See Overview tab for delivered versions.

COMP3600: Computer Science Project (Adv) (2018 - Semester 2)

Download UoS Outline

Unit: COMP3600: Computer Science Project (Adv) (6 CP)
Mode: Normal-Day
On Offer: Yes
Level: Senior
Faculty/School: School of Computer Science
Unit Coordinator/s:
Session options: Semester 2
Versions for this Unit:
Site(s) for this Unit: http://www.it.usyd.edu.au/~comp3615
Campus: Camperdown/Darlington
Pre-Requisites: [(COMP2123 OR COMP2823) AND COMP2017 AND (COMP2022 OR COMP2922) with Distinction level results in at least one of these units.].
Prohibitions: INFO3600 OR COMP3615.
Brief Handbook Description: This unit will provide students an opportunity to apply the knowledge and practise the skills acquired in the prerequisite and qualifying units, in the context of designing and building a substantial software development system in diverse application domains including life sciences. Working in groups for an external client combined with academic supervision, students will need to carry out the full range of activities including requirements capture, analysis and design, coding, testing and documentation. Students will use the XP methodology and make use of professional tools for the management of their project.
Assumed Knowledge: None.
Department Permission Department permission is required for enrollment in this session.
Timetable: COMP3600 Timetable
Time Commitment:
# Activity Name Hours per Week Sessions per Week Weeks per Semester
5 Project Work - in class 2.00 1 13
6 Site Visit 1.00 1 13
7 Project Work - own time 8.00 1 13
8 Meeting 1.00 1 13
T&L Activities: Site Visit: Meeting with project client

Project Work - own time: Team and individual work

Meeting: Weekly meeting with coordinator

Attributes listed here represent the key course goals (see Course Map tab) designated for this unit. The list below describes how these attributes are developed through practice in the unit. See Learning Outcomes and Assessment tabs for details of how these attributes are assessed.

Attribute Development Method Attribute Developed
Design and implementation of a piece of software answering client`s needs Design (Level 3)
Carry out the full range of activities for software development including requirements capture, analysis and design, coding, testing and documentation Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 3)
Presentations required to the client, supervisor, coordinator on a regular basis Communication (Level 3)
Team project activity. Project and Team Skills (Level 3)

For explanation of attributes and levels see Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table 2018.

Learning outcomes are the key abilities and knowledge that will be assessed in this unit. They are listed according to the course goal supported by each. See Assessment Tab for details how each outcome is assessed.

Design (Level 3)
1. Ability to use previously unfamiliar tools and to integrate with previously unfamiliar systems, learning their use from examples and documentation.
Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 3)
2. Ability to follow a well-managed process of software development, with appropriate mechanisms for dealing with risks, such as unforeseen factors and delays.
Communication (Level 3)
3. Ability to work with clients: to discover their needs and to demonstrate that the delivered system meets those needs.
4. Ability to produce written report of system requirements, in style that is appropriate for clients to check.
5. Ability to give an oral presentation of the system and its rationale
Project and Team Skills (Level 3)
6. Ability to work in a group of approximately 6-7 students, to deliver a substantial software system.
Assessment Methods:
# Name Group Weight Due Week Outcomes
1 Participation in class labs No 5.00 Multiple Weeks 2,
2 Sprint 1 presentation Yes 10.00 Week 5 1, 2, 3, 5,
3 Evaluation plan Yes 10.00 Week 5 2,
4 Client interaction report 1 Yes 10.00 Week 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 6,
5 Mid-semester Report Yes 10.00 Week 6 1, 2, 3, 4, 6,
6 Client deployment Yes 0.00 Week 9
7 Final demo and presentation Yes 20.00 Week 13 2, 3, 5, 6,
8 Final client report Yes 20.00 Week 13 1, 2, 3, 4, 6,
9 Final individual report No 15.00 Week 13 1, 2, 6,
Assessment Description: 1. The individual participation is for active involvement in the weekly lab class, meeting with the tutor, effective use of the online group collaboration tools.

The mid term assessments and aim to give teams feedback for the work in the rest of the semester and final assessments:

2. Sprint 1 presentation: reports the work done to understand the client`s problem and complete the first user stories;

3. Evaluation plan: reflecting the centrality of test-first and an absolute commitment to thorough testing throughout the process, this plan is key to the success of the project and ensuring the client agress that the tests are appropriate.

4. Client interaction report 1: as the project is all about delivering what the client wants, this report draws on online records of client interaction to demonstrate that the group has had a professional approach to the project and worked to ensure that the client will be satisfied throughout the process and with the final product. The client will be consulted to ratify the report.

5. Mid-term Report: draws on online materials to report on the whole set of processes to manage the group, tackle the required technical learning, work with the client and deliver the implemented and tested user stories.

6. Client deployment. While there are no marks for this item, it is here to show the deadline. This will be taken into account in grading the final client report.

The final assessments are:

7. Final demonstration and presentation: the culmination of the project deliverable product, presented in your lab class;

8. Final client report: this carefully documents all the processes and results of the work in a form that is useful for the client and for ratification by the client.

9. Final individual report: This will report all the work that the individual student did. It will be posted on the group wiki with links to the actual work it refers to (eg test sets, code, minutes of client meetings and notes on client response to prototypes, minutes of group meetings and online records of the work of the manager and tracker). The different roles of different students will dictate what is relevant.

NOTE: The individual grade acts similarly to the exam in other subjects. To pass, you need to achieve at least 40%. (Similarly, to be awarded a Credit, you need at least 55%, Distinction 65% and HD 75%).
Assessment Feedback: Students will be given individual feedback on their participation during the tutor meetings with each group each week. Tutors will follow up with individuals if there is a problem identified.

Mid-term assessments will be discussed in the lab in the following week.

All aspects will be graded by the class tutor. For all work graded <50 or >75, the lecturer will double mark it.
Grading:
Grade Type Description
Standards Based Assessment Final grades in this unit are awarded at levels of HD for High Distinction, DI (previously D) for Distinction, CR for Credit, PS (previously P) for Pass and FA (previously F) for Fail as defined by University of Sydney Assessment Policy. Details of the Assessment Policy are available on the Policies website at http://sydney.edu.au/policies . Standards for grades in individual assessment tasks and the summative method for obtaining a final mark in the unit will be set out in a marking guide supplied by the unit coordinator.
Minimum Pass Requirement It is a policy of the School of Computer Science that in order to pass this unit, a student must achieve at least 40% in the written examination. For subjects without a final exam, the 40% minimum requirement applies to the corresponding major assessment component specified by the lecturer. A student must also achieve an overall final mark of 50 or more. Any student not meeting these requirements may be given a maximum final mark of no more than 45 regardless of their average.
Policies & Procedures: IMPORTANT: School policy relating to Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism.

In assessing a piece of submitted work, the School of IT may reproduce it entirely, may provide a copy to another member of faculty, and/or to an external plagiarism checking service or in-house computer program and may also maintain a copy of the assignment for future checking purposes and/or allow an external service to do so.

Other policies

See the policies page of the faculty website at http://sydney.edu.au/engineering/student-policies/ for information regarding university policies and local provisions and procedures within the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technologies.
Online Course Content: http://www.it.usyd.edu.au/~comp3615
Note on Resources: Refer to the web site which contains many links to electronic resources.

Note that the "Weeks" referred to in this Schedule are those of the official university semester calendar https://web.timetable.usyd.edu.au/calendar.jsp

Week Description
Week 1 Overview, presentation of projects offered, collection of preferences
Lab time to meet with some clients. End of lab, allocations announced.
Week 2 Group contract, XP, on-ling group management tools, initial meeting with client
Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group.
Group work and Big 5 theory for efficient team work
Week 3 XP and test-first
Review of first user stories, XP roles, demo of group's online progress
Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group.
Week 4 Workload management and awareness of teamwork
Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group.
Working towards first demo and report.
Week 5 First demos early in lab - break and then feedback
Assessment Due: Sprint 1 presentation
Assessment Due: Evaluation plan
Week 6 Feedback whole class on demos. Share examplars.
Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group.
Assessment Due: Client interaction report 1
Assessment Due: Mid-semester Report
Week 7 Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group o discuss feedback on first reports.
Whole class feedback on reports.
Week 8 Refactoring, finalise acceptance tests.
Tutor meet all managers. Tutor meets each group to discuss client deployment and testing plan.
Week 9 Deployment at client site.
Assessment Due: Client deployment
Week 10 Progress on project development and testing.
Week 11 Progress on project development and testing.
Week 12 Practicing demos. Finalising report.
Week 13 Final demos and finsl reports.
Assessment Due: Final demo and presentation
Assessment Due: Final client report
Assessment Due: Final individual report
STUVAC (Week 14) N/A
Exam Period N/A

Course Relations

The following is a list of courses which have added this Unit to their structure.

Course Year(s) Offered

Course Goals

This unit contributes to the achievement of the following course goals:

Attribute Practiced Assessed
Maths/Science Methods and Tools (Level 3) No 0%
Design (Level 3) Yes 11.5%
Engineering/IT Specialisation (Level 3) Yes 34.5%
Information Seeking (Level 3) No 0%
Communication (Level 3) Yes 39%
Professional Conduct (Level 3) No 0%
Project and Team Skills (Level 3) Yes 15%

These goals are selected from Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table 2018 which defines overall goals for courses where this unit is primarily offered. See Engineering & IT Graduate Outcomes Table 2018 for details of the attributes and levels to be developed in the course as a whole. Percentage figures alongside each course goal provide a rough indication of their relative weighting in assessment for this unit. Note that not all goals are necessarily part of assessment. Some may be more about practice activity. See Learning outcomes for details of what is assessed in relation to each goal and Assessment for details of how the outcome is assessed. See Attributes for details of practice provided for each goal.