COM668 Assessment Overview - Semester 1

Semester 1 guidance and assessment

Interchangeable terminology
Assessment Task (AT) = Coursework Task (ST) = Task (t) = Coursework
Assessment Overview - Semester 1

• Progress to-date
• Assessment Task 2 guidance
• Assessment and Feedback
You are here
A quick look over your shoulder
Progress to-date
✓ AT1 Project proposal agreed and approved
✓ Agreed proposal submitted
✓ BCS check completed
✓ Ethics completed
✓ AT2 (Task 2 – Challenge Definition) work well underway for submission on …(see handbook for
details)
• Changes to your approved proposal
• You project idea can change and will likely evolve over time
• An ‘evolved’ project normally remains within the scope of the original proposal and will usually not
require the submission of a new proposal
• Any significant deviation from the approved proposal must have fresh approval
• Submission of a new proposal is not advised and would only be possible in rare circumstances
• Always check with your Mentor before deviating from the approved proposal
AT2 Challenge Definition Report
Concept, research, methodology, requirements and risk
AT2 report - Purpose

• AT2 results in a technical report that documents

• A software development challenge to be addressed during the module
• The initial stages of your project work towards addressing that challenge
• Evidence of your learning to-date
• This is a guide to a typical AT2 Challenge Definition report
• You might want to adapt this to your specific project and methodology
• Your Mentor will be able to guide you further in how to do so
AT2 (Task 2) Report - High-level view

• Describe the agreed concept

• Define the aim and objective of the project
• Investigate the related context, literature, and similar solutions; with references
• Justify the selected software development process
• Define the requirements of the project
• Assess the project risks
• The format of the report must be in keeping with the guidance provided
• The report must be presented in a manner that allows assessment
• Please see the associated rubric and Handbook appendices for further guidance
• This task is typically completed by the end of semester 1
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements
• Risk analysis
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
Report structure
• Title page • Project title
• Contents • Student name
• Introduction • Student ID number (B00…)
• Contextual research • Course Title
• Methodology • Year of submission
• Requirements • PSG identifier (PSG-…)
• Risk analysis • Mentor name
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents • Structured contents section
• Introduction • Presents document structure
• Contextual research • Include page numbers
• Methodology • Consider automating this in your editing tool
• Requirements
• Risk analysis
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction • Brief description of the agreed concept
• Contextual research • Concise statement of the project aim
• Methodology • List of objectives, consider using a SMART approach
• Requirements • Scope of the project, what’s in, what’s out, and why
• Risk analysis • Brief description of the intended outcome
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research • Literature review to justify and support the project aim
• Methodology • Review of similar solutions to explore solution space
• • Consideration of proposed solution’s social context
Requirements
- Data security considerations
• Risk analysis
- Accessibility factors
• Conclusions - Legal limitations
• References - Social factors
• Appendices - Ethical considerations
- Environmental impact
- Professional issues
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology • Identify the selected methodology
• Requirements • Justification for methodology selected
• Risk analysis • Do not describe other methodologies
• Conclusions - Focus on the methodology you have chosen and why
• References • Initial workplan in keeping with the chosen methodology
• Appendices - e.g. PERT chart, Gantt chart, Kanban boards, Risk board
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements • Establish stakeholder needs, expectations & constraints
• Risk analysis • Define operational scenarios
• Conclusions • Analyse requirements for necessity and sufficiency
• References • Analyse requirements to balance needs and constraints
• Appendices • Translate needs etc. into testable requirements
• Present full list of requirements (in an appendix)
…
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements • Define and justify requirements prioritisation method
• Risk analysis • Prioritise requirements
• Conclusions • Establish initial baseline requirements specification
• References • Review the quality of the requirements baseline
• Appendices …
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements • Detail the change management process to be used
• Risk analysis • Describe how it considers risk
• Conclusions • Define how it uses the defined prioritisation method
• References
• Appendices
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements
• Risk analysis • Identify and classify project risks
• Conclusions • Quantify risk exposure
• References • Determine mitigation, monitoring or contingency actions
• Appendices • Produce risk management plan
• Present a ranked list of risks and associated response
• Overview any prototyping work conducted in response
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements
• Risk analysis
• Conclusions • Summarise the report
• References • Highlight any significant points, learning or other conclusions
• Appendices • Indicate the next steps for your project
Report structure
• Title page PROPER CITATION AND REFERENCING IS CRUCIAL
• Contents FAILURE TO PROPERLY ACKNOWLEDGE THE WORK
• Introduction OF OTHERS IS PLAGIARIASM
• Contextual research
• Methodology WHICH CAN RESULT IN FAILURE
• Requirements
• Risk analysis If in doubt, consult your Mentor
• Conclusions
• References • List of items cited within the report
• Appendices • Full reference for each
• Presented in the Harvard style (see Library guide)
• Take care to cite all work used or made referred to
Report structure
• Title page
• Contents
• Introduction
• Contextual research
• Methodology
• Requirements
• Risk analysis
• Conclusions
• References
• Appendices • Any additional lengthy items
- e.g. long lists, large tables and design artefacts
• However, including and discuss a few samples in the report body
Report format

• The following is a guide to what works well. Staying close to it is highly recommended
• The report should be presented in a professional manner
• Page Size: A4
• Arrangement: Single Column
• Margins: 2cm all around
• Line spacing: 1.25 lines
• Font type: Arial for titles, Times New Roman for body text, and Courier for code
• Font size: 11 or 12 point for body text, headings a little larger
• Page numbering: Bottom centre or bottom right of each page, Arial 10 point
• Submit in PDF format (not Word or otherwise)
• 10,000 words maximum
AT2 Assessment & Feedback
Evidence based assessment
Assessment
• AT2 is assessed at 30% of the module
• It is a required deliverable and must be submitted to pass the module
• Assessment is agreed by your Mentor and your allocated marker
• The AT2 rubric has detailed examples of the what is expected at each level of attainment

Assessment Criteria Marks

Describe and define the concept, aim, and objectives of the project 20%

Research the related context, literature, and similar solution, supported with references 20%

Justify the selected software development process 10%

Define a set of testable requirements and assess the associated project specific risks 50%
Feedback

• Written feedback is agreed by your Mentor and your marker

• It will be returned in keeping with University policies on feedback
• On receipt, arrange a meeting with your Mentor to discuss it
• Feedback should be acted upon by you as appropriate
COM668 Assessment Point 1
Semester 1 guidance and assessment