For this unit (Computer Project), you are required to plan, analyse, design, implement, test, document and demonstrate a prototype of your choice.
Once you have identified a focus for your project, you must seek clearance from your tutor, this can be done verbally.
To help you decide on a suitable Project, you could either take the work you have done for the 2nd assignment you have completed for the Introduction to Programming unit (Kambury IT Training) and extend the system and documentation to turn it into a program that would be more suitable for a real world situation, or you could decide on your own project.
Although this assignment is for a whole unit, you are required to submit each stage separately for marking, except for Stage 5 (Documentation), this is when you will submit your work as a complete project including any marked work and feedback.
Due to the nature of this unit, you will have to decide and identify when you intend to submit each stage for marking. This should be identified on the Project Management Plan (Gantt Chart) which you will create during the first stage.
The following is a list of each submission that needs to be made during this project:
- Stage 1 - Planning and Analysis
- Stage 2 - Design
- Stage 4 - Technical Documentation (this document will contain the evidence required for completing stage 3 - implementation)
- Stage 5 - Other Documentation
- Submit completed project by deadline identified at the top of this assignment specification.
stage 1 Planning and Analysis
a) For your chosen project, you need to identify the current problem that you wish your project to solve. Produce a Problem Statement. The Problem Statement should explain the purpose of the system and why a computerised application would benefit the area you have chosen [1.2a and 1.2b]
b) Produce a Feasibility Study that describes how realistic it is going to be to create a program that meets all the identified requirements. [1.2c]
c) Create a project management document in the form of a Gantt Chart. The Gantt Chart should identify how long you intend to spend on each task, and when you plan
to submit each stage for marking. [1.1]
d) Create a Data Flow Diagram showing the processes of your system. [1.2d]
Stage 2 Design
In this stage of the project you are required to create a Design document, the Design document must contain the following:
- Structure chart [2.1a]
- Pseudo-code [2.1b]
- Data Dictionary
Stage 3 Implementation and Testing
a) Implement a prototype based on the Analysis and Design you have carried out, your implementation must make use of the following programming requirements: [2.3]
- Sequence [2.2a]
- Selection [2.2b]
- Iteration [2.2c]
- At least two different data structures (arrays and structure) [2.2d]
- Functions / procedures [2.2e]
b) You are required to systematically test the completed prototype by a test plan(s), during the testing you need to complete a Test Log. The Test Log will be submitted as part of the Technical Documentation (Stage 4) [2.4]
Stage 4 Technical Documentation
You are required to produce a formal technical document. This document will collate a number of areas that relate to a number of previous sections of this assignment. In some cases you would be able to borrow sections of your previous submitted work and copy and paste the information to produce a Technical Document.
The document should be presented in a professional manner, and must contain the following information:
- Project outline [3.1a] - Specify what your program is expected to do
- Problem identification - the Problem Statement that was submitted for Stage 1
(Planning and Analysis) [3.1b]
o Program design - this is the design documents you create in Stage 2
(Design) [3.1d]
o Source code - printout of the code you have written, making sure that the all the requirements for Stage 3 (Implementation) have been met as well as the code containing detailed comments [3.1e]
o Test Plan(s) [3.1f]
o Completed Test Log(s) [2.4] - was not part of the technical document marking criteria, but a suitable place to have this submitted
Stage 5 Other Documentation
Stage 5a User guide
Create a professional looking User Guide to assist a novice in the use of your prototype that has been created [3.2]
Stage 5b Critical evaluation
Produce a detailed critical evaluation of your completed project, the evaluation must reflect on the information you provided in the Analysis stage, discussing what you originally set out to achieve, what you managed to achieve, what you did not manage to achieve, and include recommendations of further improvements that could be made to your prototype to turn it into a complete application. [3.4]
Stage 6 Demonstration
You are required to demonstrate your completed prototype to your tutor, during the demonstration you will be asked both technical and non-technical questions relating to the project. [3.3]
Assessment Criteria
1.1 Produce a project management plan in the form of a Gantt chart
1.2 Undertake systems analysis and design in order to:
a) Identify the purpose of a system
b) Produce a problem statement
c) Complete a feasibility study
d) Identify the data flows within the system
Learning Outcome
2. Know how to produce high level code using formal documentation
Assessment Criteria
2.1 Produce a program design using:
a) Structure chart
b) Pseudo-code
2.2 Develop a high level program which incorporates:
a) Sequence
b) Selection
c) Iteration
d) Two different data types
e) Functions/procedures
2.3 Implement a prototype
2.4 Systematically test the completed system and produce a test log
Learning Outcome
3. Know how to communicate an end product
Assessment Criteria
3.1 Produce a formal technical document to include
a) Project outline
b) Problem identification
c) Problem solution
d) Program design
e) Source code
f) Test plan
3.2 Produce a user guide
3.3 Demonstrate the completed system and answer both technical and non technical questions relating to the project
3.4 Critically evaluate the completed project and give recommendations for further improvements