Course Title: Software Development Undergraduate Project
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Software Development Undergraduate Project
Credit Points: 48.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
COSC2464 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
140H Computer Science & Information Technology |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 1 2009, Sem 2 2009, Sem 1 2010, Sem 2 2010, Sem 1 2012, Sem 1 2013 |
Course Coordinator: Astrid Bauers
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 2118
Course Coordinator Email: astrid.bauers@rmit.edu.au
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
Programming 1, Programming 2, Programming Techniques, Software Engineering Fundamentals, Software Engineering Process and Tools
Minimum CGPA 3.0
Course Description
This course is designed to provide you with hands on practical experience developing software in a project environment. You will be part of a project team of 4 – 6 students: the team size will vary depending on the scope and complexity of the project(s). As the project teams and projects will be agreed during the first week, it will not be possible to transfer to or from this course after week 1.
The aim is to understand how software projects are developed and delivered, from inception to implementation. You will be working with a corporate sponsor company (either internal or external to RMIT), and in doing so will gain an understanding of corporate environments.. You will become familiar with formal project and software delivery methodologies, building on the skills you have already acquired during your prior coursework, and learning and applying new skills that will add meaning and contextual value to your subsequent coursework for the completion of your degree.
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
By actively participating in all aspects of the software development lifecycle, and by applying the project management principles you learn to ensure the success of your project’s objectives, you will come to understand the various roles and responsibilities in software development and project delivery.
[Enabling knowledge and skills] On completion of this course you will have gained an understanding, through applying, the key principles of project management; project methodologies and lifecycles; industry standard project document deliverables; industry standard software development deliverables; best practices processes; and key success factors. You will also gain a greater awareness of how organisations work.
[Critical analysis] You will evaluate the alternative approaches; identify and evaluate the appropriate development and project tools; and identity the key success factors for the project’s completion.
[Problem solving] You will confront the risks and issues associated with project and software delivery.
[Responsibility] You will agree the project deliverables and milestones with your corporate sponsor and assume responsibility for a successful outcome.
[Communication] You will learn and refine your documentation skills to produce agreed documentation and models, and to produce and deliver presentation material to your colleagues and corporate sponsor. You will also regularly formally report to your project manager and sponsor via oral and written reports and registers and charts.
[Teamwork] Your active participation as a team member and your understanding of the team dynamic is critical to your project’s success.
[Leadership] You will learn about leadership capability models and possibly apply these as a project team leader.
Overview of Learning Activities
Face to face, where the project manager presents topics for research or application; group discussions, where students discuss and share project issues and experiences; group presentations to colleagues, teaching staff and corporate sponsors; and guest lectures/discussion leaders from industry experts on key topics.
You will be completing your project in a bespoke outsourcing environment. This means that you will ‘come to work’ every day on a full time basis to complete your project in constant, dynamic interaction with your team members and regular interaction with your project manager and project sponsor.
Overview of Learning Resources
There is no single text or reference but you will be sourcing a variety of tools and materials, some of which will be provided for you and some of which you will source yourselves. You will also be sharing your ideas, skills and knowledge with your student team colleagues. You will be in regular contact with your sponsor and other technical relevant resources to collaboratively deal with issues that may arise, and to ensure that the initial project objectives are met.
Overview of Assessment
You will complete a number of project documents that may include: a project charter; project definition and project schedule; requirements specification; design and architecture specifications; test plans, cases and reports; project closure report and issues and risk registers.
The final application/system developed will be accompanied by the appropriate user references or manuals and will be quality assured.
Your contribution as a team member will be evaluated, as this is a key success factor for any project work you undertake now or later, whether in further coursework or in you professional career.
For standard assessment details, including hurdle requirements, relating to Computer Science and IT courses see: http://www.rmit.edu.au/compsci/cgi