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Monash University

FIT3015 Industrial experience project - Semester 2, 2009

Chief Examiner:

Ms Chris Gonsalvez
Associate Head of School
Phone: +61 3 990 32554

Contact hours: By appointment only - please email me with a brief description of your query and a contact phone no.

Lecturer(s) / Leader(s):

Caulfield

Ms Chris Gonsalvez
Associate Head of School
Phone: +61 3 990 32554

Contact hours: By appointment only - please email me with a brief description of your query and a contact phone no.

Mr David Grant
Sessional Academic Staff Member
Phone: +61 3 990 34326

Introduction

Welcome to FIT3015 Industrial experience project.  This 12 point unit is designed to give students an opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills that they have gained thus far to a real world project. Students are required to work in projects with a real client to analyse, design and develop a system for a client.

Unit synopsis

In their final year of study, students are given the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained, in the development of an information system for a real world client. Students work in groups and will: design, develop and deliver an information system for a client, manage the project through all its development stages, communicate effectively with all project stakeholders, primarily via studios and meetings, develop project documentation to a professional standard, present their project work to academics and other groups, attend unit seminars, contribute in a professional and committed manner to the work of the group

Learning outcomes

This unit builds on knowledge and understanding developed in core units throughout first and second level studies. Students will:
  1. understand all stages of the process of developing an information system;
  2. understand the roles and responsibilities of clients, system users and developers in a systems development project;
  3. understand how information systems are developed;

This subject aims to develop in students:
  1. the capacity to apply, in a practical setting, the theoretical work covered in their course;
  2. the ability to develop a significant computing application, from the analysis and design stages, through coding and implementation to evaluation.

On completion of this subject students should be able to:
  1. work with clients and communicate effectively with them;
  2. define a problem, and gather data, facts, opinions and information needed to analyse and solve it;
  3. outline and evaluate alternative solutions to a system development problem;
  4. perform a feasibility study that includes estimates of costs, time requirements, a schedule for the development, and the benefits expected from the system;
  5. identify hardware and software requirements for a system;
  6. document a system design using tools which include system flow charts and data flow diagrams;
  7. implement a system, including testing and debugging;
  8. evaluate a system, identifying any weakness or possible enhancements.

This subject aims to develop in students the ability to operate effectively as a member of a development team.

Contact hours

Lecture/seminar: 1hr/week, studios: 6hrs/week

Workload

Your workload commitment to this unit are:

  • 1 hour meeting with your supervisor
  • At least 5 hours of meetings with your group
  • 1 hour seminar
  • 1 hour personal reflection which include: writing a blog about the weeks activities, keeping records of time spent on this unit and generally reflecting on what you have learned.
  • approximately 16 hours of additional work which may include the following: developing code, doing research about different aspects of systems development, development  of documentation

Unit relationships

Prerequisites

Course Director approval FIT1001, FIT1002, FIT1003, FIT1004, FIT1005, FIT2001 and FIT2002 and any other three Faculty of Information Technology 2nd year units. This unit is only available for students in their final semester of study. The students should also have a credit average in the previous year of study to be eligible for this unit.

Prohibitions

CSE3301, GCO2819, GCO3819, GCO3700, GCO3800, GCO3900, GCO3800A, CPE3200, CPE3300, CSE3200, FIT3015, FIT3039, FIT3040, FIT3038, FIT3025, FIT3026, FIT3016, FIT3017, FIT3114, FIT3115, FIT3116, FIT3117, IMS3000, IMS3501, IMS3502, FIT3047, FIT3048

Relationships

You may not study this unit and CSE3301, GCO2819, GCO3819, GCO3700, GCO3800, GCO3900, GCO3800A, CPE3200, CPE3300, CSE3200, FIT3015, FIT3039, FIT3040, FIT3038, FIT3025, FIT3026, FIT3016, FIT3017 (Translation for CSE3200), FIT3114, FIT3115, FIT3116, FIT3117, IMS3000, IMS3501, IMS3502, FIT3047, FIT3048 in your degree.

Teaching and learning method

In this unit we try to simulate a real systems development experience. Groups of students work as a team with support from tutors and academic staff to develop a system for a real client. The seminars are developed to address specific issues during system development and we also include speakers from industry. The studio sessions are there for students to work on their project and to receive help from tutors and academic staff.

Timetable information

For information on timetabling for on-campus classes please refer to MUTTS, http://mutts.monash.edu.au/MUTTS/

Tutorial allocation

On-campus students should register for tutorials/laboratories using the Allocate+ system: http://allocate.cc.monash.edu.au/

Unit Schedule

Week Topic Key dates
1 Campus specific seminars will be held Please refer to the Assessment section of the unit guide
2 Campus specific seminars will be held  
3 Campus specific seminars will be held  
4 Campus specific seminars will be held  
5 Campus specific seminars will be held  
6 Campus specific seminars will be held  
7 Campus specific seminars will be held  
8 Campus specific seminars will be held  
9 Campus specific seminars will be held  
10 Campus specific seminars will be held  
Mid semester break
11 Campus specific seminars will be held  
12 Campus specific seminars will be held  
13 Campus specific seminars will be held  

Unit Resources

Prescribed text(s) and readings

There are no set texts, however students are expected to have developed their own collection of texts, urls and other reference materials during the course of their studies. Resources related to the seminar series will be distributed during the seminar or listed on the unit web site.

Recommended text(s) and readings

There are no recommended texts, however students are expected to have developed their own collection of texts, urls and other reference materials during the course of their studies.

Required software and/or hardware

The studio environment provides a large array of software and hardware for students to use within the studios, and some items are available for overnight loan. Please see the unit web site for up-to-date listing. Anything additional is to be negotiated between the student team and their clients. FIT will not normally provide additional hardware or software.

Equipment and consumables required or provided

Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.

The Studio environment is well equipped with computers and peripherals. Studio computer peripherals (cameras, scanners, laptops, zip drives etc.) are available for student use. This equipment is accessible via the FIT loan system - ask the Caulfield FIT technical staff for more information, or log a request via their web site:

http://www1.infotech.monash.edu.au/webservices/servicedesk/requestform/index.cfm

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

  • Resource Guide
  • Documentation Guide
  • Moodle Website (this web site contains information for FIT3015, FIT3047 and FIT3048)

Assessment

Overview

Individual diaries / timesheets, project documents, group presentation / minutes, peer assessment, delivered product, examination

Faculty assessment policy

To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

  • 40% or more in the unit's examination, and
  • 40% or more in the unit's total non-examination assessment, and
  • an overall unit mark of 50% or more.

If a student does not achieve 40% or more in the unit examination or the unit non-examination total assessment, and the total mark for the unit is greater than 44% then a mark of no greater than 44-N will be recorded for the unit.

 To pass a unit which includes an examination as part of the assessment a student must obtain:

Aleast 50% of the total marks for the unit. The deliverables outlined below in the Assignment Task Section can vary depending on the specific requirement of the project but need to be negotiated and approved by the tutor and/or academic.

All the deliverables are produced as a result of the work conducted by the group. Individual marks can differ from the group mark based on peer assessment, weekly reflections (blog) and the performance review. Your mark can be adjusted by up to 40% (up or down).

Students enrolled at the Caulfield Campus:

The deliverables outlined in the Assignment Task section below are all based on the effort of the group. However, to ensure that all students contribute towards the project and to monitor individual experience a number of deliverables are required:

  • A weekly blog on the Server provided for this purpose. The quality and number of the blogs will be evaluated on a weekly basis by the tutor and can affect your project performance review mark. The goal of the blog is to record your individual reflection on the project and the group work. Furthermore, the tutor and academics utilise the blogs to monitor the groupwork and progress of the project.
  • A weekly timesheet outlining the hours and type of work conducted during the week by each student. An Individual monthly review will be conducted by the tutor every four weeks. This review will influence the evaluation of the peer assessment and may ultimately lead to a 40% variation of each individual's mark. 

Assignment tasks

Assignment coversheets

Assignment coversheets are available via "Student Forms" on the Faculty website: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/
You MUST submit a completed coversheet with all assignments, ensuring that the plagiarism declaration section is signed.

Assignment submission and return procedures, and assessment criteria will be specified with each assignment.

  • Assignment task 1
    Title:
    Project interpretation, Standards and Governance
    Description:
    The Interpretation is a high-level initial description of the project, the client and the required system - it serves as the basis for the Business Case, Risk Report and Functional Requirements Specification.

    The Governance Report details the operating procedures and policies determined by the team to ensure that professional attitudes and behaviours are maintained. It clearly defines roles and responsibilities, communication channels and media, and acceptable behaviour for interaction within the team and with the client.

    The Standards Report defines those aspects that ensure the quality and consistency of any deliverables associated with the project.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Due date:
    Week 2/3
  • Assignment task 2
    Title:
    Business Case
    Description:
    The Business Case provides a justification for proceeding with the project. It describes the project and identifies organisational objectives. It details benefits of the proposed system, opportunities for future development, any potential costs involved, and high-level risks. It argues these features to determine the feasibility of the project.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Due date:
    Week 3/4
  • Assignment task 3
    Title:
    Risk Report
    Description:
    The Risk Report is a detailed description of the risk management methodology used during the project. It details the methodology itself, and identifies internal and external risks that could affect the project. Risks are assessed according to their impact, probability and overall severity. Risk mitigation and monitoring strategies are described.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Due date:
    Week 3/4
  • Assignment task 4
    Title:
    Functional requirements Specification
    Description:
    The Functional Requirements Specification is the primary deliverable of the analysis of the system. It provides a detailed description of the client, their business, their current system and a proposed solution. It describes the system using narrative and models. This report is used to ensure that requirements are fully understood and it acts as the basis for the Acceptance Criteria, and as the architectural foundation for the Design Specification.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Due date:
    Week 5
  • Assignment task 5
    Title:
    Design Specification
    Description:
    The Design Specification is a technical report that details how the system will be constructed. It provides detailed descriptions and models of the system that define the building blocks and components of the system and how they are put together. It acts as the blueprint for the creation of all system artefacts.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Due date:
    Week 7
  • Assignment task 6
    Title:
    Test Plan
    Description:
    The Test Plan details how and under what conditions system testing will occur. It describes what will be tested, the types of tests to be performed, when testing will occur, who is responsible, any resources necessary, and how test results are recorded and dealt with.
    Weighting:
    5%
    Due date:
    Week 8
  • Assignment task 7
    Title:
    Project documentation (Test documents, user documentation)
    Description:
    Project Documentation can vary depending on the nature of the project itself but should include the results of testing and any back-end user manuals necessary for the client to operate their system. Depending on the nature of the project itself the project documentation may also include installation guides, network configuration guides, database installation/backup/recovery guides, training manuals and any other documents necessary for the client to use and deploy the system.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Due date:
    Week 12
  • Assignment task 8
    Title:
    Presentation of the Final system
    Description:
    Each team must make a formal presentation describing their project, the system they developed, any issues encountered and how they were dealt with, and what lessons were learned. This presentation is generally made in a class or lecture situation and where possible the client is invited to attend. Assessment is based on quality of presentation, use of technology and presentation media, evidence of teamwork, quality of content, and overall cohesiveness of the presentation.
    Weighting:
    10%
    Due date:
    Week 13
  • Assignment task 9
    Title:
    Working system
    Description:
    As part of the presentation, the actual system is demonstrated and is assessed as to its quality. The assessment is based on a number of criteria including use of technology, sytem usability, suitability for purpose and its overall design and impact.
    Weighting:
    15%
    Due date:
    Week 13
  • Assignment task 10
    Title:
    Group Project implementation review
    Description:
    This review is conducted after the completion of the project. It is attended by the whole team and examines the project performance. Team members are required to detail their roles and responsibilities, and provide a self-assessment of their individual and collective performances. Problems, successes and lessons learnt are identified and discussed. Assessment is based on performance, attitude, level of commitment and honesty in self-assessment.
    Weighting:
    10%
    Due date:
    Week 13/14
  • Assignment task 11
    Title:
    Weekly reflections (blog)
    Description:
    A reflection on a weekly basis of what you have learned and experienced during the week. You are required to do 10 per semester + 1 at end of semester. These blogs will be used to evaluate your personal contribution to the project and might affect your mark up to 20%.
    Weighting:
    Personal contribution evaluation can affect your mark up or down with 20%
    Due date:
    Weekly and 1 at the end of semester
  • Assignment task 12
    Title:
    Peer Assessment
    Description:
    The peer assessment will be done at the end of each deliverable (assignment). This asessment will affect your mark up or down.
    Weighting:
    Personal contribution evaluation can affect your mark up or down by 20%
    Due date:

Due dates and extensions

Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are not regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

Students requesting an extension for any assessment during semester (eg. Assignments, tests or presentations) are required to submit a Special Consideration application form (in-semester exam/assessment task), along with original copies of supporting documentation, directly to their lecturer within two working days before the assessment submission deadline. Lecturers will provide specific outcomes directly to students via email within 2 working days. The lecturer reserves the right to refuse late applications.

A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.

Refer to the Faculty Special consideration webpage or further details and to access application forms: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/equity/special-consideration.html

Late assignment

Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day, assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Appendix

Please visit the following URL: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/units/appendix.html for further information about:

  • Continuous improvement
  • Unit evaluations
  • Communication, participation and feedback
  • Library access
  • Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)
  • Plagiarism, cheating and collusion
  • Register of counselling about plagiarism
  • Non-discriminatory language
  • Students with disability
  • End of semester special consideration / deferred exams
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