- Department: Electronic Engineering
- Credit value: 20 credits
- Credit level: H
- Academic year of delivery: 2023-24
- See module specification for other years: 2024-25
In this group project you will work as part of a “company” to produce a major software application designed for desktop computer or tablet/phone. You will take on one role with specific responsibility within the company, e.g. project / software / marketing manager, and run the company as a small business. All student companies develop project specifications based on marketable ideas and use modern software engineering methods to design/implement/test that product. Each student company has to pitch initial product ideas to financial backers and business mentors and the final product is demonstrated in a presentation to staff acting as "customers".
This module is available to MEng students only
Occurrence | Teaching period |
---|---|
A | Semester 1 2023-24 |
Subject content aims:
To gain understanding of design, implementation and testing methods in the context of software engineering
To develop an understanding of the role of prototyping in software development
Graduate skills aims:
To develop group working skills
To understand the role of project management
To provide a scenario of a small business environment to develop transferable skills such as presentation skills and time management
Subject content learning outcomes
After successful completion of this module, students will:
Have experience of a variety of aspects of software engineering through the development of a large piece of software within a group
Employ the effective use of tools to support the software engineering process
Discuss the basic operation of a small business
Graduate skills learning outcomes
After successful completion of this module, students will:
Have the ability to communicate technical concepts to their peers
Be able to work as an effective team member
In groups of 7-9, students will work as part of a “company” to produce a major software application designed for desktop computer or tablet/phone. Each student takes on one major role with specific responsibility within the company, e.g. project / software / marketing manager, and run the company as a small business. All student companies develop project specifications based on marketable ideas and use modern software engineering methods to design/implement/test that product. Each student company has to pitch initial product ideas to financial backers and business mentors and the final product is demonstrated in a presentation to staff acting as "customers", during the “Software Engineering Project Part B” second part. It is important for students to work collaboratively by maintaining good communication and adopting good project management and time management skills.
Task | % of module mark |
---|---|
Groupwork | 65 |
Groupwork | 35 |
Non-reassessable
There are a number of milestones and deliverables that each group produces. There is usually formative feedback on these from appropriate people, e.g. Business Mentors, Financial Backer, Customer. Some of these constitute planning documents and feedback on these is given as the
plans come to fruition, since each group has some flexibility in planning.
None
'Feedback’ at a university level can be understood as any part of the learning process which is designed to guide your progress through your degree programme. We aim to help you reflect on your own learning and help you feel more clear about your progress through clarifying what is expected of you in both formative and summative assessments. A comprehensive guide to feedback and to forms of feedback is available in the Guide to Assessment Standards, Marking and Feedback.
The School of PET aims to provide some form of feedback on all formative and summative assessments that are carried out during the degree programme. In general, feedback on any written work/assignments undertaken will be sufficient so as to indicate the nature of the changes needed in order to improve the work. The School will endeavour to return all exam feedback within the timescale set out in the University's Policy on Assessment Feedback Turnaround Time. The School would normally expect to adhere to the times given, however, it is possible that exceptional circumstances may delay feedback. The School will endeavour to keep such delays to a minimum. Please note that any marks released are subject to ratification by the Board of Examiners and Senate. Meetings at the start/end of each term provide you with an opportunity to discuss and reflect with your supervisor on your overall performance to date.
Summative Feedback
Individual feedback will be provided on your individual performance in the group project. You will also receive group feedback for the group portfolio assessment.
Some guidance notes and external links will be provided.