Niki computing and systems development

Assignment Guidelines

1. The assignment has 6 tasks.
2. The Interim submission will be for Tasks 1 and 2
3. The Merit and Distinction criteria will also apply to the Interim Submission.
4. The Interim grade will contribute to the overall grade.
5. The final submission will cover the all the tasks in the assignment.
6. The attendance percentage and participation in class tutorials will contribute towards the achievement of Distinction grade.

Assignment

All projects MUST be agreed with your tutor before commencement of work.

You may work in groups or on your own. Each group will have a maximum number of three students.

Tasks

Research or devise a project for an Information Technology Solution. This may be a Computer Hardware, Computer Software or an Information Systems project. You are required to produce a comprehensive project plan and describe the processes you have completed in order to produce your plan.

Suitable plans may include

·         Development of a website

·         Development of a multi-site business network

·         Development of a  database for an Information System Company

LO1.1  Stage 1

Formulate one or more possible projects and outline the project specification

LO1.2  Stage 2

Clearly identify the factors that contributed to your process of project selection.

LO1.3  Stage 3

Use several appropriate techniques including client interview and document inspection to agree a specification with your client. Your Fact finding evidence should be recorded and analysed.

LO1.4, LO2.1  Stage 4

Produce a project plan for the agreed project using MS Project or an appropriate software. Your plan should include WBS, Gantt chart, CPM and other appropriate techniques. Your planning should identify explicitly the appropriate resources, with special regard to human resources.

LO3, LO4.2     Stage 5

Implement the project and present the project or Information Technology Solution.  Your presentation should appraise the audience of:

1.    Project process

2.    Project outcomes

3.    An evaluation of how your project reaches its organisational and technical objectives.

Presentation requirements: PowerPoint slides 8 – 10, Max 20 mins, and Include references

LO4     Stage 6

As part of this project you are required to keep a journal/diary/log of the activities covered with special regard to how this corresponds to your updating of your project plan, activities and people working on your project.

You are also required to produce a portfolio of work in a systematic way that demonstrates how you have used your project process/plans to  produce your final solution.

Learning outcomes and assessment criteria for a pass

On successful completion of this unit a learner can:

LO1 Be able to formulate a project

1.1 formulate and record possible outline project specifications

1.2 identify the factors that contribute to the process of project selection

1.3 produce a specification for the agreed project

1.4 produce an appropriate project plan for the agreed project.

LO2 Be able to implement the projectwithin agreed procedures and tospecification

2.1 match resources efficiently to the project

2.2 undertake the proposed project in accordance with the agreed specification

2.3 organise, analyse and interpret relevant outcomes.

LO3 Be able to evaluate the projectoutcomes

3.1 use appropriate project evaluation techniques

3.2 interpret and analyse the results in terms of the original project specification

3.3 make recommendations and justify areas for further consideration.

LO4 Be able to present the projectoutcomes

4.1 produce a record of all project procedures used

4.2 use an agreed format and appropriate media to present the outcomes of the project to an audience.

Merit criteria assessed (include Pass criteria+):

M1: Identify and apply strategies to find appropriate solutions

• effective judgements have been made the content and the structure of the answers
• the answers demonstrate attention to detail and an effective approach to research

M2: Select/design and apply appropriate methods/techniques e.g.

• relevant theories and techniques have been applied to solve the problems and to answer the questions
• A wide range of sources of information has been used (at least 5).
• complex information has been effectively synthesised to answer the questions and solve the problems

M3: Present and communicate appropriate findings

• technical language has been coherently and accurately used in the context
• answers have been provided in the report format correctly laid out and presented for the intended audience
• A list of references been appended.

Distinction criteria assessed (include Merit criteria+):

D1:  Use critical reflection to evaluate own work and justify valid conclusions

• conclusions have been arrived at through synthesis of ideas have been justified
• the answers demonstrate high attention to detail and an effective approach to research

D2: Take responsibility for managing and organising activities

• submission deadline has been met
• independence and autonomy have been demonstrated
• substantial investigation have been planned, managed and organised

D3: Demonstrate convergent/lateral/creative thinking e.g.

• problems have been effectively solved
• innovation and creative thought are evident in the students work
• effective self-evaluation has been taken place