Lecturers: Dr A.F. Blackwell and Professor R.J. Anderson
No. of lectures: 3
Prerequisite courses: Software Engineering and Design, Programming in Java
Aims
The aim of this course is to give students a realistic introduction to
software development as practised in industry. This means working to
rigid deadlines, with a team of colleagues not of one's own choosing,
having to satisfy an external client that a design brief has been
properly interpreted and implemented, all within the constraints of
limited effort and technical resources.
Lectures
Initial project briefing.
Software engineering: design, quality and management, application of
course material. Introduction to possible design briefs. Formation
of groups, selection of tools, review meetings.
Administrative arrangements.
Announcement of group members. Deliverables: functional specification
and module design, module implementation and testing, system integration,
testing and documentation. Timetable. Advice on specific tools. First
project meeting.
Presentation techniques.
Public speaking techniques and the effective use of audio-visual aids.
Planning a talk; designing a presentation; common mistakes to avoid.
Objectives
At the end of the course students should have a good understanding of
how software is developed. They should have consolidated the
theoretical understanding of software development acquired in the
Software Design course. They should appreciate the importance of
planning and controlling a project, and of documentation and
presentation. They should have gained confidence in their ability to
develop significant software projects and Part IB students should be
prepared for the personal project they will undertake in Part II.