Design IS 101Y/CMSC 101 Computational Thinking and Design Thursday, October 9, 2014 Carolyn Seaman Susan Martin University of Maryland, Baltimore County

Midterm Preparation All assigned class material is fair game: Assigned readings from the three textbooks (St. Amant, Processing, MYM) Other assigned readings and videos as listed on Blackboard Lecture slides and in-class discussions The focus is on conceptual understanding rather than memorization of details Be able to define and answer questions about key concepts Not memorizing details of examples mentioned in passing Be able to read, write, and interpret Processing programs Not picky/”trick question” syntax questions Format: About 25 questions Mix of true-false, multiple-choice, matching, and open-ended (short answer or write a program fragment) questions Closed-book but with limited notes: You may bring one page of notes (8.5”x11”, front and back, handwritten, must be prepared by you but you can talk to other students as much as you want about what to include

Design Problem solving often produces multiple possible solutions...or multiple ways to implement the solution Design is the process of making those decisions and choices Design at a high level Is it cost-effective to automate kidney exchange? Should we use a relational or object-oriented database? Design at a low level How do I structure this function? What do I call this variable?

Semester Game Basic scenario Player makes choices about how to allocate time in each of 15 weeks Game simulates outcomes Possible choices for outcomes Happiness Grades Wealth Possible choices for time (for 168 total hrs/wk) Going to class Paying attention during class Leisure activities (solitary and with others) Studying alone Working Study in groups Visiting academic resources Self care (sleeping, eating, exercising, etc.)

The rules of the game In your group, discuss the following choice: Hours spent studying and working on assignments by yourself For this choice, Specify a reasonable range (might depend on number of credits taken this semester) Model the effect on each outcome with a mathematical rule E.g. “for each hour spent over 100, happiness goes down by 5%” or “for each hour spent, grades go up by 50%” Be prepared to share your model and argue why it is superior to other models.

Competing models for hours spent studying…

Initial rules Choice NameExpected rangeImpact number of credits of classes0-21no direct impact number of hours worked at outside job for each hour worked, increase total wealth by $5 (to figure in taxes and expenses) percentage of class spent actively engaged if percentage < 100, reduce value for “hours spent attending class” by (100 - percentage)% before using it in grades and happiness calculations described below hours spent attending class0-#credits if hours < #credits, decrease grade potential by (100*(credits - hours)/(2*credits)); increase happiness by 1% for each hour of class missed hours spent studying and working on assignments if hours 4*credits, decrease happiness by 20% hours spent participating in study groups 0-5 for each hour (up to a max of five), increase grades potential by 2% hours spent on visits to academic resources 0-3 for each hour (up to a max of three), increase grades potential by 5% hours spent taking care of self if hours < 70, reduce grades and happiness potential both by (100*(70-hours)/(4*70)) hours spent on solitary leisure activities 0-168for each hour, increase happiness potential by 2% hours spent on activities with other people 0-168for each hour, increase happiness potential by 3%

More rules of the game In your group, discuss two of the choices in the game (you’ll be assigned two) For this choice, Specify a reasonable range (might depend on other variables) Model the effect on each outcome with an equation Look at the initial rule for inspiration, but don’t be bound by it Write down your two rules and why you think they are superior to the initial rules. Add your team name and hand it in to Dr. Seaman

Designing the Semester Game Deliverable 1: four parts 1. Architecture Major functions and what they will do Can use mySemesterGameTemplate as a guide, but the deliverable needs to be higher level 2. Data See lecture from last Tuesday 3. Look and feel Input Output 4. Extensions Optional (but you can’t add them later)

For each week: Where do you start? Most programs have some combination of three main parts: Input Computation Output Output - display final outcomes Input - choices Computation - calculate outcomes Output - display outcomes Output - display outcomes for each week

Program-level Design Decisions In Processing, you have several defined functions you can use: void setup () void draw () void mousePressed () void keyPressed () What parts of the architecture do you put in each of these functions?

Design Decisions - Input How much do I control how the user enters input? Do I force the user to input the choices in a certain order? Do I force the user to enter all the choices for one week before going to the next week? Do I let the user change their mind? What limits do I put on the values that can be entered? Upper and lower bounds Default values Granularity (integers vs. floats vs. controlled floats, e.g. in quarters of hours) How do I capture the user’s input? Text fields vs. buttons vs. ??? How do I do error checking? Check everything after the entire week has been entered, or after each entry? How/when do I check if it adds up to 168, and what do I do if it doesn’t?

Design Decisions - Computation How are the choices stored? Remember the hint from class on Oct. 3? Use semester game rules to write expressions for each of the three outcomes Happiness Grades Wealth Create a function that returns a value to calculate each outcome Be sure to store the outcomes by week

Design Decisions - Output This is the place to get creative! Need to show: The outcomes for each week The history of outcomes over past weeks The final outcomes Ideas?

Design Walkthrough Not required, but HIGHLY RECOMMENDED Before design deliverable is due, but after it is (nearly) done Everyone on the team participates Invite your coach Walk through, together, all sections of the deliverable Make sure it makes sense to all team members Purposes: Catch errors Everyone must know enough to answer questions about the deliverable

Design Deliverable Due BEFORE CLASS on October 21, 2014 Late policy does not apply – NO LATE SUBMISSIONS!! Submit on Blackboard Submit one deliverable per team Be sure to put team name and team members on the deliverable 1-2 pages (could be more, but don’t go crazy) Follow the outline of the example Remember: EVERYONE on the team needs to understand and explain what’s in this document Can use mySemesterGameTemplate as a guide, but don’t just copy it into your deliverable