ICE 2011 Assignment Suggestions by Con Huynh

PLAN FIRST, CODE LATER! Jumping into code before a plan is failure in the making Jumping into code before a plan is failure in the making Make sure the entire team understands the plan Make sure the entire team understands the plan Make sure each team member knows their role Make sure each team member knows their role

What do I plan? As a minimum your planning should include: As a minimum your planning should include: 1. Site functionalities 2. Site design 3. Task allocation DRAW YOUR SNN DIAGRAM BEFORE YOU BEGIN! (details next slide)

SNN (Site Navigation Net) Diagram Why? It’s part of your marks anyway (the WNAM bit worth 5% of the assignment) It’s part of your marks anyway (the WNAM bit worth 5% of the assignment) It makes sense to do it – it helps you visualise your site structure It makes sense to do it – it helps you visualise your site structure Do it first to help plan how to split tasks between team members Do it first to help plan how to split tasks between team members

Allocate tasks by skills Understand the skills of each team members Understand the skills of each team members Try to allocate tasks to the member that has the most experience in that department Try to allocate tasks to the member that has the most experience in that department Split tasks evenly, give deadlines for tasks and keep to them Split tasks evenly, give deadlines for tasks and keep to them ‘Sack’ the freeloaders ‘Sack’ the freeloaders

Know your time! CSE2ICE is probably not the only unit you are doing this semester CSE2ICE is probably not the only unit you are doing this semester Make sure you can arrange work long sessions together Make sure you can arrange work long sessions together Spend the time together efficiently Spend the time together efficiently spend it on helping each other where necessary and/or on allocation of tasksspend it on helping each other where necessary and/or on allocation of tasks avoid using the time you have together to do tasks that you can do on your ownavoid using the time you have together to do tasks that you can do on your own

Functionality before design For the purpose of this assignment, functionality is 80% For the purpose of this assignment, functionality is 80% Focus on functionality first, make sure your code works, and get those database bugs out of the way Focus on functionality first, make sure your code works, and get those database bugs out of the way THEN do the design - we love pretty assignments, but the functionality is where you will get most of your marks! THEN do the design - we love pretty assignments, but the functionality is where you will get most of your marks!

Understand your syntax You should be using at least PHP, MYSQL, HTML, JAVASCRIPT, CSS. You should be using at least PHP, MYSQL, HTML, JAVASCRIPT, CSS. That’s 5 different coding languages! That’s 5 different coding languages! Don’t get confused between the languages giving you endless syntax errors.  Don’t get confused between the languages giving you endless syntax errors. 

Know your resources Print and use the cheat sheets Print and use the cheat sheets Make use of the php API and w3schools Make use of the php API and w3schools And the other resources on my webpage should help too… And the other resources on my webpage should help too… GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND us if you have any queries! us if you have any queries!

Finally some few hints... Print out your database schema Print out your database schema Print out your SNN Print out your SNN Make sure you split your header and footer files and include them using php Make sure you split your header and footer files and include them using php Use an external style sheet Use an external style sheet Make sure your file structure is neat and your whole team knows where everything is Make sure your file structure is neat and your whole team knows where everything is

Last hint... For implementation, GROW the system, start from something really simple that works, add to it, test, then add more, then test… (not the BIG BANG approach) For implementation, GROW the system, start from something really simple that works, add to it, test, then add more, then test… (not the BIG BANG approach)

Good luck!