19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day1 IMAT3451 Final Year Project Options Day Briefing These slides are available at:

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day22 Agenda What is the final year project? How do I find a project? What is a supervisor? What should I do now? What other information is available? Questions.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day33 What is the final year project? Probably the most challenging - - but also the most enjoyable part of your final year.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day44 The Final Year Project - Is a 30-credit module - BUT it is different from any other final year 30-credit module It is an INDIVIDUAL piece of work You undertake it with the guidance of a supervisor – But it is YOUR project, for which YOU are responsible!

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day55 Manage Your Time Every 30-credit module represents 300 hours of learning That is an average of 10 hours per week But unlike taught modules, you must manage all of that time yourself.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day66 ‘Most Enjoyable...’ It is your project You get to choose it [within certain limits], you have control over what you’re doing An opportunity to explore an area that interests you An opportunity to integrate topics you have been studying in earlier years

Early Deliverables: 19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day7 Project Contract (Terms of Reference) This includes a project plan (usually in the form of a Gantt chart) Ethics review form Regular progress reports

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day88 Deliverables: Christmas A literature review Note that you will continue to support your work with literature throughout A project plan for development projects: a prototype, design documentation etc. For research projects: Design for your original research etc.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day99 Deliverables: Final At the end of the year you will have completed: A finished product, which you will present at a viva/demonstration/presentation A report comprising a critical, reflective account of the project A series of appendices to the report

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day10 Example Projects - 1 Well-understood problem domain - challenge is in the quality of software implementation: Multi-layer, turn-based board games (e.g. Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit) Android app A system for a charity or small business Lift Controller.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day11 Example Projects - 2 SOME programmes allow ‘Research’ projects: RFIT: Commercial Benefits & Privacy Concerns Enterprise Resource Management Systems Cross-Cultural Transfer of Technology Managing Knowledge in the Knowledge Economy.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day12 Warning ‘Research’ projects can NOT be undertaken by programmes that have British Computer Society (BCS) accreditation ‘Research’ projects are NOT an easy option – they can be easier to fail that a software development project!

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day13 Finding a Project- 1 You can choose from the ‘pool’ of project proposals made by staff You can propose your own project which is subject to modification* Your placement organization might have a suitable project for you to undertake* *in these cases: you will need to find a suitable supervisor, and have the topic approved.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day14 Warning! Students on some specialist programmes may NOT choose from the ‘pool’ of projects These include: Forensic Computing/Computer Security Computer Games Programming Your programme leader will arrange project selection with you.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day15 Finding A Project- 2 There will be about 50 members of staff acting as project supervisors Their proposals will be added to a spreadsheet available from:

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day16 Finding a Project- 3 Browse the list of project proposals Note that more project proposals will be added in the period up to August/September.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day17 Finding a Project- 4 If a project title interests you, the supervisor If there isn’t a specific title that interests you, but you are interested in the general area in which a member of staff is proposing – them You might want a specific member of staff as your supervisor because you are interested in their area of expertise – them.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day18 Finding a Project- 5 In other words: it is your responsibility to find a project Negotiate directly with the supervisor They will confirm whether are willing to take you on. There is a provisional list of supervisors available from

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day19 Your Own/Placement Proposal From your own knowledge of staff, or from the list of proposals, find a supervisor with expertise in the proposed topic – contact them to discuss Or discuss with your programme leader/ final year manager/personal tutor.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day20 Deadline For Project Choice You must have a project by the start of induction week (Monday 30 th September) at the latest BUT the earlier the better – start thinking NOW and get set up with a project well before September The earlier you approach supervisors – the more choice of project/ supervisor you will have.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day21 Deadline For Project Choice If you have not agreed a project with a supervisor by the start of term you will be allocated to a supervisor.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day22 A Note About Supervision - 1 Your supervisor will guide you You will meet with them – approx. 5 hours of supervision throughout the year That leaves 295 hours that you work on your project on your own It is your project!

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day23 A Note About Supervision - 2 Supervision starts with the new academic year: in Induction Week or Week 1 of the Autumn Term Your 10 hours per week work on the project officially starts then, too – but there are ways in which you can prepare:

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day24 Preparation: To help you in September: Read a suitable text: suggestions are provided at the end of these slides Revise/extend your knowledge of technologies you expect to use in your project and the project area in general Your supervisor might have other, specific suggestions.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day25 Further Information At the url mentioned earlier:

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day26 Further Information - Blackboard A Blackboard site for IMAT3451 will be made available from about the beginning of May Check your DMU account regularly as the Blackboard site will be used to send s to students registered on IMAT3451 Once the Blackboard site is available, check regularly for announcements, additional information & supporting material.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day27 Workshops: There will be further briefings about the project in Induction Week There will be workshops on topics such as time management, literature searching, report writing, critical writing, giving presentations, designing questionnaires etc. The library provides bookable individual tuition

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day28 IMAT3451 Final Year Project Questions?

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day29 Useful Books - 1 Weaver, Philip (2004) Success in Your Project. Pearson Education Ltd. A very useful guide for software development projects. Dawson, Christian W. (2009) Projects in Computing and Information Systems: a student’s guide. 2 nd ed. Pearson Education. Useful guide for all students, but particularly helpful for literature searching, literature reviews and presenting information. Ricketts, Ian W. (1998) Managing Your Software Project. Springer. A useful introduction to the documentation required for developing a software project.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day30 Useful Books - 2 Britton, Carol & Doake, Jill (2005) Software System Development. 4 th ed. McGraw-Hill. Describes a variety of design approaches, somewhat old- fashioned, but a useful introduction. O’Leary, Zina (2009) The Essential Guide to Doing Your Research Project. 2 nd ed. Sage. A useful book which offers guidelines for carrying out research. Cornford, Tony & Smithson, Steve (2006) Project Research in Information Systems. 2nd ed. Palgrave MacMillan. A useful guide to final year projects which have a strong research focus.

19/09/2015imat3451 Options Day31 Additional Note on Research Projects A research project will include: Extensive literature search to retrieve academic papers & a critical write-up of this Establish the research question Review & write-up of research methods Empirical research design Undertake empirical research Analysis and critical write-up of empirical research Write-up of findings, conclusions & recommendations for further work.