1. COMP 208/214/215/216 Lecture 1
Introduction

2. Group Software Projects
Michele Zito (Ashton 3.06)
Course Co-ordinator
Lecturer, Project Monitor, Project Reviewer
Sebastian Coope, Antony McCabe
Project Reviewers
Project Monitors
Phil Jimmieson, Dave Shield
Technical Support/Advice

3. Aims of the Course
To give experience of working as part of a team to develop a substantial piece of software
Both of these aspects are important:
Building a large piece of software presents different problems from coursework exercises
Almost all work in the real world is done by teams.

4. Software Development is usually now a team effort
RedHat GNU/Linux 7.1
30 million source lines of code (SLOC)
8,000 person-years effort
Cost (if developed conventionally) > US $1 bn (2000 dollars)
Microsoft Windows
Windows Server 2003: 50 million SLOC
Apple Macintosh
MAC OS X 10.4: 86 million SLOC
Debian GNU/Linux 5.0
324 million SLOC.
Source: Wikipedia: “Source Lines of Code” (consulted )

5. 2U
This is your project
The project gives an opportunity to show initiative and to take control of your learning
As a group you are responsible for:
Choosing the application area
Finding what you need to know
Planning the project
Progressing the project
Delivering the products on time
Of course, all of this will be done within the guidelines laid down.

6. Project Framework The framework comprises: The software required
For C208, usually, a database application in an area of your choice
For C215/C216, WAP access to a database
For C214, a system implementing a heuristic search method
Various intermediate deliverables which need to be available at appropriate check points:
Requirements, design, implementation
To provide feedback on your progress
To form the basis of assessment
A methodology to be followed.
Oral & written assessment.

7. Software Required: 208
Typically the aim of the project for COMP208 is to produce a database application in an area determined by you, which, as a minimum:
Supports users and administrators
Is of reasonable complexity
Contains useful information
Supports a range of sensible queries and transactions.
It is permitted (but not necessary) to provide web access to your database
eg, using PHP.

8. Software:
The aim of the project for COMP is to create a WAP (Wireless Access Protocol) interface to a database in an area determined by you, which, as a minimum:
Supports users and administrators
Is of reasonable complexity
Contains useful information
Supports a range of sensible queries and transactions.
You may emulate the WAP interface if you are not able to find a free-ware WAP simulator.

9. Software Required: 214
The aim of the project for COMP214 will be to create a computer system capable of undertaking an intelligent search of the solution of a given computational problem
You will need to structure and represent the knowledge specific to the given problem and implement a search algorithm across it. Suggested application areas include:
Timetabling, or
Group allocation systems.
Students registered for this module should get in touch with me to discuss this plan

10. Resources Module Web Page on Books Lectures The Web
vital.liv.ac.uk
Any questions: please me at:
michele [at] liverpool.ac.uk
Books
Lectures
The Web
Your Project Monitor.

11. Books
Thomas Connolly and Carolyn Begg: Database Solutions (2nd ed), Addison-Wesley, 2004.
This book gives a step by step guide to developing a database application. This book will serve as a "project handbook". It is essential that each team in COMP208 has access to a copy of this book.
Christian W. Dawson: Projects in computing and information systems: a student's guide, Addison-Wesley, 2009.
This book gives good advice on all aspects of how to set about computing projects. Every team in all modules should have access to a copy of this book.
Of course, you can make use of other books and the WWW if you wish.

12. Lectures
There will be lectures on this course, plus some guest sessions.
A schedule can be found on VITAL
Lectures cover:
Introduction (1)
Transferable skills: meetings, planning, quality assurance, presentations, writing reports (5)
Information about the assessments: requirements, design, demonstration, final portfolio (3)
Group working skills (2)
Third year projects introduction (1)

13. Project Monitors & Reviews
Each team is assigned a project monitor. The project monitor will:
Check progress on the project
Act as a point of contact for queries and problems.
Project reviews this year will be undertaken by:
Dr Michele Zito
Dr Sebastian Coope
Dr Antony McCabe

14. Technical Support
For technical problems, the first point of contact should be Mr Phil Jimmieson ( phil [at] csc.liv.ac.uk)
Mr Dave Shield is also a very useful contact ( daves [at] csc.liv.av.uk)
esp. in relation to on-line submissions.

15. Project Stages
Detailed planning is up to you. But you must follow the following phases:
Phase 1: Requirements, weeks 1-3 (15%)
Phase 2: Design, weeks 4-7 (20%)
Phase 3: Implementation and Testing, weeks 8-10
Phase 4: Demo and Portfolio, weeks (65%)
Phase 1, 2, and 4, will produce assessed deliverables: Details of what is required at each stage based on material from Connolly and Begg can be found on VITAL.
You may aim to complete these phases more quickly, but each phase must produce its deliverable by the stipulated time.

16. Assessed Work Meetings Requirements Design Demonstration Portfolio
Each team must meet formally each week. A note of each meeting must be made available to your monitor within 1 week. (More on meetings in tomorrow’s lecture)
Requirements
Review with project reviewer in week 4
Design
Review with project reviewer in week 8
Demonstration
Given to project reviewer in week 11
Portfolio
Submitted at end of week 12.
More details
on the web
page and in
later
lectures

17. Phase 1 - Requirements Database planning System Definition
Choose an area for your data base
Determine its objectives and aims
System Definition
Decide what will be in the database and what won’t
Identify categories of potential user
Requirements Collection and Analysis
Specify the requirements for each class of user.

18. What to Do First Choose your application area: Plan your project
e.g. sporting information: players, teams, matches, competitions
e.g. music information: musicians, bands, albums, record companies, charts
e.g. product information: models, brands, manufacturers, outlets
NOT a video/music/game shop – that is the case study in the text book
Plan your project
Read Connolly and Begg to find out what needs to be done
Identify the tasks that will achieve these things
Decide who will carry out the tasks.
More on planning in Lecture 3.

19. Professional Issues
Awareness of professional issues is considered important for software developers.
The British Computer Society issue a code of conduct.
You should be aware of what this says, and follow it as applicable. It is available by following the Professional Issues link from the module homepage.

20. Submission Deadlines Requirements documents: Friday 2010-02-15
Design documents: Friday
Group Portfolio: Friday
Individual Submission: Friday
All submissions due at 12 noon.
Submit on VITAL (precise submission instructions in due course)

21. Finally... This course is different to your other courses.
You will need to take an active role
Team work is required
You will be assessed both in writing and orally
You will be assessed individually AND as a team
If you have questions about the course, please do ask me. I prefer .
I hope you will find the course interesting and enjoyable.