1. COMP390/3/4/5 Final Year Project Introduction & Specification
Irina Biktasheva

2. Final Year Project Coordinator: Dr Irina Biktasheva
Technical Support/E-system Support/Advice:
Mr Dave Shield
Rm 3.04 Ashton Building
Rm 3.02 Ashton Building
also: CS Help Desk (Holt Bld)

3. Module Aims
To give an opportunity to explore a substantial computing problem in depth
To give experience of carrying out a large piece of individual work and in producing a dissertation
To enhance communication skills, both oral and written

4. Have you already arranged the first meeting?
This is Your Project
An opportunity to develop initiative and control of your learning
You are responsible for
finding what you need to know & developing ideas
planning the project
progressing the project
delivering products on time
meeting the BCS professional requirements,
including ethical use of data and (if applicable) human participants
You are encouraged to meet supervisor regularly for guidance/advice
but don’t expect s/he can do the project for you
Have you already arranged the first meeting?

5. Project Framework Types of projects
In common: implement a solution, test & experiment
Development: understand solutions
Problem solving: design a solution
Research: define a problem, design a solution
Various stages with intermediate deliverables to be available at appropriate check points
to provide a feedback on your progress
to form the basis for your project assessment
Check points: specification, design, implementation, testing & experiments, dissertation

6. Project Stages Four phases Phase 1: Specification (3.5 weeks)
You should by now have a project allocated; otherwise, talk to me after the lecture
Four phases
Phase 1: Specification (3.5 weeks)
Phase 2: Design (4.5 weeks)
Phase 3: Implementation & Testing (11 weeks)
Phase 4: Demonstration & Dissertation (3 weeks)
design
presentation
specification
document
design
document w1 w2 w3 w4 w5 w6 w7 w8 w9
w10
w11
w12
Sem 1
Sem 2
demonstration
to be assessed
not to be assessed
interim report
dissertation

7. Assessments Assessors include supervisor and marker
Each stage is assessed by 2 assessors
Supervisor
marker
Specification
Design
Demonstration
Dissertation

8. Submission Deadlines Specification (5%): Thu 16.11.17 noon
Design documentation: Thu noon
Design presentation: Mon (whole design stage 15%) Fri
Interim Report: Fri
Demonstration slides: Thu noon
Demonstration (15%): Mon – Fri
Dissertation (65%): Thu noon
You should make yourself available during the weeks for design presentation & demonstration

9. Late Submission According to University standard penalties
5 marks deducted for each working day of lateness
Note: For assignments that are required to be submitted electronically a working day is defined as the 24 hour period immediately following the submission date and time.
Up to a maximum of 5 working days
Work received after 5 working days will receive a mark of 0
For any mitigating circumstances, should contact supervisor first

10. Other Penalties Please consult the project web site
for complete list of penalties

11. Lectures 4 general lectures in total Introduction & Specification
week 1, Tuesday 26 September 2017
Design
Week 5, Tuesday 24 October 2017
just after specification completion
Design & Implementation (by Phil Jimmieson)
Week 6, Tuesday 31 October 2017
Demonstration & Dissertation
semester 2, week 1: TBA

12. Resources Lecture Notes Project webpage Your project supervisor
especially guidelines for each assessment
Your project supervisor
Library
Research papers
Books
Christian W. Dawson, Projects in Computing
and Information Systems: A Student's Guide,
3rd Edition, Pearson Education Ltd, 2015.
(previous editions can also be used)
Lecture Notes
COMP208/214/215/216, COMP201, COMP207, etc.
The Web

13. Technical Support
For technical problems, the first point of contact should be:
Mr Dave Shield (Ashton 3.02)
Lecture by Phil Jimmieson:
design & implementation issues
Date: Tue 31st October 2017
Q&A at the lecture – prepare your questions!
COMP39X == CS helpdesk (Holt Bld)

14. Professional Issues
Awareness of professional issues is a must for software developers
The British Computing Society issue a code of conduct & code of practice
You should be aware of what these say, and follow them as applicable
available at the Professional Issues link from the module homepage

15. Professional Issues: Ethical Use of Data
Ethical use of data, Human Data & Human Participants in particular, is of utmost importance in Computing and Information Systems projects
The University has Policy on Use of Human Data and Human Participants in research projects.
You should be aware of what the Policy says, and make sure to follow it as applicable
available at the Ethical Use of Human Data and Human Participants link from the Comp39x homepage
See also CS Departmental Policy

16. Specification (5% of total mark)
Purpose
A clear idea of what the project comprises
A well defined plan showing how the project will be carried out
Specification Documentation
A report of NO more than 3 sides of A4 (12 point) paper
Gantt Chart can be on the 4th side
Digital pdf file of your specification document must be submitted through E-project by Thursday 16 November, (noon).

17. Specification Structure
Project Description
Statement of Deliverables
Conduct of Project and Plan
Bibliography
Detail guidelines available on comp39x webpage

18. Project Description Who is the project being done for?
What is the project aim? What is intended to achieve?
What is the proposed solution? How to achieve the aim?
Data to be used: explicitly specify either
Synthetic data, or
Real Non human data
State ethical source of the data
Real Human data and/or Human Participants:
State ethical source of the data and/or
State ethical use of human participants
State the University Policy on ethical use of human data & human participants to be followed

19. Statement of Deliverables
Description of anticipated documentation
e.g., document for assessment, user manual, installation guide, online help, etc.
Description of anticipated software
e.g., functionalities, storyboard, user interface, etc.
Description of any anticipated experiments
especially important for research projects
Description of methods of evaluation
how to measure whether project is successful?
e.g., comparison with existing products/methods, user feedback
if 3rd party evaluation – follow CS Dept Policy on ethical use of 3rd party evaluators: link from Comp39x web page

20. Conduct of Project Preparation Design Implementation Gantt Chart
background research, data required, possible ethical issues
Design
design methods, what will be in design document?
Implementation
hardware / software to be used, testing
Gantt Chart
timetable schedule, internal/external milestones
Risk assessment
major challenges, new skills required

21. Bibliography What reference material has been and will be used?
Should be cited appropriately
Example
see recommended Bibliography style on comp39x webpage
Citation in document
Reference list
It was stated in [1] that …
Information about XX will be obtained from [3] …

22. Assessment Form Snapshot of the form, available at webpage

23. Submission Deadlines Specification (5%): Thu 16.11.17 noon
Design documentation: Thu noon
Design presentation: Mon (whole design stage 15%) Fri
Interim Report: Fri
Demonstration slides: Thu noon
Demonstration (15%): Mon – Fri
Dissertation (65%): Thu noon
You should make yourself available during the weeks for design presentation & demonstration