1. Developing Software Engineering Class Projects with an Internal Client
Dr. Christelle Scharff
Computer Science Department
Internal Client: Michelle Perez
Director Office of Housing & Residential Life
Contact: Diana White
Office of Housing & Residential Life
Students: Asif Baksh, Sze-Man Chan, Brian Hernandez, Zulfikar Shameer, Denny Singh, Sonny Szeto

3. Outline Software Engineering Software Engineering Class: CS 389
Project Requirements
List of Projects for Spring 2004
Partnering with an Internal Client
How? Why? Impact? Assessment?
Students Interviews
Demonstration
Conclusions and Future Work

4. Software Engineering Software = Computer Program + Documentation
Software Engineering is a discipline, which is concerned by all aspects of building high-quality software from the early stages of software specification, development and validation, to the maintenance of the system after it has been deployed
Quality depends on the methods, techniques and tools used during the software engineering process

5. Some Numbers
In 2002, 34% of software products were completed on budget, and 17% were complete failure [Standish Group]
Defective software cost companies more than $200 billions annually [Sustainable Computing Consortium]
It takes $10 to fix a bug during development, $100 to fix a bug during quality assurance, $1000 to fix a bug during beta test, and $10,000 to fix a bug post-deployment [Alan Zeichlick, SD Times]

6. Software Engineering Course: CS 389
Core course of the Computer Science curriculum taken by junior and senior students
Main Topics:
Software Engineering Process Models
Requirements Engineering
Object-Oriented Design and UML
Programming and technologies
Testing
Semester-long software development group project
Students choose their groups and projects
Students have the opportunity to work with an internal client

7. Two Important Questions Concerning the Project
What software engineering process model to use?
Waterfall model
How to best simulate the “real world” conditions?
Type of project, group work, technologies, deliverables, deadlines and other constraints, client…

8. Projects – Spring 2004 Online Web Pages Builder 8 students
Online Wedding Planner System
Online Volunteers Management 7 students
System for NYC 2012
Online Pace University Schedule Builder
Online Room Transfer Requests 6 students
System
Online Work Order Requests System

9. Projects Requirements
Communication skills
Documentation
Feasibility Study
Requirements Document
Design Document
Testing Document
Code Listing
Professional experience
Impact: Users Satisfaction Survey
Visibility (web page)
Programming
Learn at least one new technology
Practice with at least one CASE tool

10. Partnering with an Internal Client
Steps:
First Contact with the Housing and Residential Life Office
Regular follow up with the client and the students
Invitations to presentations and demonstrations
Assessment

11. Survey Results: Why Some Students Did not Work with the H & RL?
15 students out of 21
Proposed projects not challenging enough
Scope and size of the proposed projects too large
Decision of the team
Interest in their own software to be developed
Needed to be ensured that the H & RL will be committed and helpful
Needed to be ensured that the software will be deployed and used
Needed an extra-curriculum reward!

12. Advantages of Partnering with an Internal Client 1
Real world experience
Understand clients’ needs and changes in requirements
Project management experience
Development of communication and negotiation skills
Acquire experience and diverse skills valuable on the market place

13. Advantages to Partnering with an Internal Client 2
Experiential learning to support students’ academic, ethical, and social development
Developing software that will directly benefit a large number of students’ peers
Intimate understanding of various policies and procedures
An opportunity to directly impact the quality of services students’ receive
Inspires students’ to become involved and active citizens of the residential community

14. Experience as a Client Initial Contact The process:
Time investment to meet the students
Attendance to demonstrations and presentations
Interest: Customized software developed to meet the specific needs of the residential community
Significant needs of customized software for the residential community

15. Survey Results: Students who worked with H & RL
Why did they choose to work with a client?
Challenge, gain experience, resume, participating in the community , time management and follow-up
Experience with the client
Very proactive, helpful, committed and understanding client
Changes in the requirements were introduced smoothly because of the regular meetings and discussions
All of the students would repeat the experience

16. Students Interviews
How much time did you spend on the project? What required the most time?
How would you describe your experience with the internal client?
Was the scope and size of the project well-defined from the beginning?
Would you like to see partnerships like this one in other Computer Science classes?
What do you believe are the impacts of this experience on your career?

17. The OLWOR System OnLine Work Order Request System Asif, Damian, Denny
Client: Michelle Perez, Director of Housing & Residential Life
Supervisor of the project: Diana White. H & RL

18. OLWOR Stakeholders and Main Features
All users of the system (Residents, H & RL Staff and Direction) have a profile in OLWOR
Residents can submit work order requests online
DoIt, B&G, S&S, CoinMac
Confirmation s sent to the staff and residents about all requests and updates
Residents keep track of the status of their work order requests (submitted, in progress, closed)
Staff and Director of H & RL have access to all work order requests (using different criteria)

19. OLWOR Demonstration

20. Conclusions and Future Work
Problems and questions
Server? Support for the Server?
Financial support?
Availability and willingness of the students to finish the project?
Maintenance of the system afterward?

21. Conclusions and Future Work
Success story: Deployment of the OLWOR system
Internship offered by the Office of Housing and Residential Life
Summer I 2004: Deployment
Summer II 2004: Use of the system by the RAs in Maria’s Tower, and assessment
Fall 2004: Use of the system by the students in Maria’s Tower, and assessment
On the road for Fall 2004 and Spring 2005…

22. Questions & Answers