CSE 332Comparison PaperDonna DeMarco
January 19, 2005Page 1 of 3
Below is a comparisonThe Universal Machine (UM) and The Analytical Engine (AE)
Very good 5/5
Target Audience and Goals:
The UM and the AEboth target an introductory college course, or perhaps advanced high school course. As a pedagogical goal, they both cover the breadth of computing, versus in-depth coverage of one topic. [gdb1]They go through the history of computing, through the development effort, social issues, and AI. They both introduce programming. UM does a better job of covering the software life cycle and using the life cycle to develop the code (Plan before you code!) AE jumps right into developing using HTML.
Marketing Goals:
The UM multimedia is very visually pleasing and motivates the user, the student. The AE is more a static appendium to the book. As an educator, I would be more likely to have students use the UM instead of a book. [gdb2]I would be more sure that the students are learning the material since they should be more motivated to use the UM, than just reading another textbook. For the AE, I would be forced to have the students use the book and go to the AE for lab exercises.
Techniques:
The AE uses a consistent format for each chapter of: objective, abstract, AE summary, labs, and quiz. It has lots of labs and links to other websites (a lot of which don’t work any more.) The UM is VERY interactive, uses various multimedia methods (audio, video, pop-ups, etc.) The UM also has LOTS of examples, an important part of helping students learn. The AE didn’t have many examples, but had the labs instead. Both were consistent in their format and had good navigation to the various chapters.
Strengths and Weaknesses:
Some of the strengths and weaknesses of both have already been mentioned. The UM is very interactive, uses lots of multimedia, has lots of good examples. The UM didn’t have (or I couldn’t find) a separate lab section or quiz section. The probe questions seem to be the only form of assessment. The UM could learn from the AE’s use of labs and quizzes.
The AE has lots of lab exercises, and a quiz section. The fact that some of the links to other websites no longer work is not good! Its very frustrating as a student to not have the links work and almost renders the site useless. It shows a lack of commitment by the authors to maintain the site. The AE could learn a lot from the UM in terms of user interface and making the site interesting.
Time Estimate:
Using the Waterfall model life cycle phases, I’d estimate the following:
Phase / For the UM / For the AEAnalysis / 3 weeks: 45 person hours / 3 weeks: 45 person hours
Design / 4 weeks: 60 person hours / 2 weeks: 30 person hours
Code / 6 weeks 90 person hours / 2 weeks: 30 person hours
Test / 2 weeks: 30 person hours / 1 weeks: 15 person hours
TOTAL / 15 weeks: 225 person hours / 8 weeks: 120 person hours
The AE requires less effort because it is a more static site & doesn’t use different multimedia. I think in weeks, so I’ve listed them and then translated to person hour: 3 persons * 5 hours per week. Statistically, I think Boehm said 40% analysis, 35% design 10% code & 15% test? But based on experience, and some other statistics, (man power is highest during code) I’ll go with the above. Also, I think it was Capers Jones, said software estimates can be off by as much as 400% at the beginning of the effort!
[gdb3]
Question / Universal Machine / Analytical Engine- What is the target audience of each title?
- What are the pedagogical goals of each piece, i.e., what are they trying to teach?
C++ / Covers breadth of computing, vs. one topic.
Web stuff
- What are the marketing goals, i.e., what is the role of the multimedia to attract educators to buy the book
and how effective is it? What is the relationship between the book and the multimedia in each title?
- What techniques do the two titles use to facilitate learning and how effective do you think are,
for the targeted audience?
Lots of labs
Links to other websites
- What are the strengths and weaknesses of each title, with respect to user interface design,
use of different media, interactivity, delivery, and content?
Much more interactive
Better use of dynamic pages
Lots of good examples / Mostly static links
Not all links work anymore.
Examples were mostly in labs.
- How could one title be improved by learning from the other?
- Estimate how much time (person-hours) it would take a team of three students to spend working on
a chapter's worth of content in each title. (Do you have a ballpark idea of the scope of a semester project?)
4 weeks design
6 weeks development
2 weeks test
Waterfall : 25% analysis 25% design
10% implementation
15% test? / 2 weeks analysis
2 weeks design
2 weeks implementation
1 week test
[gdb1]Well, someone figured it out! Is this because you read the web sites carefully? ;-)
[gdb2]For some learners, I agree.
[gdb3]Your software engineering experience shines and your estimates are in the ballpart—if anything you may be underestimating a bit, particularly on user testing.