Contents

Contents

1.Guidelines for starting the project

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Project Aims and Purpose

2.Project Scope

3.Project Responsibilities

3.1 Student Responsibilities

3.2 Starting the project

3.3 Supervision

4.Generic project report structure

5.Learning Outcomes

Please find the module descriptor at:

6.Assessment

7.Assessment Summary

  1. Guidelines for starting the project

1.1 Introduction

Each student must carry out an individual 30 credit project which investigates, analyses, and solves a real-world problem using a managed approach. Preferably, this will be undertaken in the workplace as part of your work or perhaps as an additional, but useful piece of work.

In undertaking their project, it is expected that students will develop and apply a significant part of their knowledge and skills gained elsewhere in the programme of study as well as learning some new skills.For this reason, it is recommended that the project is undertaken at the end of the award.

This is a major piece of work that is worth 30 credits at Level 5. You will normally undertake this module over two teaching blocks and it is expected that you will spend about 300 hours in total working on the project. This is the equivalent of ten hours per week.

The project is different to other modules in that you will have a personal supervisor. You are allocated 6 hours of contact time. It is very much up to the student and supervisor to organise how this contact time will be used in terms of the both frequency/duration and the mode (e.g. telephone, emails, skype etc.).

The task of choosing the right project is not easy. In particular, students are expected to conduct secondary research into underpinning theories. It is also expected that students will undertake substantial primary research and synthesise the analysis of all their research to produce a detailed requirements specification.

A question commonly asked by students is around whether there has to be a technical artefact. The simple answer is no. However, there must be an artefact which might be a design, a set of recommendations or another non-technical output. In this case, it is expected that there will be substantial supporting documentation and possibly a technology based product to accompany their project. It is important during the proposal phase to determine what the artefact will be and to get approval for this from your supervisor and course leader.

1.2 Project Aims and Purpose

The project is intended to provide a supervised and managed context in which students can demonstrate their ability to undertake and produce a substantial piece of work at the required standard for a level 5 award.

It is an opportunity for students to demonstrate a mix of academic, professional and in some cases technical skills.

The project provides a framework within which elements from the academic programme of study can be integrated and competenciesand skills relevant to ICT can be demonstrated.

Specifically, the purpose of the project is to give students the opportunity to demonstrate their ability in the following activities:

  • Investigation and analysis
  • Specification and design
  • development and testing/validation
  • Documentation and Communication
  • Critical evaluation

A project must have overall aims and a specific purpose which are appropriate to the award. Information and Communication Technology is a very broad field and a very wide range projects will be appropriate. However, the onus is for the student to demonstrate how their chosen project will contribute to each award learning outcome.

  1. Project Scope

The project can focus on any of the themes within the award but it must

  • Test a range of your abilities
  • Combine sound academic methods with practical skills
  • Be conducted on an ethical basis

The project should address both academic challenges and real-world problems. The work should contain a significant element of "added value" and go beyond being a simple review, comparison or uncritical application of existing material or prior knowledge.

Students are required to state, as part of their proposal, the ethical basis on which they are conducting their project. Students should consult the information at the following link and should complete the ethics form appropriate for the projects:

Students should make a formal ethics statement as part of their proposal and if the project is work based or will include work based materials or personnel, evidence should be included to prove that the project has been approved by the organisation.

Ethics statements will then be checked by the supervisor and course leader. In defining the scope of a potential project, students should give due consideration to the feasibility of the proposal within the constraints of the available

  • Time
  • Resources
  • Supporting expertise
  1. Project Responsibilities

The project is possibly the most important single part of your programme. It is important that all parties to starting the project know their responsibilities within the project framework. The key parties are the student and academic supervisor.

If the project is to be undertaken in the workplace, then a mentor should also be involved. If this is the case, then a work-based learning agreement should be completed in order to ensure that everyone involved is aware of what their responsibilities are with respect to the above.

3.1 Student Responsibilities

All deliverables associated with a project must be the sole work of the student involved. If the project takes place in the workplaceit might be that the student project is part of a larger piece of work. It must be possible to identify the work undertaken by the student as part of their university project and for this to be discrete enough to be assessed as an individual entity.

Any attempt to

  • Copy someone else's work
  • Represent someone else's work as your own

will be dealt with severely under the University's regulations regarding plagiarism.

3.2 Starting the project

  1. Devise a project topic (in advance of project enrolment)
  1. Enter your proposal on the Initial Project Specification Template and submit to your course leader.
  2. The deadline for the initial proposal is on the module page.
  1. If you have a work-based mentor, complete a Work-based Learning Agreement. This will define the responsibilities of your employer in terms of guidance and provision of resources. It can also be used to evidence work place approval for the project.
  1. A member of academic staff will be assigned to be your project supervisor and you will also be allocated a second assessor.
  1. Arrange, prepare for and attend regular meetings with your supervisor
  2. Use the Project Logbook to document this process

3.3 Supervision

There are 24 weeks of supervision available for your project and the schedule at the end of this document states when these weeks are. It is up to you and your supervisor to decide how and how often supervisory sessions will take place. There may be weeks designated as holidays when supervision will not be available. If you are intending to use these holiday weeks for project work, you should ensure that you have received supervision prior to these weeks. Your supervisor will undertake two formal reviews of your work on or around the dates suggested on the schedule after which you will receive formative feedback on the work you have undertaken. It is up to you to ensure that you maximise the value of each review by ensuring that you have work to go through and questions to ask.

The midpoint interview has a summative mark but provides a further opportunity to receive formative feedback from your assessor. After your mid-point interview, you will continue work on your project according to your plan with supervisory guidance.

  1. Generic project report structure

This is for guidance only!

Abstract

Introduction

  • The project proposal summary – aim, objectives, deliverables, plan etc
  • Ethical statement
  • Success criteria
  • How the project will be managed
  • Candidate methodologies with justification for choice
  • A project plan

Research and Analysis

  • Literature review and Primary research
  • Analysis
  • The requirements specification

Artefact Development

  • Design models
  • Justification for choice of development tools/techniques/technologies
  • Documentation relating to artefact eg. User Manual/screen shots

Evaluation

  • Testing/validation strategy with justification
  • Interpretation
  • Evaluation against success criteria
  • Reflection on the project as a whole
  1. Learning Outcomes

Please find the module descriptor at:

Learning Outcome
1. CREATE A PROJECT PROPOSAL WHICH DOCUMENTS A PROBLEM IN TERMS OF CONTEXT, DOMAIN, TECHNICAL AND BUSINESS ASPECTS OF THE PROJECT. / Communication
Knowledge & Understanding
2. CREATE A PROJECT PLAN AND INVESTIGATE, SELECT AND JUSTIFY THE SELECTION OF APPROPRIATE METHODS METHODOLOGIES OR APPROACHES TO BE USED. / Application
Communication
3. UNDERTAKE CRITICAL AND EVALUATIVE RESEARCH INTO THE CHOSEN AREA AND CREATE AND DOCUMENT APPROPRIATE ANALYSIS AND/OR DESIGN MODELS AND DEVELOP AND DOCUMENT WORKABLE, ACCURATE SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEM. / Analysis
Application
Enquiry
Problem Solving
4. TEST OR VALIDATE THE PROJECT OUTCOME. / Application
5. CRITICALLY EVALUATE THE PROCESS OF CREATING THE PROJECT AND REFLECT ON THE EXPERIENCE. / Reflection
6. CREATE A FORMAL REPORT DETAILING ALL STEPS OF THE PROJECT RELATING TO EARNING OUTCOMES 2-5 AND CONTAINING ALL PROJECT COLLATERAL AS APPENDICES INCLUDING PROPOSAL, PLANNING DOCUMENTS, ETHICS FORM AND LOG BOOK. / Communication
Knowledge & Understanding
Learning
  1. Assessment

A project proposal weighted at 10% (1000 words) - Learning Outcome 1

Your supervisor will mark the proposal and then submit your proposal to the award leader who will either approve the project, approve it subject to amendments or reject it. It is unlikely at this stage that your proposal will be rejected because you will have been in regular contact with your supervisor and will have received guidance. NOTE: If your project is work based, your mentor will be invited to complete an employer feedback form

Midpoint interview weighted at 10% - Presentation of the research (no more than 10 slides, 10 minutes plus questions)

This is a presentation of your research and a viva. It is expected that your presentation will identify the SDLC chosen, primary research undertaken (methodology and a summary of the findings), a summary of your secondary research findings, as well as a summary of requirements for your proposed system, and design documentation.

You will receive substantial formative feedback which will inform the next steps of your project. NOTE: If your project is work based, your mentor will be invited

Formal Report weighted at 60% (5000 words) - All learning outcomes

Your report will be marked by your supervisor and moderated by your second assessor.

Demonstration/Presentation of artefact (20 mins plus questions) weighted at 20% - All learning outcomes

You will be required to present your work and take part in a viva during which your supervisor and second assessor will question you about the project as a whole. NOTE: If your project is work based, your mentor will be invited to complete an employer feedback form and to attend presentations.

  1. Assessment Summary

Assessment point / Hand in / Marker / Weighting
Proposal / See module page / Supervisor
moderated by Module leader / 10%
Midpoint / See module page / Supervisor / 10%
Report / See module page / Supervisor / 60%
Overall Project Presentation/Demonstration / See module page / Supervisor / 20%

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