FIT3015 Industrial Experience Project , Unit Information Guide (Semester 1, 2006)

Chief Examiner Dr Kathy Lynch
Lecturers
Caulfield : Dr Kathy Lynch
Outline

ASCED Discipline Group classification: 020103 Programming

In their final year of study, students are given the opportunity to apply the knowledge and skills they have gained, in the development of an information system for a real world client. Students work in groups and will:

  • design, develop and deliver an information system for a client
  • manage the project through all its development stages
  • communicate effectively with all project stakeholders, primarily via studios and meetings
  • develop project documentation to a professional standard
  • present their project work to academics and other groups
  • attend unit seminars
  • contribute in a professional and committed manner to the work of the group

    •  
    Objectives Knowledge and Understanding

    Students will have knowledge of

     

  • C1 The environment in which a client operates
  • C2 Eliciting information from a client
  • C3 A Project management process to measure and control development of a system
  • C4 The scope and size of a system
  • C5 The processes involved in the design, development and delivery of an information system
  • C6 The effective management of clients, groups and individuals within groups
  • C7 The roles and responsibilities of all project stakeholders

    •  

    Attitudes, Values and Beliefs

     

  • A1 Students will exhibit a professional attitude to the production and delivery of their work as an individual and as a member of a group.
  • A2 Students will appreciate the importance of involvement and commitment in group work, and its fundamental contribution to the systems process.
  • A3 Students will appreciate the need for professional behaviour in their dealings with a real world client.

    •  

    Practical Skills

    Students will exhibit skills in

  • P1 Presentation
  • P2 Project management
  • P3 Interacting with clients
  • P4 Group integration
  • P5 Designing, developing and delivering on time, a computer system that meets agreed specifications.
  • P6 Evaluating, then using the most appropriate tools and techniques

    •  

    Relationships, Communication and TeamWork

     

  • S1 Students will learn how to establish and maintain effective communication between group members, and between the group and their client
  • S2 Students will respect the input and contribution of all project stakeholders
  • S3 The roles and responsibilities of all group members will be agreed and understood
  • S4 Effective conflict resolution will be employed as part of group management
  • S5 Students will appreciate that the final outcome of the group's work relies on the integrated and committed behaviour of all group members

    •  
    Prerequisites Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed:

    All Faculty and Campus core units in the BITS (Systems Development), i.e. FIT2002, FIT2023, FIT2027, FIT2030

    OR (for Bachelor of Computing and double degree students) CSE2132 and CSE2203 or equivalent. The student should also have completed at least 96 credit points towards the Bachelor of Computing or double degree.

    OR (for Bachelor of Information Systems or Bachelor of Information Management and Systems students) IMS2000 or IMS2502 or equivalent.
    Unit relationships You may not study this unit and FIT3047 or IMS3000 or IMS3000H in your degree.
    Texts and software

    Required text(s)

    There are no set texts, however students are expected to have developed their own collection of texts, urls and other reference materials during the course of their studies. Resources related to the seminar series will be distributed during the seminar or listed on the unit web site.

    Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

    Software requirements:

    The studio environment provides a large array of software and hardware for students to use within the studios, and some items are available for overnight loan. Please see the unit web site for up-to-date listing. Anything additional is to be negotiated between the student team and their clients. FIT will not normally provide additional hardware or software.

    Hardware requirements:

    Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.

    The Studio environement is well equipped with computers and peripherals. Studio computer peripherals (cameras, scanners, laptops, zip drives etc.) are available for student use. This equipment is accessible via the FIT loan system - ask the Caulfield FIT technical staff for more information, or log a request via their web site:

    http://www1.infotech.monash.edu.au/webservices/servicedesk/requestform/index.cfm

     
    Recommended reading

    Library access You may need to access the Monash library either personally to be able to satisfactorily complete the subject.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.
    Study resources

    Study resources for FIT3015 are:

    found on the unit's web site:

    http://infotech.monash.edu/units/fit3015/study/

    (this web site contains information for FIT3015, FIT3047 and FIT3048)

    Structure and organisation

    Week

    Topics

    Study Guide

    References/Readings

    1 Introduction Kathy Lynch
    2 using ICTs for effective team communications Kathy Lynch
    3 Meeting clients Andrew Barnden
    4 Team work Kerry Tanner
    5 Delegation Doug Hamilton
    6 Project management Adi Pranato
    7 Quality Jan Miller
    Non-teaching
    8
    9 Testing Andy Blucher
    10 TBA
    11 TBA
    12 TBA
    13 TBA
    Timetable

    The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+
    Assessment

    Assessment for the unit consists of assignments with a weighting of 80% and an examination with a weighting of 20%. Detailed informaiton regarding the assessment can be found on the unit website or the Supplementary Unit Information distributed during week1 seminar. Please read this document VERY carefully.

    Assessment Policy

    To pass this unit you must:

    gain all of the following:

    · at least 40% of the marks available for the examination component, if any: i.e. the final examination and any tests performed under exam conditions, taken as a whole

    · at least 40% of the marks available for the assignment component: i.e. the assignments and any other assessment tasks (such as presentations) taken as a whole

    · at least 50% of the total marks for the unit

    Your score for the unit will be calculated by:

    N/A

    Assessment Requirements

    Assessment

    Due Date

    Weighting

    TBA

    Assignment specifications will be made available during week 1 seminar and on the unit web site.. Information about assignments will be published on the Unit's Notices Newsgroup.

    Assignment Submission Methods

    Assignments will be submitted by paper submission to the Studio Tutor, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out, signed and attached.

    Extensions and late submissions

    Late submission of assignments

    Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day, assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.

    This policy is strict because comments or guidance will be given on assignments as they are returned, and sample solutions may also be published and distributed, after assignment marking or with the returned assignment. 

    Extensions

    It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. 

    Requests for extensions must be made by email to the Studio Academic. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. A copy of the email or other written communication of an extension must be attached to the assignment submission.

    Grading of assessment

    Assignments, and the unit, will be marked and allocated a grade according to the following scale:

    HD High Distinction - very high levels of achievement, demonstrated knowledge and understanding, skills in application and high standards of work encompassing all aspects of the tasks.
    In the 80+% range of marks for the assignment.
    D Distinction - high levels of achievement, but not of the same standards. May have a weakness in one particular aspect, or overall standards may not be quite as high.
    In the 70-79% range.
    C Credit - sound pass displaying good knowledge or application skills, but some weaknesses in the quality, range or demonstration of understanding.
    In the 60-69% range.
    P Pass - acceptable standard, showing an adequate basic knowledge, understanding or skills, but with definite limitations on the extent of such understanding or application. Some parts may be incomplete.
    In the 50-59% range.
    N Not satisfactory -  failure to meet the basic requirements of the assessment.
    Below 50%.

    We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

    Feedback Feedback to you

    You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This feedback may be provided through your participation in tutorials and class discussions, as well as through your assignment submissions. It may come in the form of individual advice, marks and comments, or it may be provided as comment or reflection targeted at the group. It may be provided through personal interactions, such as interviews and on-line forums, or through other mechanisms such as on-line self-tests and publication of grade distributions.

    Feedback from you

    You will be asked to provide feedback to the Faculty through a Unit Evaluation survey at the end of the semester. You may also be asked to complete surveys to help teaching staff improve the unit and unit delivery. Your input to such surveys is very important to the faculty and the teaching staff in maintaining relevant and high quality learning experiences for our students.

    And if you are having problems

    It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem with your study. The semester is short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

    Plagiarism and cheating

    Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

    In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

    When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

    Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

    Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

    Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.
    Communication

    Notices

    Notices related to the unit during the semester will be placed on the Notices Newsgroup in the Unit Website. Check this regularly. Failure to read the Notices newsgroup is not regarded as grounds for special consideration.

    Consultation Times

    If direct communication with your unit adviser/lecturer or tutor outside of consultation periods is needed you may contact the lecturer and/or tutors at:

    Dr Kathy Lynch
    Senior Lecturer
    Phone +61 3 990 32583
    Fax +61 3 990 32005

    All email communication to you from your lecturer will occur through your Monash student email address. Please ensure that you read it regularly, or forward your email to your main address. Also check that your contact information registered with the University is up to date in My.Monash.

    Last updated: Feb 27, 2006