Matthew Butler, Tom Chandler, Mark Power, Ruben Hopmans
Outline
The principal development process focus of the unit will be on the social, legal and business context in which multimedia developers and development companies must operate. As with all studio units, students will undertake a mixture of formal lectures and seminars, tutorials and laboratory sessions, demonstrations and studio work. They will be required to undertake project planning, documentation and development work, both by themselves and in groups. Students will work in teams on the development of an application/exhibition for a client who may be either internal or external to Monash. Project teams will use project planning/management skills, and design and build a project using appropriate software processes and methodologies. Students will integrate multimedia, programming, business and technical knowledge in the development process. Requirements are fulfilled by the team producing an identified set of deliverables, usually a project proposal, project plan and feasibility study, a system specification, and finally a prototype or end product. The team must ensure that each deliverable is completed on schedule. Each member of the team must demonstrate a significant contribution to the team effort, and display a sense of responsibility for the project outcome.
Objectives
At the completion of this unit you will have a theoretical and conceptual understanding of:
The roles and responsibilities of clients and developers in a software development project;
The methodologies, tools and techniques required for delivering a functional system.
You will have developed attitudes that enable you to:
Approach the development process ethically and professionally;
the skills to:
Develop a significant multimedia/computing application, primarily project definition, design, and prototyping;
Apply project management techniques to a software development project.
Integrate multimedia, programming, business and technical skills in the design and development of a system prototype;
Develop effective user and system documentation;
Evaluate personal performance and performance of a development team.
and developed the teamwork skills needed to:
Communicate effectively with clients and members of the development team;
Work effectively in a team.
Prerequisites
Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed (FIT2001 and FIT2002 and FIT2012 and FIT2016) or MMS2401, or equivalent. You should have knowledge of Systems Analysis and Design, Project Management, and the fundamental multimedia development tools.
Unit relationships
FIT3039 is a core unit in the Multimedia Applications major of the Bachelor of Information Technology and Systems. It is a prerequisite for FIT3040 Studio2.
Before attempting this unit you must have satisfactorily completed (FIT2001 and FIT2002 and FIT2012 and FIT2016) or MMS2401, or equivalent. You should have knowledge of Systems Analysis and Design, Project Management, and the fundamental multimedia development tools.
You may not study this unit and MMS3404 or MMS3407 in your degree.
Texts and software
Required text(s)
There is no required textbook for this unit. After choosing your project you may be required to obtain texts relating to the topic or development technologies.
Textbook availability
N/A
Software requirements
There are no specific software requiements for this unit. After choosing your project you will be required to use the most appropriate development software. Some packages that will be of primary use include:
Microsoft Project
Microsoft Visio
Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator
** Note that software required will be that of all other Multimedia units at Berwick. It is not required in all labs, however access to this software in at least one lab will be required.
Hardware requirements
On-campus students may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.
Recommended reading
A list of recommended readings will be made available on the unit website. Due to the wide variety of projects, a definitive list will not be available, however some general books that may help include:
Nicholas, "Project Management for Business and Technology", Prentice Hall
Satzinger et. al, "Systems Analysis and Design in a Changing World", Thomson
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 FIT3039 are:
This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit
The FIT3039 web site on MUSO, where lecture slides, weekly studio requirements, deliverable specifications, project descriptions and supplementary material will be posted.
Newsgroups/discussion groups that can be linked to from the Unit Homepage
Project Planning Process, Project Plan Document, Work Breakdown
Project Concept
4
Intellectual Property, Communication, Budgeting
Project Plan
5
IT Careers, Personal Folios
6
Project / System design process - 3D and Film
Non teaching week
7
Project / System design process - Web and IT Business Systems
First Journal Submission
8
Guest Lecture
9
System and Prototype Testing
10
Delivering a project, Hand-over, Documentation
11
Presentation Skills
12
Student Presentations
Project Presentations
13
Project Hand-over
Final Project, Second Journal Submission
Timetable
The timetable for on-campus classes for this unit can be viewed in Allocate+
Assessment
Assessment weighting
Assessment for the unit consists of 4 group components - Project Concept, Project Plan, Final Presentation, and Final Product with a combined weighting of 60%. Assessment also consists of 2 Process Diary / Journal submissions with a total weighting of 40%.
Attendance is an assessable component of this unit. Part of your final mark will be based on your attendance throughout the year. Strict guidelines for what contributes class attendance will be highlighted and enforced.
Also note that to be eligible for the assessed project mark at the end of the semester you must attend 80% of your studio sessions for each semester. If you are absent for more than two sessions within a semester, you must supply a medical certificate or other appropriate documentation otherwise you will be excluded from the assessments. If you are finding problems with this requirement please ensure you speak to your unit adviser as early as possible.
Assessment Policy
To pass this unit you must:
Pass both the group and individual components and attend 80% of studio classes.
Note that in the event of concern over the contribution of a team member, staff will review their contribution using project documentation, examination of Process Diaries and discussions with the students concerned. If it is deemed that contribution is significantly lacking, then that individuals group component may be multiplied by a factor of 0.5. This includes non-attendance in Studio sessions and will be strictly enforced.
Your score for the unit will be calculated by:
Adding all components
Assessment Requirements
Assessment
Due Date
Weighting
Project Concept
Week 3
0%
Project Plan
Week 4
20 %
Process Diary Submission #1
Week 7
20 %
Group Presentation
Week 12
10 %
Final Product
Week 13
30 %
Process Diary Submission #2
Week 13
20 %
No exam
Exam period (S2/06) starts on 23/10/06
0 %
Assignment specifications will be made available on the FIT3039 MUSO website.
Assignment Submission
Assignments/Deliverables will be submitted by paper submission to your supervising staff member. On-campus Students submit the assignment to the staff member with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out and attached.
The due date is the date by which the submission must be received.
Extensions and late submissions
Late submission of assignments
Both Individual and Group work received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 10% per day. Work received later than one week after the due date may not 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 an e-mail to your supervising staff member at least two days before the due date. 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:
Grade
Percentage/description
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%.
Assignment return
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
Communication methods
Most discussion for this unit should take place in the weekly studio classes. Each supervisor will make consultation time available for discussions outside of class time.
Discussion groups will also be made available for general questions and commens concerning the whole class.
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
Consultation times will be posted on the unit website
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:
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.
