Incorporating Communication Outcomes into the Computer Science Curriculum

Blackjack Using Objects and Dynamic Memory Allocation

2012-07-25T14:36:38-04:00

Title

Blackjack Using Objects and Dynamic Memory Allocation

Course

Data Structures

Abstract

The purpose of the assignment is to create a black-jack game where the user is the “player” and your program is the “dealer” (or “house”). The objectives of this assignment are to (1) gain experience with dynamic memory allocation, (2) gain experience with creating appropriate data structures (including objects), (3) gain experience with “looking up” and using external functions, and (4) learn proper coding styles and how to properly document code.

This assignment can be used early on in the semester, but students should understand basic constructs, standard I/O, and how to perform dynamic memory allocation.

Author

Bill Eberle

Genre

design document, code, comments, pseudo-code, documentation, reflection, tech report

Assignment Duration

Two Weeks

Communication Skill

reading, writing

Technical Skill

implementation, tools, design, research, linear data structures, program design, comments, documentation, programming language basics, data types and variables, pointers and memory management, standard library integration, research, problem solving

Workplace Scenario

RESEARCH
Technical Task: As a software developer in the work force, you may be faced with developing code using techniques or third-party APIs that you did not develop or are unfamiliar. This may require some research to not only discover potential source code or libraries, but also understand how they work and the advantages and disadvantages of using them.
Professional Setting: Student works for a software company.
Professional Role: Software Engineer.
Deliverable: Design document (with design decisions)
Real-world Audience: Team Lead and peers.
How the Audience will USE the student's communication: The team lead and peers will use the student's design (decisions) document to do the following: (1) make suggestions as to possible design alternatives, and (2) determine the feasibility of the design choices.
Additional Notes: In this assignment, you will need to research and read about functions that will provide appropriate string I/O capabilities. In addition, you will need to look up how to use the external function random_shuffle. In a real-time environment, the ability to dynamically allocate and de-allocate memory is a vital concept. The ability to allocate and de-allocate memory (as well as directly access memory) makes C/C++ a powerful language – one of the primary reasons that most operating systems are developed in C. Thoroughly understanding how to handle memory is important to mastering C/C++, and thus key to developing solid data structures and algorithms that efficiently use system memory.

ADDITIONAL SCENARIO
In the real-world, the customer is usually more familiar with their domain than the software engineer. Sometimes, the software engineer may need to research their customer’s domain so that they can further understand the problem. In this assignment, if you do not understand the game of Blackjack, you must research how it is played

Team Size

N/A

Design Proposal and Rationale

2012-07-27T14:16:47-04:00

Title

Design Proposal and Rationale

Course

CS2

Abstract

For any set of requirements, students generate a design proposal rationale that includes a UML class diagram. The rubric evaluates how the students model the requirements and how they justify their design decisions and how the design meets the requirements. The objectives of this assignment are (1) to articulate a class diagram for an object-oriented system and (2) justify the decisions as modeled by the class diagram.

Prereqs: Students are expected to know advanced OO concepts like composition and inheritance. Additionally, students should be able to model an OO system using UML and should be familiar with design patterns, such as state, strategy, singleton, MVC.

The team size is flexible.

Any set of requirements could be used with this assignment. For a CS 2 class, the requirements usually consist of 3-4 use cases and the class diagram is typically 3-7 classes with a minimum of one inheritance and composition relationship.

This assignment is has been used as a deliverable in a larger programming assignment that spans multiple iterations. Students turn in a design document or proposal as part of an Iteration 0 along with a black box test plan. For an example of how the assignment has been used, please see the Somewhat Simplified Solitaire project. Please note that the project uses an older version of this assignment.

Author

Sarah Heckman, Ed Gehringer

Genre

design proposal, UML diagram

Assignment Duration

One Week

Communication Skill

writing, teaming, reading

Technical Skill

design

Workplace Scenario

A customer has provided your management team with a set of requirements. Your manager has requested that you and your co-workers each propose a design for the static layout of the system by identifying the objects, their state and behavior, and the relationships between the objects in the system. Your manager will then choose a design that best describes the requirements for implementation.

Team Size

Code Review and Report to Programmer

2012-07-24T22:19:28-04:00

Title

Code Review and Report to Programmer

Course

CS1

Abstract

Programmers should be able to read code from other programmers in order to determine whether it contains errors. This includes compiler errors, runtime errors, and logic errors. When they identify those errors, they should be able to provide feedback to the programmer who wrote the code in a way that is professional and productive. In this assignment, students read a program, identify and classify the errors it contains, and write a summary to the programmer.

This could be easily modified to include code related to whatever content is being taught.

Author

Norm Krumpe

Genre

Code report

Assignment Duration

Other

Communication Skill

reading, writing

Technical Skill

Code review, error identification

Workplace Scenario

At work, you will often be asked to read someone else’s code (either entire programs, or portions of programs) in order to identify errors and suggest ways to fix them. The other person may be a colleague working on another project or a member of a project team on which you serve. In these situations, you will be responsible not only for telling the person who programmed the code how to correct the problems but also for helping the programmer avoid those mistakes in the future.

A critical professional ability is the ability to build rather than destroy positive interpersonal relationships when telling others about mistakes they’ve made and how to fix those mistakes. This ability will be especially important when you are working on a team.

Team Size

N/A

Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report

2012-07-26T10:55:37-04:00

Title

Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report

Course

Software Engineering

Abstract

The Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report assignment directs student teams to development criteria to rank bugs and enhancements, create a prioritized list of bugs and enhancements, and to estimate time and resources for each item. The Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report is third of five assignments that prepare students to develop the software they evaluated in the Program Review Report assignment over four two-week scrum cycles.

Students perform the following technical tasks:
1. Synthesize results from the Product Review Report and the Customer Requirements Report to develop critical criteria to organize the development process.
2. Prioritize bug fixes and enhancements using the critical organizing criteria.
3. Identify the key features of each bug fix and enhancement.
4. Estimate resources needed to implement each bug fix or enhancement.

Author

Mark Hoffman

Text

CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development PRIORITIZED BUG/ENHANCEMENT REPORT The project manager has decided to continue development of the product begun but not completed by an acquired company. (This is the product your team evaluated in the Product Review Report and developed customer requirements for in the Customer Requirements Report.) The product manager has assigned your development team to develop a prioritized bug/enhancement list based on bugs identified in the Product Review Report and customer requirements identified in the Customer Requirements Report.  Your team needs to develop criteria to facilitate and justify bug and enhancement ranking.  Your team needs to create a prioritized list of bugs and enhancements.  Your team needs to estimate time and resources needed to fix each bug and implement each enhancement. Your team’s report needs to recommendation the order in which bugs and enhancements should be developed to meet customer needs. The project manager has asked your team to make a ten-minute presentation summarizing the report. Your team’s report and presentation provides the project manager with critical information to plan how to develop the product. YOUR DELIVERABLES 1. The project manager has asked your team to prepare a three-to-five-page prioritized bug/enhancement report. 2. The project manager has asked your team to present significant findings from the prioritized bug/enhancement report in a ten-to-fifteen-minute meeting. WHAT YOUR READER WILL DO WITH THE COMMUNICATIONS YOU PROVIDE The manager must develop a plan for completing the project. Therefore, the manager wants your team to answer the following technical questions: 1. What are the critical criteria that organize the development process? 2. How critical is each bug or enhancement to the development process? 3. What are the key features of each bug or enhancement? 4. What resources are required to fix each bug or implement each enhancement? You must provide answers to these questions in a manner that helps the manager develop a plan. The manager must evaluate your team to determine whether it is capable of completing the project. The manager will use your team’s report to answer the following questions: 1. Can your team synthesize the results of the Program Review Report and Customer Requirements Report to identify product development critical criteria? 2. Can your team organize a list of bug fixes and enhancements organized by the product development criteria? 3. Can your team estimate time and people needed to complete each bug fix and enhancement? 4. Are you and the other team members able to work together effectively?

1

CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development You need to present your information in a way that persuades the manager that your team is technically proficient and effective at collaborating on a complex project. LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR THIS ASSIGNMENT While working on this assignment, focus on developing your ability to perform these technical tasks: 1. Synthesize results from the Product Review Report and the Customer Requirements Report to develop critical criteria to organize the development process. 2. Prioritize bug fixes and enhancements using the critical organizing criteria. 3. Identify the key features of each bug fix and enhancement. 4. Estimate resources needed to implement each bug fix or enhancement. Focus also on developing your ability to perform these communication tasks: 1. Write a report that helps managers make practical decisions efficiently. [Writing] 2. Write a report that builds a manager’s confidence in your team’s technical and communication abilities. [Writing] 3. Write a report that persuades mangers to accept your recommendation. [Writing] 4. Select key information from written report useful to the project manager. [Speaking] 5. Create an informative and useful presentation for the project manager. [Speaking] 6. Demonstrate trustworthy technical expertise and communication skills. [Speaking & Teaming] 7. Deliver your presentation in a professional manner that supports achievement of your goals. [Speaking & Teaming] 8. Collaborate effectively on a software development team. [Teaming] 9. Organize and execute a meeting with the project manager and the software development team. [Teaming] 10. Develop knowledge of individual team member skills and trust among team members. [Teaming] ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULE Monday (9/10): Introduction to critical criteria, prioritization, and estimation. Friday (9/14): Submit your report and make your presentation. Peer review of presentations. GRADING CRITERIA The grading criteria for your team’s written report and presentation are presented in the attached rubrics

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report

Technical Rubric
TECHNICAL ABILITIES Ability
Synthesize critical criteria to organize the development process.

Details
Identify key results from the Product Review Report

Report Section
Overview Section

EVIDENCE EXAMINED TO EVALUATE YOUR TECHNICAL ABILITIES (Note that your present your evidence in your report) Done Well Rating and Comments Needs Improvement
List key results and each is clearly and concisely justified. Key features are not in a list or missing, or justification is missing or unclear. Key features are not listed or missing, or justification is missing or unclear. . List of results from each report with no synthesis or not supported by evidence. Bugs or enhancements in a list or missing

Points

Identify key results from the Customer Requirements Report

List key results and each is clearly and concisely justified.

Identify critical criteria for the development process

Prioritize bug fixes and enhancements using the critical organizing criteria

Create a list of bugs and enhancements from previous reports Prioritize list using the critical criteria for the development process

Prioritized List Section

Synthesize key results into a small list of critical criteria supported by evidence from supporting reports List bugs and enhancements

Each item assigned a priority with clear and concise explanation using critical criteria

Not all items are assigned a priority, or explanation is missing or unclear or too long, or explanation does not use critical criteria

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development
Identify the key features of each bug fix and enhancement Identify key features of each bug Prioritized List Section Clear and concise description of each bug with key features highlighted Clear and concise description of each enhancement with key features highlighted List an amount of time to fix each bug and a persuasive argument for its accuracy Key features missing or not highlighted, description is unclear or too long Key features missing or not highlighted, description is unclear or too long Time are not listed for each bug, or argument is missing or not persuasive Time are not listed for each enhancement, or argument is missing or not persuasive

Identify key features of each enhancement

Estimate resources needed to implement each bug fix or enhancement

Estimate the amount of time needed to fix each bug

Prioritized List Section

Estimate the amount of time needed to fix implement each enhancement

List an amount of time to implement each enhancement and a persuasive argument for its accuracy List the team members needed for each bug or enhancement and a persuasive argument for each.

Estimate team members needed for each bug or enhancement

Team members not listed for each bug or enhancement or argument is missing or not persuasive

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development

Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report

COMMUNICATION RUBRIC
COMMUNICATION ABILITIES Ability
Report helps project manager make practical decisions efficiently

Details
Provides critical information useful to the reader Critical information is easily accessible to the reader

Comm Skill
Writing

EVIDENCE EXAMINED TO EVALUATE YOUR COMMUNICATIONS ABILITIES (Note that your present your evidence in your report) Done Well Rating and Comments Needs Improvement
Contains all information useful to the reader and none that is not useful Uses text formatting, organization (e.g., headers), and graphic devices (e.g., lists and tables) that makes information easily accessible to the reader Uses style and tone appropriate for the workplace Useful information is missing or not useful information is included Fails to use formatting, organization, or graphics that makes information accessible to the reader

Points

Report builds project manager’s confidence in team’s technical and communicatio n abilities

Concise and appropriate writing style for project manager Uses precise terms appropriate for the reader

Writing

Uses terms and concepts familiar to the reader, or explains unfamiliar terms or concepts

Uses informal style and tone that is inappropriate for the workplace Misuses terms or concepts or uses terms or concepts unfamiliar to the reader without explanation Key findings are explained inaccurately or imprecisely Fails to used evidence

Provides accurate and precise explanations

Key findings are accurately and precisely explained Uses evidence from user

Uses credible evidence

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development
to support explanations training to support key findings Uses correct spelling, grammar, etc. throughout report Writing Provides a summary that prioritizes and integrates individual findings and synthesizes an interpretation Provides a development plan that recommends actions that are supported by key findings Speaking Concisely and accurately demonstrates key features of user training Concisely and accurately demonstrates significant features of the user training sample from user training to support key findings Several spelling, grammar, etc. errors in report Summary lists without prioritizations or fails to synthesize individual findings

Report persuades project manager to accept your recommendati on

Uses correct and appropriate spelling, grammar, etc. Integrates and interprets findings

Persuasively describes development plan

Select key information from written report useful to the project manager

Select information the demonstrates key features user training Select information that demonstrates significant features of the user training sample Select information that demonstrates significant factors affecting user experience Select information that recommends plans for program development Key information is

Development plan that is does not recommend actions or is not supported by key findings Selected features are incomplete or redundant Significant features are missing, insignificant features are included, or irrelevant features

Concisely and accurately demonstrates significant factors affecting user experience

Significant factors are missing, insignificant factors are included, or irrelevant facctors

Create and

Speaking

Concise and accurate recommendations for program development Succinctly presents key

Significant recommendations missing Omits or inaccurately

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development
informative and useful presentation for the project manager presented information presents key information Uses verbose, inaccurate, or extraneous support materials that detract from or confuse the presentation Order does not relate to the order of the written report or does not support report understanding Lacks focus or is disorganized; not useful for the project manager

Handouts, visuals, demonstrations, etc. support and complement the presentation

Uses concise, accurate, and useful support materials to support and complement the presentation

Report order is clear from the presentation

Orders presentation to support the order and understanding of the written report Speaking and Teaming Demonstrates a clear understanding how to organize a presentation useful to the project manager Demonstrates careful planning, avoids firsttime problems, and anticipates potential problems Demonstrates a clearly defined role for each team member Attire for each team member is appropriate for the meeting Demonstrates a clear and accurate understanding of

Demonstrate trustworthy technical expertise and communicatio n skills

Focused and organized presentation

Carefully planned and well-executed presentation

Demonstrations lack of preparation and inadequate planning

Each team member’s role is clearly defined

Team member roles are unclear

Each team member is properly attired for the meeting Questions are accurately, authoritatively, and respectfully answered

Team members under dress or over dress for the meeting Demonstrates lack of understanding or the lack of ability to explain answers to

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development
questions, and accurately and respectfully answers each Each task is independent, clearly defined, and contributes to the overall software development task questions. Lack of respect for the questioner Tasks are not independent, are vague or unclear, or do not contribute to the software development task Some team assigned tasks that take too little or too much time, and teams are assigned tasks that fall short of or exceed the allotted time Individuals and small groups are unaware of the state of other individual or small group task Results of each task are not clear or are not easy to access No meeting announcement, missing information, or inadequate advanced notice One or more required attendees absent or late Omitted major topics,

Collaborate effectively on a software development team

Breakdown the software development project into small, independent task

Teaming

Effectively and equitable assign tasks to individuals or small groups of developers that can be completed in the allotted time

Each team is assigned tasks that can be accomplished in the allotted time and tasks are evenly assigned

Effectively coordinate task among individuals or small groups

Each individual or small group is aware of the state of tasks assigned to other individuals or small groups Results of each tasks are collected in a uniform, easy to use document Meeting announcement is sent with date, time, and place in advance

Organize and execute a meeting with the project manager and the software development team

Effectively and efficiently coordinate results from each task Required attendees are notified of the meeting arrangement

Teaming

Required attendees are present on time

All required attendees present on time

Meeting is well-

All major topics are

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CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development
organized and executed presented, no time is wasted, all questions are answered in the allotted time Team members are able to clearly state at least two strengths and weaknesses for each team member Team members complete assigned tasks and wait for others to complete assigned tasks time not on task, not enough time to answer all questions Team members cannot identify team member strengths or weaknesses

Develop knowledge of individual team member skills and trust among team members

Identify skills of each team member

Teaming

Develop trust among team members

Team members do not complete assigned tasks or do tasks assigned to others

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Genre

Bug Report

Assignment Duration

One Week

Communication Skill

Writing, Speaking, Teaming

Technical Skill

Project Management, Continuous Quality Assurance

Workplace Scenario

The project manager has decided to continue development of the product begun but not completed by an acquired company. The product manager has assigned your development team to develop a prioritized bug/enhancement list based on bugs identified in the Product Review Report and customer requirements identified in the Customer Requirements Report. The project manager will use your list to advise upper management on the status of the project.

Team Size

4-6

Additional Information

The course (CSC 225 – Introduction to Software Development) is a sophomore-level, experiential introduction to software development that focuses on learning basic software development principles and communications skills by developing an ongoing project. The course project, Tank Wars, continues from the previous semester and is packaged for the next semester.

Over the course there are five set-up assignments
• Program Review Report
• Customer Requirements Report
• Prioritized Bug/Enhancement Report
• Project Management Tools Report
• Preliminary Test Plan Report
that provide background for four two-week Scrum Cycles included in the Scrum Process Management assignment.

Each assignment is a specific Technical Rubric.

The Communication Skills Rubric is the same for all six assignments. Communication skills are assessed cumulatively from the rubric. Communication skills that are to be assessed in this assignment are in red. Communication skills assessed on in earlier assignments and that will continue to be assess in this assignment are in green. Communication skills not assess are in black. All communication skills are assessed for the Scrum Process Management assignment.

Teach Class

2012-07-26T10:12:07-04:00

Title

Teach Class

Course

CS1

Abstract

If you have a unit to teach that can be easily subdivided into separate parts that isn't too difficult, then this assignment can be used.

Create groups of students (probably 2-4) who are interested in teaching the class. Give them a handout or reading from the text that they are supposed to teach in advance. The students will then prepare a lesson based on the reading. Each student group will teach the class in a single class period. Then, the class will take a quiz based on the material. For the students teaching, their grade will be based upon the average grades on their section of the quiz. For students not teaching, their grade will be based on their own quiz.

Author

Arup Guha

Genre

Presentation

Assignment Duration

Class Period

Communication Skill

Speaking, Writing, Teaming

Technical Skill

Sorting, but could be anything

Workplace Scenario

Team Training

Team Size

Eliciting Requirements: Preparation for Requirements Workshop with Client

2012-07-25T21:54:31-04:00

Title

Eliciting Requirements: Preparation for Requirements Workshop with Client

Course

Software Engineering

Abstract

Analyze and create a requirements specifications using scenarios. Prepare to interview a client.

Author

Douglas Troy

Source

Larman, Craig. Applying UML and Patterns: An Introduction to Object-Oriented Analysis and Design and Iterative Development (3rd Edition), 2004.

Genre

Memo

Assignment Duration

Less than a week

Communication Skill

Writing

Technical Skill

Requirements
Design

Workplace Scenario

The Inception Phase of our project is upon us! It’s our opportunity to work with the client to establish a common vision and scope for the project. We explore the client’s vision for the project, create an initial list of features (requirements), make a rough estimate of cost time needed to complete the features, and decide whether or not it is feasible to move ahead with the project given our resource (time and people) constraints. Note that in the spirit of agile, iterative development, we are not trying to completely define the client’s needs (requirements) or the solution at this time. A fuller understanding of the requirements will evolve as we move forward with the project.

We will kick off the project with a Requirements Workshop with our client in our next class meeting. Oftentimes the Software Engineer must explore the client’s vision through a dialog with the client. So for this assignment, I want you to prepare for the meeting by composing a few questions to ask the client in order for you to better understand:
• The client’s vision for the product
• The opportunity/benefits of the product that the client envisions
• The primary stakeholders, such as the “owner” of the product and the “users” of the product.
• The user-level goals: What is the vision for how the users will use the product?
• A list, of potential features of the product
• Any other requirements for the product such as usability, reliability, security, performance, etc

The information that you collect will be used to write your team’s Vision, Supplemental Specification, Use Cases, and Glossary. The features will be the basis for your teams Product Backlog.

In this memo to your supervisor, you will recommend four questions to the client that will help you to write the project vision document.

Team Size

N/A

Program Design

2012-07-26T10:05:58-04:00

Title

Program Design

Course

CS2

Abstract

This assignment can be used in lieu of a programming assignment. Give students the specification for one of your usual programming assignments and have students come up with two possible program designs. They then have to argue (orally) to you in favor of one of the two designs.

Author

Arup Guha

Genre

Elevator pitch

Assignment Duration

One Week

Communication Skill

Speaking

Technical Skill

Applicable to Any

Workplace Scenario

Giving advice to a colleague

Point-Based Fractal Generation: An introduction to C++ Programming

2012-07-30T13:30:49-04:00

Title

Point-Based Fractal Generation: An introduction to C++ Programming

Course

Data Structures

Abstract

Introduction to C++: basic syntax, constructs, and objects for Java programmers. Introduction to Subversion and Visual Studios.

This is intended as the introductory project in a sophomore-level course introducing students both basic data structures and to C++ (assuming two semesters of Java). This project focuses on the latter: giving students their first experience with the C++ language (as well as the Visual Studios IDE and the SVN-based submission method).

In this assignment the student: (1) learns to use SVN; (2) writes the obligatory C++ Hello World program within the Visual Studios editor; (3) implements functionality for generating BMP files; (4) implements the method of a BMP interface class using a row-major matrix representation; and (5) generates several simple fractal images using the C++ Complex class and operators.

Note: The provided library allows for easy generation of Windows-friendly .bmp files, but requires the Microsoft C++ compiler to work.

Duration: 2.5 weeks.

Background: Assume 2 semesters of Java programming. Students are not assumed to have seen C++, Visual Studios, or Subversion. Supplementary materials or lecture on Subversion may need to be provided.

Author

John E. Karro

Source

Based in labs and libraries developed by Dr. William Brinkman for CSE 274 (Introduction to Data Structures) at Miami University.

Genre

Code, short-answer prose

Assignment Duration

Several Weeks

Communication Skill

reading, writing

Technical Skill

Programming language basics, object oriented language features, tools

Workplace Scenario

You have been hired as programmer at a graphics company and have discovered you need to learn C++. Now. Coming down the publishing pipeline is a book on Fractals – mathematically generated images that are frequently used as art, screen savers, Hollywood CGIs, etc…, hopefully displacing the classic book on the subject. As a way to help you bootstrap yourself into the language quickly, they have assigned you to start generating Fractal figures for the book. In order to do this, you are also going to need to use Subversion (a tool for project management), Visual Studio (an Microsoft IDE), a C++ library for generating graphics file in .bmp format, and how to generate a Fractal.

Importance: In this assignment you are learning some fundamental skills needed to work as a programmer in Industry. Subversion is representative of repository tools used to store, exchange, and track versions of coding projects. Visual Studio is a useful alternative to Eclipse for writing and debugging code. And C++ is one of the more important languages, offering superior speed to Java in an objected oriented framework.

Team Size

N/A

Game Manual Rewrite

2012-07-26T10:04:59-04:00

Title

Game Manual Rewrite

Course

CS1

Abstract

This project can be used for introductory students. The specific code attached here is applicable to students who are learning Java and have learned how to use 2D arrays and write their own classes. But, one can write their own "poorly styled" code for this assignment as well.

Students are given a piece of code that works, but is poorly written with no documentation. They must first experiment with the program to figure out what it does. Once they do, they have to redesign the code, use good style and comment the code so that it solves the same problem, but is easier to read. In addition, the students must produce a user's manual for the finished product, so that someone can easily use the program.

Author

Arup Guha

Genre

User Manual

Assignment Duration

One Week

Communication Skill

Writing

Technical Skill

Programming Language Basics, Object Oriented Language Features

Workplace Scenario

Practice in cleaning up and documenting someone else's code.

Problem Statement & Entity Relationship Diagram

2012-07-26T11:00:07-04:00

Title

Problem Statement & Entity Relationship Diagram

Course

Databases

Abstract

This is the first of many milestones associated with a 6 week project. You will refer back to the requirements and design developed in this assignment in future milestones to a) Implement the design, b) Analyze the design for privacy and security issues, c) Design the software system and d) Develop and test the information system. This assignment has the following learning outcomes: ●To learn how to draft the requirements of an information system project using a problem statement. ●To learn how to draft a problem statement using the Function- Form–Economy-Time Model (FFET) ●To learn how to design an Entity-Relationship diagram, given the requirements of an information system. ●To learn how to explain the requirements of an information system, in a model that enables a software engineer to understand the capabilities of the system. ●To learn how to design an information system and rationalize said design in a manner that enables a software engineer to implement the design in a relational database system. ●To learn how to apply the practice of information modeling in a situation similar to those seen in the industry. ●To learn how to work within a team to resolve conflicts and accommodate varied design choices This is a team assignment and is ideally done in a team of 3 or 4 students.

Author

Sriram Mohan

Genre

ER Diagram, Problem Statement, Requirements Specification

Assignment Duration

One Week

Communication Skill

Writing, Teaming

Technical Skill

Design,Requirements Specification, Normalization

Workplace Scenario

As a software engineer, you will often be required to design information systems based on a client’s requirements. It is your responsibility to understand the needs behind the information system and develop a feature set based on the needs. Once you have captured the feature set, you will often be responsible for designing an information system that has the ability to store the required data in an efficient manner without any duplication.

The ER diagram is an industry standard and provides a visual representation of the database design. The ER diagram is the focal point of communication with the client and should be easy to read, modify and capture all the constraints to be represented in the database.

A critical ability while working within a team is to develop an ability to manage conflicts, accommodate different design decisions, and manage conflicting client requirements. This milestone helps you learn and apply these abilities in a real life situation.