CO3008 Honours Degree Project
CO3008 Lecture 7 - Introduction, SoA & Methodology

Lecture Documents¶

CO3008 Lecture 8.pdf

Written Notes¶

Lecture Aims¶

• Finish the last few points from the previous week for methodology.
• Explore prototyping and the varying approaches to prototyping and the differences as to why
• Review the concept of objective setting, and how this differs from requirements.
• Review the difference between iterations and increments in artefact development.

The Template¶

• Using the template will give a professional and academic focus to the report.
• Make sure to cite all references in the body of the report.
• The list of references is in the references section at the end
• There are guidelines in the template for how to manage citations in word.
• Make use of the provided styles (i.e. Heading 1, 2 or 3 etc)
• This is used to auto generate the table of contents (TOC)
• Make sure to insert the table and figure captions using the template guidelines
• This is used to auto generate the list of figures/tables.
• If the TOC or figure/table listing doesn't look as expected
• Try right clicking on the citation and choosing update field
• Try reviewing how the headings/styles were added for captions

Methodology¶

Research Methodology¶

• Approach the methodology section with a research focused mindset
• All development projects are experiments.
• Investigating how well the artefact solves the problem
• Not just discussing the development methodology but also how each object is going to be met and evaluated.
• How will project be validated as a 'success'.

Development Methodology¶

• The development methodology forms part of the complete methodology by defining the process from requirements to an implemented and tested solution.
• Research methodologies have a wider scope than developmental methodologies.
• They cover the whole context and resolution of the problem.
• Many development methodologies that are already known are not suitable for this project i.e. Scrum (Team-based methodology).
• Can use features from agile approaches e.g. Kanban, Sprints, Iterative development.

Before Christmas¶

• D2 set before Christmas Break.
• The final weeks should focus on getting started on implementation
• Confirm ethics sign off
• An opportunity to identify technical problems before going into christmas break
• Should aim to have at least one meeting with supervisor in the final 2 weeks.
• Also have something tangible to show them.
• Does not need to be an MVP at this point but should be demonstrating clear progress towards that goal.

Explore and Break Things¶

• Spend the final two weeks exploring practical solutions to the problem.
• NOW is the time to try and break things.
• Should be able to demonstrate something to the supervisor before the christmas break.
• WILL be incomplete.
• Does not need to be passable at this point.

Iterate¶

• Iteration maybe useful.
• Provides early validation.
• Allows for introduction and testing new ideas.
• Useful if requirements are not fully known
• Helps arrives at an MVP.

Prototyping¶

A prototype is a model or early version of a product.
- Its purpose is to test or demonstrate an idea.

Types of Prototypes¶

• Exploratory Prototypes
• High or Low fidelity
• Refine user needs
• Experimental Prototype
• Evaluate a potential solution
• Evolutionary Prototype
• Incremental development

Exploratory and Experimental prototypes are usually throwaway and are discarded after lessons are learnt. Code not part of final system.

Low Fidelity Prototyping¶

A prototype can be anything from a sketch of a screen through to a complex piece of software
Low fidelity prototypes are used early in the design stage. Some protentional methods include:
- A sketch of a screen layout
- Storyboards to depict interaction scenarios
- Paper or cardboard mock-up
- PowerPoint slides
- Photoshop files

Prototypes allow communication of ideas through visualisation.

Allow to acquire user feedback early on in design process, for both:
- Layout
- Missing Features

Why Use Prototyping¶

To communicate and improve understanding:
- To gather requirements
- To find out what's missing
- To demonstrate business functions

To test ideas:
- To investigate user interface (usability)
- To explore program design ideas
- To check performance and capacity
- To make sure the system is reliable and resilient.

To speed up development:
- To provide a useful system early
- To train users
- Test early

To reduce risk:
- Try things out
- Find failure early

Benefits of Prototyping¶

• Improves usability
• Closer match to business need
• Improved design quality
• Improved maintainability
• Reduced overall development effort
• Risk reduction measure

Key Prototyping Points¶

Prototyping Problems¶

• User Expectations - Seeing frontend may assume complete backend system is finished
• MUST have strong change control and configuration management.
• Legal/Contract Issues - Solicitors like full specifications
• Developers must be skilled in this way of working: "users keep changing their minds!"

Prototyping Cycle¶

• Identify Objectives
• What is to be done and why?
• What is essential and what are 'extras'?
• Define acceptance criteria
• Agree on prioritised list of objects
• Create on paper or digital
• Review and evaluate whether it is acceptable

Objectives VS Requirements¶

Objectives describe the high-level goals or desired outcomes of a software project. They represent what the project aims to achieve in a broader context.
- Strategic and aspirational.
- Provide direction and justification for the project
- High-Level and often abstract

Requirements are specific detailed descriptions of the functionality, features or constraints of the software. They define how the objectives will be achieved.
- To serve as a blueprint for development and testing
- Granular and precise
- Functional Requirements - Define what the system should do
- Non-Functional Requirements - Define quality attributes or constraints
- Business Requirements - High-Level business needs that drive functional requirements.

Increment VS Iteration¶

Increment¶

• Increment means a version with New Features.
  

Iteration¶

An iteration follows one full cycle of:
- Identify
- Agree
- Do
- Review

• Usually to do 3 iterations.

Source Control¶

• Use Source/Version Control recommended is github.

Summary¶

• Finished a couple of points from the previous week CO3008 Lecture 7 - Introduction, SoA & Methodology.
• Explored prototyping, approaches to prototyping and why prototyping is done.
• Covered Prototyping Types:
• Exploratory
• Experiment
• Exvoluntionary.
• Reviewed the concept of object setting and how this differs from requirements
• Broad, strategic goals VS detailed, actional features in artefact development.

CO3008 Lecture 9 - Requirements