- Description of Course Content:
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The purpose of this class is to give you some "close to real world" experience in developing real products, the right way. You'll learn a lot about the development process and discover some interesting things about yourself along the way! This is the CSE capstone course, where you put it all together before you tackle the real world. We will study the product development environment used today in the computer industry, and practice a phased system/software development process, often called the modified-Waterfall system development life cycle, as applied to computer hardware and software design projects. You will work for two semesters in teams of 4-5 students. In the first course in the sequence, CSE 4316, you will identify your team, your project, and start the planning process. Before the first semester is over, you will prepare and present planning and requirements documentation for your design project, and begin architecture/design of your product. The project will be continued and completed, through demonstration of a working prototype, by the same team in CSE 4317, Senior Design II, the following semester.
- Student Learning Outcomes:
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At the conclusion of the course, comprising both CSE 4316 and CSE 4317, the student will have developed the necessary skills to work on a product design and development team by substantially completing a working prototype of a complete product. The skills required to do this include all of the technical skills that should have been assimilated thus far in the student's program of work, as well as soft skills that will be learned and/or honed during the project. The primary objective of this course is the final preparation of the student for entrance into the workplace with the ability to be productive almost immediately.
Additionally, the student will have met the following specific ABET (Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology) Critical Assessment outcomes:
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(c) Ability to design a system, component, or process to meet desired needs
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This outcome will be evaluated based on your performance on the key deliverables for this course: system requirements document, architectural design specification, detailed design specification, system test plan, and your final product prototype.
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(d) Ability to function on multi-disciplinary teams
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This outcome will be evaluated using peer evaluations and instructor assessments at the end of each semester.
- Other ABET outcomes that are very relevant to this class, although not specifically evaluated, are:
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(f) Understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
(g) Ability to communicate effectively
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ABET Critical Assessments and their effect on grades:
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As indicated above, Senior Design is used to measure your performance against two of the ABET Outcomes for your particular program (CS, CpE or SwEng). The evaluation of your performance as measured against these outcomes is a simple Pass/Fail. Please note that you must achieve a Pass grade on each of the outcomes in each semester. If you fail, or do not complete, any individual outcome you will fail the course regardless of your performance in other areas. Additionally, several graded class exercises and/or assignments will be used to evaluate these outcomes. These assignments are scored as individual or team deliverables as discussed below and in class lecture notes.
- Prerequisites:
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All students are expected to have passed the courses
Fundamentals of Software Engineering (CSE 3310), Operating Systems (CSE 3320), Embedded Computer Systems (CSE 3442), Economics for Engineers (IE 3312), and Professional and Technical Communication (SPCH 3302).
- Course Materials:
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Additional course materials such as lecture notes,
assignments, and solutions will be available
electronically on the course web page. Changes
and corrections, if any, will also be announced by
e-mail.
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Descriptions of major assignments and examinations:
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There will be a final exam at the end of the semester, on December 6, 2012, 8:00am-10:30am. There will also be assignments due on a regular basis, as well as individual and team progress reports.
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Attendance:
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Attendance in class and lab sessions for this class is expected. Since success in life, and especially your job, often begins with simply showing up (on time), and your teammates will depend on you being available as expected every day, class and lab attendance is graded as below:
- 2 or less unexcused absences 100
- 3-4 unexcused absences 80
- More than 4 unexcused absences 0 points
Notes: Absence may be excused, with appropriate documentation, for illness, critical family emergencies, military service obligations, observance of major religious holidays, and certain university service commitments. If you are not in the classroom when the lecture/lab session begins, you will be counted as late. Each late appearance counts as one-half of an unexcused absence in the formula above, so showing up late is better than not showing up at all. If you are excessively late, i.e. you miss a significant portion of the class session, you will be counted as absent.
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Class Participation:
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You are expected to actively participate in class discussions, scheduled product reviews, peer presentations, and any classroom exercises. Evaluation of class participation is based on your individual contributions, via active participation, to the class throughout the term. Your participation will be recorded in class, as participation opportunities are made available, for the entire term. Your participation will be evaluated at the end of the term as follows:
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100% Regular (almost daily) participation, almost always asks good questions and answers questions well
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90% Frequent participation, but does not ask questions or answer questions on a regular basis
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80% Average participation, and questions and answers do not reflect adequate preparation
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70% Infrequent participation, and answers reflect inadequate preparation
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0% Rare participation, with little or no evidence of preparation
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Grading:
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Grading is based on the following absolute scale. To achieve a grade, you must achieve the required number of points in the course. Varying numbers of points are awarded for each individual and team assignment/deliverable. Remember: 900 points means 900, not 899.
There will be no bonus points or extra credit assignments.
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A: 90% + other requirements (see below)
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B: 80% + other requirements (see below)
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C: 70% + other requirements (see below)
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D: Not given in Senior Design. Attaining a grade of less than 70% is failure of one or more departmental and/or ABET outcomes.
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F: below 70%, OR one or more other requirements (see below) not met.
Please remember: to make an A, you must perform consistently well. Failing to complete a single assignment well can make a grade level difference!
In addition to the percentage grade calculated as above, the following other requirements must be met to pass the course, regardless of the percentage grade earned:
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Completion of the course in an ethical fashion. Attempting to cheat in any manner whatsoever, falsifying reports, etc. are all violations and will result in failure.
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Satisfactory participation as a member of the team for the whole semester. Failure to participate satisfactorily will result in a failing grade. Satisfactory participation includes attendance at team meetings and completion of individual assignments in a timely manner.
The grade will be computed based on the following components and weights:
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Team Deliverables
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45%
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The grade on team deliverables is based on the ability of the team to deliver specified deliverables with good quality on time. If multiple reviews of the deliverable are required, the grade on the deliverable will be lowered one grade level for each additional review. In general, a document that passes review the first time will be given a grade of 90-100, depending on the number of changes required; passing on the second review will receive a grade from 80-89; etc. The overall team grade is based on the deliverable grades and the team's overall productivity. Performance on weekly team status reviews and all other assigned team deliverables will also be used as components of this grade.
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Individual Deliverables
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45%
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All other individual assignments made throughout the semester will be used in the calculation of this grade. These include homework assignments, individual status reports, class exercises, individual exercises in class, and others as necessary. Individual Engineering Notebooks will be evaluated on an intermittent, unannounced basis and used as a component of this grade. Additionally, individual performance on your team project is determined based on
the value that an individual contributes toward project deliverables by use of the concept of "earned value." By nature of the tasks in Senior Design I this calculation will be somewhat more subjective than for Senior Design II. The details of this are explained in one of the early lectures in Senior Design I. Individual earned value will be calculated on a weekly basis and reported in the individual's status report.
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Attendance and Participation
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10%
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Attendance at all team meetings is part of this grade, as is class and lab attendance. Participation is an event-based score assessed by the instructor, when opportunities to join in class discussions, comment on peer reviews, etc. are available to the class as a whole. In other words, you are expected to attend all Senior Design classes and team events and actively participate in them. Note also that attendance and participation penalties (deductions) may be assessed for missing critical in-class exercises (e.g., design exercises, ethics exercises, reviews, etc.).
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Students are expected to keep track of their performance throughout the semester and seek guidance from available sources (including the instructor) if their performance drops below satisfactory levels.
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Course Sequence and Withdrawals:
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A student must successfully complete (i.e., pass with a C or better) both Senior Design I and Senior Design II in two sequential semesters (i.e., same project, same team). Any student who fails to successfully complete, or withdraws from either Senior Design I or Senior Design II for any reason must restart the sequence with Senior Design I.
The university withdrawal policy will be strictly adhered to. Up to the initial withdrawal date, all students will receive a W. After that date, the grade will be determined by the student's current average, and a WF or WP assigned as appropriate. Note, as stated above, that withdrawal from CSE 4317 Senior Design 2 will necessitate repeat of Senior Design 1 as well as Senior Design 2.
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Expectations for Out-of-Class Study:
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Beyond the time required to attend each class meeting, students enrolled in this course should expect to spend at least an additional 12 hours per week of their own time in course-related activities, including reading required materials, completing assignments, preparing presentations and reports, and overall working on their team project.
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Make-up Exams:
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Make-up exams will be offered only in cases of well-documented (in writing) medical or otherwise critical emergencies, in strict adherence with official UTA policy.
