ITEC312 - Information Technology Project Part A

Year

Credit points

Campus offering

Prerequisites

ITEC203 Introduction to Data Science and Machine Learning OR ITEC202 Data Analytics and Visualisation OR ITEC313 Advanced Programming Concepts ORDATA201 Data Analytics and Visualisation

Incompatible

Teaching organisation

Unit rationale, description and aim

This is the first of two units (Parts A and B) extending across two semesters. Both units provide practical experience in designing, developing and evaluating a particular information technology project or in thoroughly investigating a particular area of information technology. The project is generally software-based, although sometimes it may involve investigation of an information system for a particular industry. It covers the whole system development lifecycle from requirements analysis through design to implementation and testing. The two units provide project management, communication and technical skills to prepare students for transition from study to professional practice in industry. Both units require students to integrate and consolidate knowledge, attitudes and capabilities acquired in other units of study. The project work will involve project management, documentation, presentation, and possibly coding.

The focus of Part A is to provide students with fundamental project management, communication and technical skills in the context of a particular information technology project. It specifically covers the catholic social thought of subsidiarity in managing a team-based project. The project has both team and individual work elements. A team of students will work together on the project, while each team member, while also involved in overall team-oriented responsibilities, will contribute to their team by employing the specialist capabilities of their professional pathway

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

On successful completion of this unit, students should be able to:

LO1 - Describe the nature and purpose of information technology project management, its ethical considerations and its potential for professional learning and development; (GA3, GA5)

LO2 - Design a project management plan for a real-life project including planning, scope, schedule, risk, quality, communication, people, and stakeholder; (GA4, GA5)

LO3 - Collaborate effectively within a team to produce a coherent and consistent set of project documents in aspects of the system development lifecycle, including requirements analysis, system design, system implementation and testing, embedding the principles of effective written communication skills (GA5, GA7)

LO4 - Apply the knowledge and skills learned so far to assess their professional capabilities and choose the right career path to showcase utilising relevant tools and technologies (GA5, GA10)

Graduate attributes

GA2 - recognise their responsibility to the common good, the environment and society 

GA3 - apply ethical perspectives in informed decision making

GA4 - think critically and reflectively 

GA5 - demonstrate values, knowledge, skills and attitudes appropriate to the discipline and/or profession 

GA7 - work both autonomously and collaboratively 

GA10 - utilise information and communication and other relevant technologies effectively.

Content

Topics will include:

• Essentials of IT project management
• Project planning
• Project scope management
• Project schedule management
• Project risk management
• Project quality management
• Project communication management
• Project people management
• Project stakeholder management
• Software lifecycle models
• Ethical issues in project management

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit is offered in different modes. These are: “Attendance” mode, “Blended” mode and “Online” mode. This unit is offered in three modes to cater for the learning needs and preferences of a range of participants and maximise effective participation for isolated and/or marginalised groups.

Attendance Mode

In a weekly attendance mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in specific physical location/s. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops, most students report that they spend an average of one hour preparing before the workshop and one or more hours after the workshop practicing and revising what was covered. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Blended Mode

In a blended mode, students will require face-to-face attendance in blocks of time determined by the School. Students will have face-to-face interactions with lecturer(s) to further their achievement of the learning outcomes. This unit is structured with required upfront preparation before workshops. The online learning platforms used in this unit provide multiple forms of preparatory and practice opportunities for you to prepare and revise.

Online Mode

This unit uses an active learning approach to support students in the exploration of the essential knowledge associated with working with technology. Students can explore the essential knowledge underpinning technological advances and develop knowledge in a series of online interactive lessons and modules. Students are given the opportunity to attend facilitated synchronous online seminar classes with other students and participate in the construction and synthesis of knowledge, while developing their knowledge of working with technology. Students are required to participate in a series of online interactive workshops which include activities, knowledge checks, discussion and interactive sessions. This approach allows flexibility for students and facilitates learning and participation for students with a preference for virtual learning.

Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, readings, online forum participation and assessment preparation.

Assessment strategy and rationale

A range of assessment procedures will be used to meet the unit learning outcomes and develop graduate attributes consistent with University assessment requirements. The first assessment is a quality project management plan. The aim of this assessment item is to test students’ critical ability to apply and synthesise their project management knowledge and skills in deeper levels. The second assessment is a project lifecycle plan covering the system development phases of requirements analysis and system design, system implementation, and system testing with an emphasis on requirements analysis and system design. The aim of this assessment item is to test students’ problem solving and technical skills. Both the assessment items require group work as collaborative work is common in the information technology industry and the capstone project aims to provide authentic learning experience so that students are prepared to transit into professional workplace. Peer assessment of group work will be adopted so that students will be marked based on the contributions to the group project. The last assessment is a project reflection report that provides an opportunity for students to review and reflect on their achievements through Part A of the project using the SFIA framework.

Overview of assessments

Representative texts and references

Summerville, I. 2015, Software Engineering, 10th edn, Pearson

Schwalbe, K 2018, Information technology project management, 9th edn, Cengage Learning, USA

Jones & Bartlett 2016, Essentials of Software Engineering, 4th edn, Cengage Learning, USA