This course aims to provide students experience implementing a complete software project from definition through prototype development within 12 weeks. The objectives are to gain experience with project definition, teamwork, identifying technical risks, estimating budgets, and proving a concept can work. Completing the project is intended to better prepare students for careers in industry where employers expect skills like leading innovation, problem solving, dealing with complex technologies and relationships, and speaking confidently about costs and decisions. Employers praise graduates of the UGent software engineering program as requiring little additional training before interacting with customers.

1. Software Design Project
Why do you need or want this course?
Department of Information Technology (INTEC) - IBCN

2. What are your expectations?
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3. Now consider this:
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Software projects in the real world.
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Expectations of future employers
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4. Course objectives
To define and implement a complete software
project including a working prototype within a
given timeframe using the available resources
that delivers the requested functionality and
meets quality standards.
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Project Definition: teamwork
Duration: 12 weeks
Proof that it can work.
Identify the major technical risks
Estimate a budget to make a first product version
Department of Information Technology (INTEC) - IBCN
ECTS-summary 4
p.
6-credits course

5. In real life becomes:
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6. So true ...
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7. Graduation day is near.
UGent prepares software engineers for careers in
academia, industry and government.
Scientific excellence
Academic leadership
Academia
Industry
Technology leadership
Innovation agent
Government
Welfare society architects
Policy making
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8. This is not what you have in mind.
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9. What employers expect:
Lead innovation in the company/organization.
 Technical guru or experts.
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Problem solver.
New solutions for new problems.
Deal with complexity.
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Technology
Innovation
Team dynamics.
Customer relations
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10. What employers often say:
Unfamiliar with technology.
 Unable to listen.
 Not comfortable making decisions.
 Do not speak up.
 Afraid to challenge.
 Avoid confrontations.
 Clueless about costs
 ….
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11. Employer quotation:
“Students that followed software engineering at UGent are the only ones that we
dare to put in front of customers without additional training.”
Famous web agency CEO
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