The document outlines the timeline and process for final year projects between September and April. It includes details on project proposals, interim reports, demonstrations, dissertation submissions and final demonstrations. Key dates and deliverables are the project proposal in October, interim report and demo in December/February, dissertation submission deadline in December/February, and final demo and project completion in April. The document provides guidance on allocating supervisors, addressing issues that may come up, and supporting students through the process.

1. DT228 Final Year Projects

2. Timeline September April Christmas (Fixed) Easter (Variable)

3. Timeline September April Project Proposal October

4. Timeline September April Project Proposal October December Interim Report and Demo

5. Timeline September April Project Proposal October Dissertation submission December Interim Report and Demo

6. Timeline September April Project Proposal October Dissertation submission Final Demo December Interim Report and Demo

7. Timeline September April Christmas (Fixed) Easter (Variable)

8. Timeline September April Research and background reading

9. Timeline September April Research and background reading Software Design

10. Timeline September April Research and background reading Software Design Software Development

11. Timeline September April Research and background reading Software Design Software Development Testing and Evaluation

12. Timeline September April Write-up Research and background reading Software Design Software Development Testing and Evaluation

13. Timeline September April Project Proposal October Dissertation submission Final Demo December Interim Report and Demo Research and background reading Software Design Software Development Testing and Evaluation Write-up

14. Project Proposal Students must put together proposal based on a project idea. Sources of project ideas include; Staff suggestions (collected on a web page) Staff Research Areas Work placement suggestions (tricky) Their own idea (most useful)

15. Staff Project Ideas

16. Staff Project Ideas Benefits In well understood research area Easy to find supervisor Can build on existing work Drawbacks Supervisor may have high standards Supervisor may be unhappy that the students vision diverges from theirs

17. Staff Project Research Areas

18. Staff Research Areas Benefits In well understood research area Easy to find supervisor Can build on existing work Drawbacks Supervisor may have high standards Supervisor may be unhappy that the students vision diverges from theirs

19. Work Placement Suggestions Benefits Industry relevant Up-to-date technologies and techniques Creates communications with industry Drawbacks Might be less emphasis on dissertation Good industry application might not be academically suitable

20. Student’s own idea Benefits Self-motivated Doing things they are good at fun Drawbacks Might be having too much fun Hard to find supervisor Might not be degree standard

21. Project Proposal

22. Project Proposal First week or two in October Written often with help of lecturer (project co-ordinator will suggest someone) Drafted and re-drafted Final draft signed by student and checked by lecturer other than co-ordinator Submitted to Project co-ordinator and finally accepted or asked for re-drafting

23. Allocation of supervisors Following complete collection of proposals, co-ordinator allocates students to supervisors, this can be complicated Some lecturers have more free time Some are interested in specific projects Some will take students even if the don’t have hours to do it

24. Allocation of supervisors

25. During Supervision Supervisors and students arrange to meet up once a week and discuss the project. Supervisors have problems with students They come to the co-ordinator Students have problems with supervisors They come to the co-ordinator

26. Supervisor Problems Students not attending meetings Co-ordinator e-mails them Students not doing agreed tasks Co-ordinator sit in on next meeting

27. Student Problems Students with medical circumstances Students with personal circumstances Students with issues of understanding Ask them to study more Find someone else in the School to speak to Find someone else in the DIT to speak to

28. Interim Report Last week of semester 1 The student submits 2 copies, one for second reader, one for supervisor 30-40 pages long First two months of work Background reading High level design Some low level design Architecture (client/server, 3-tier, n-tier) UML Diagrams Use Cases Class Diagrams Interaction Diagrams ERDs

29. Interim Demo Last week of semester 1 Supervisor, second reader and coordinator Student does 10 minute PPT presentation Practice for final demo Gets students reflecting on project Creates a deadline for students If student in trouble Helpful suggestions from 2 nd reader and co-ordinator Warn them to hurry up Co-ordinator can follow-up and sit in on meetings

30. Very often in February students get the blues, they get a bit depressed, a bit afraid, and want to defer or withdraw They just need to hear “ you can do it ” February blues September April

31. Deciding on the submission deadline The Easter holidays vary from year to year, if Easter is early, the deadline happens after the holidays, if Easter is late the deadline happens before Easter The deadline is never DURING Easter

32. Dissertation Submission The student submits two copies of their dissertation, one for supervisor, one for second reader. And e-mails an electronic copy to the co-ordinator, and the software. The deadline is FIXED, a student cannot be late unless they have very serious circumstances. Like a read deadline in industry

33. Final Demo Supervisor, second reader and coordinator, and anyone else Students present PPT for 10 mins and demo software for 10 mins, a Q+A session follows in which the audience asks the students questions and clarifications To check students wrote software To check students understand topic clearly To check a good approach was taken To assess the students presentation skills To confirm marks assigned to project

34. Finally Supervisor must keep a careful set of notes on all student-supervisor issues