MMP Process

TimetableTask DateProject Selection Thursday Oct 11 / Monday Oct 15Outline Project Specification Monday Oct 22Progress Report Monday Nov 19Mid-project Demonstration Early in Semester 2Final Report April 25 & 26Final Demonstration April 29 to May 3

Bibliography Exercise…

Project Scope Diverse number of projects Need to get some consistency across projects What is interesting / novel? What is the technical

challenge? Statement to go onto the website about this

Outline Project Specification

Three Pages: Page 1: Title Page 2 and 3:

Project description Work to be tackled Project deliverables Initial bibliography

Feedback from supervisor Possible additional comments Electronic Submission

Progress Report Update on your progress Discussing:

Project Summary – expanding on the outline Current Progress – what have you done so far? Planning – chosen methodology, plan for completing

the project and an outline demonstration plan Annotated Bibliography – what have you been reading.

What do you expect to read?

Electronic Submission

Final Report What you have done

Consider the process that you have used Requirements, design, testing… What have you read?

How did it go – critical assessment Appendicies…

Process Model What process model will you use? One person…

Version Control You are required to use a version control system

Subversion (supported in the dept) Git (free student accounts at Github)

We will have some sessions looking at using these

Why?

Tips for successTip 1: Get going fast - you only have a very short time. Get

started NOW on investigation of any challenging implementation

Tip 2: Set aside two-days each week (and bits): when you lose one of those days, replace it

Tip 3: Keep a log now - you’ll need it at the end

Tip 4: Take this term’s delivery seriously

Tip 5: Read other people’s stuff and reference it

Tip 6: Use your supervisor - and do final report early!Tip 7: Remember that the final report is a significant part of

your marks – we are also thinking about the whole process and the technical aspects

Tip 8: Get a good plan for the report that fits YOUR projectTip 9: Read all of the documents on the project website as

they are released, and re-read when you need themTip 10: See your supervisor when there are problems - don’t

let them fester

Your future self? Quotes from previous reports:

"Evaluation: If I was to do this project again, I would have made a few changes. The main change being taking the advice of pretty much everyone and starting a lot sooner. I underestimated the time that it would take to write application and write the report. Starting sooner would have allowed me...”

“I have astounded myself with what I have achieved.”

Comments from May 2012

Start early, even you only change it later having a couple of chapters under your belt by new year would have saved me

For the love of God, pick a dissertation for yourself, and pick one which you won't lose interest in.

take in to account days for illness, job interviews and assignments for other modules. Do not draw your timeplan so that it does not allow flexibility of days.

do spike work early and write up as you go

Plan, organise the time and start straight away, no matter how small it may seem in the greater scheme of things it will help. Just get immersed in it (doing a little everyday, to reduce pressure closer to the date). Also, regular meetings with your supervisor, taking on board what they say, keeping a journal/ notes on progress each day to assist with report and expect things to not go exactly the way planned (problems WILL occur, its how you handle them that counts) . Plus, something I found beneficial was thinking the deadline is a week or so earlier than it actually is. This allowed for more final adjusting and solution of any major problems. Finally, try and enjoy it. Good luck

Choose your supervisor as carefully as you choose your dissertation topic! Get one who is as passionate about your topic as you, and it'll show in your project.

Start it when you get it, don't let anything get in the way. Party when you've finished, the hard work you put in will pay off, because even though you think you know how to solve that seemingly simple problem, you don't!

"Do not be afraid to go visit your supervisor at any point!

I was put of going to some weekly sessions because I had missed earlier meetings or was embarrassed that I had made no progress since.

But it was never as bad as I let myself believe in fact quite the opposite, they are on your side! "

IPR Statement on the website…

Now… Finding a supervisor Reducing risk

investigating technology studying what others have done doing feasibility studies

Analysis / design - aiming for mid-November delivery Planning your project - and especially the detail of

what you hope to do this term

Any questions…?