Lecture 13 - Final Year Project (FYP) Requirements

Figure 1: FYP

Stick to the basics. Without that there is neurosis.

Learning from Class:
  

Today the lecture was extended from the previous day lecture by more focusing on depth of the FYP. Lecturer started the lecture by specifying that the outcome of the solution that students planing to come should be minimum wastage, optimize and and shows the evidences of maximum utilization of available resources. For the problem identified there are various optimization algorithms available to come with better solution basically a system for the problem. To have better solution students must requires more statics and data to prove the problem in the aspects of proper variables.

After that lecturer stated  required elements such as that students would need to contain in their final year project proposal after they identified a particular problem in an organization. Those element are,

• Quantify the identified problem (Simplify the problem)
• Problem should be clear to everyone
• Ability to provide evidence (Statistics)
• Objective of the project (Achievement that expected end of 9 months) - These objectives needs to align according to SMART. These objectives helps to evaluate them self projects at end of 9 months whether to check the project was success or not. As an example a good SMART objective would be like "To improve marketing department efficiency from 54% to 80% within the 9 months".
• Describe intended methodology and underlying assumptions -  

There are two main methodologies:

• First is Research Methodology where it specify what systematic approach a particular student under go to complete primary research. 
• Second is what Software Development Methodology a particular student carry. The basic idea of software development methodology is to overcome problem in projects. 

After discussing above factors lecture stated the importance of prototyping which is sub phase of software development methodology. According to lecture evolution of prototyping consist of steps as,

                - Identify Initial Requirements
                - Initial Prototyping
                - Give to users
                - Users feedback
                - New Prototype Development
                - Convert into the final version

                         There will be a iterative process between "Give to users" and "New Prototype Development" since the users confirm that the prototype product according to their specification after that final step will execute. The main objective from following those methodologies is to identification of various problems that will encounter. The problems can be in getting requirements, Development and Design. If the problem is with the Design then can look at SSDM (Structured Systems Analysis and Design) where it more document driven and emphasizes on requirement gathering. When focusing on Research Methodology (such as  Spiral, Agile, SDSM or XP) basically what structured approach the student under go to carry out primary research. 

• The student must mention what sort of structured methodology they using and the reason for selecting a particular research basically a critical evolution of the methodology (possible outcomes).

• After identify a proper methodology students must come with a project plan. In the project plan student must display level of detail as a work breakdown structure

Then lecturer stated some criterias that makes a good proposal. They are,

• Accuracy of the title - 

       Format: Investigation into Research Area to develop What type of system for Company Name .

Example - Investigation into Multiple Criteria Decision making and fuzzy logic to develop Loan Approve system for NDB Bank.

• Aims and objectives need to clear and SMART
• Have to show relevant literature according to selected domain
• Research methods must clearly describes
• Whether plan is reflection of the project objective
• Whether the research can be done within the given time period
• Including a Feasibility study on project 

Before concluding the lecture for the day lecturer stated important content and the general structure that should be include in final year project. Those content are,

• Abstarct
• Introduction
• Body
• Conclusion
• List of references quoted in the text
• Bibliography
• Appendices 

Reality of the lecture:

From this lecture I was able to depict the overall basic structure and the way of using methodologies relevant to the business problem chosen and there are some consequences to consider in order to deliver meaning full project that can be understandable to my self as well as to other parties who interested on.