module specification

This module provides an opportunity for students to work together collaboratively in a
development team creating a software-based application using a full range of multimedia assets
and features, together with appropriate documentation to address a real problem for an external
client. Students will work with clients they have already identified in CU3002N - Project
Research and Planning.
Students will work in teams and be jointly responsible for the planning, conduct and outcome of
the project under the supervision of a member of the module teaching team acting as a monitor.

Semester: Spring
Prerequisites: I level BSc Multimedia Solutions
Assessment: Coursework 100%
Note: It is preferable that students taking this module have also taken CU3002N
This module is approved to run from September 2010

I level BSc Multimedia Solutions

This module aims to provide an opportunity for students to synthesise the skills, knowledge and understanding they have gained on the course, and to reflect this by working collaboratively in a team to develop a software-based application to provide a digital solution of a real problem for an external client. More specifically it aims to further develop students' problem analysis, design, development, evaluation, problem-solving, team-working and client-facing skills.

Appropriate approach and scope of Digital Solutions project
Digital Solutions project lifecycle, processes and documentation such as:
- project proposal
- problem analysis
- design and development
- testing and evaluation
Project planning and management
Managing client and stakeholder relationships
Team work

The module will be run by regular progress meetings with module tutors acting as project monitors, where the students will present their progress to monitors and obtain feedback on progress so far and advice on how to proceed.

There will also be opportunity at stages in the module for students to present prototypes and their applications to one or more monitors for formative assessment and feedback, and to students enrolled on the same module for feedback .

In addition to the final report, students submit interim documents at the regular progress meetings where they report on the work they have done thus far, methods used and results obtained. Each document contains a critique of the work the team has done and what they have learnt as a result. The final report is an over-arching report concerned with the project as a whole.

Students are expected to spend approximately 150 hours carrying out research connected with the project, reading, dealing with the client and developing their skills.

On completion of this module students must be able to:

- understand the nature of a digital solutions software development project (such as project
lifecycle, roles, tasks, processes); [A2/A3]
- deal with internal and external parties appropriately and professionally (eg client, users, module
tutors; [A1/A3]
- make trade-offs during design and development process (including understanding
parameters such as technical, aesthetic and conceptual quality, quality of media
assets, content and interface design); [A2/A3]
- develop several creative concepts as possible solutions to a real world problem; [A3]
- implement a creative and technically sound solution to a real world problem; [A2]
- report on and present work that has been done, appropriately and professionally; [A2/A3]
- work collaboratively in a small development team (ie planning and organising project
work, managing intra-group conflicts and developing negotiation skills); [A1/A2/A3]
- further develop their skills in terms of problem analysis, design, development, evaluation,
problem-solving, team-working and client-facing skills. [A2]

Chapman N and Chapman J (2007) Digital Multimedia tools. Wiley. ISBN 0470012277.

England E, and Finney, A (2007). Managing interactive media : project management for Web and digital media . Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0321436938.

Lopuck L (1996) Designing Multimedia.: A Visual Guide to Multimedia and Online Graphic Design. Peachpit Press. ISBN 0201883988.

Newman W M and Lamming, M. (1995) Interactive System Design. Addison-Wesley. ISBN 0201631628.

Preece J, Rogers Y and Sharp H (2007) Interaction design : beyond human-computer interaction J Wiley & Sons. ISBN 0470018666.

Tannenbaum R (1998) Theoretical Foundations of Multimedia. Computer Science Press. ISBN 0716783215.

Vaughan T (2007) Multimedia: Making it Work. Osborne McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0072264519.