capstone 2
Design Document – Week 2 - Needs
Needs:
It is critical to differentiate between needs and wants. With any technology project, it is critical to focus the resources on what is needed (thus keeping the costs down and the focus on the key needs).
A need is a must have.
A want is something that would be nice but is not required.
The following section describes what is required for the needs.
NUMBER OF NEEDS:
For this project, the total number of NEEDS must be at least 6 items.
RANK:
Rank each of the needs with 1 being the lowest ranking, 2 being the 2nd lowest ranking and so on.
For example:
If you have 10 needs, the highest ranking item would be weighted a 10 and the lowest ranking item would be weighted a 1.
Let’s say you rated a vendor a 5 in the highest ranking item – its total score would be 5 * 10 = 50.
Let’s say you rated a vendor a 3 in the lowest ranking item – its total score would be 3 * 1 = 3.
Technology / Research:
Be sure to include the technology or research. Research needs to include the APA cited source.
For example:
Singh, S. (2010). DHCP address assignment. Retrieved September 17, 2010 from Knowurtech.com: http://knowurtech.com/networking/how_dhcp_works.html.
Need:
Make sure you explain how the need is important to the success of your project.
For example:
The current network has all of its computers statically assigned IP addresses. The new solution needs to dynamically allocate IPs to each computer without keeping track of the current IPs. For example, the current environment has problems with duplicate computer IPs – thus resulting in computer network problems.
|
Rank |
Technology / Research |
Need |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Design Document – Week 3 - Requirements
Develop Project Requirements:
Using your Project Needs developed from last week, now you need to create your Project Requirements
The following items need to be included in your Project Requirements document. This is a separate document from these instructions. Be sure to include your name and project title within your project requirements document.
Requirement based on Need:
In this section develop the requirements based on the needs.
Requirement: _____________ based on the Need: ________________
For each requirement state which need is met based on that specific requirement.
Be sure to clarify the connection between the Requirements and the Needs.
Ease of use
Your technology requirement needs to focus on “ease of use” design considerations.
Include in this section how this requirement will positively impact ease of use.
Research:
Research the various requirements that you are using in your solution. Reviews need to be from sites that are not affiliated with the vendor. Research needs to include the APA cited source.
Clarification: If I need to transmit 10 Mbps from point A to point B, that need is also specific enough to be a requirement. But that requirement is not a solution.
Sample research reference:
Top Ten Reviews. (2010). Retrieved October 23, 2010 from Antivirus Software Reviews 2011: http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/.
Design Document – Week 4 – Final Design
Project Fundamentals:
PROBLEM DEFINITION: (You may use the problem definition from your proposal.)
PROPOSED IT SOLUTION: (What is the proposed solution or approach?)
BUSINESS & TECHNICAL CASE FOR TECHNOLOGY: (Discuss the cost-benefits of your chosen technology solution. Also, justify the solution on the basis of the technology benefits to the user.):
Design Fundamentals:
REQUIREMENTS: (The requirements for the project based on end-user profiles and organizational or problem-based needs and constraints should be provided here. Each requirement should include a brief rationale or description of what drives the requirement.)
DESIGN METHODOLOGY: (This section should describe in detail your approach in arriving at a final design. Trade-offs made with respect to objectives, requirements, the broader context (security, social, ethical, etc.) and costs (initial and maintenance) should be explained. Alternative designs which were considered should also be enumerated with a rationale for the chosen system design.)
FINAL DESIGN: (The final design to the level of specific hardware and software should be presented in this section. Network diagrams, IP addressing, networking and security standards, selected services, etc. should be included as relevant. A budget for implementation of the system should also be included.)
Implementation:
PROOF-OF-CONCEPT: (This section should demonstrate your progress, if any, in the initial implementation of your final design. For instance, you may have already used virtualization to ‘build’ a subsystem. You could then explain that process and initial results here.)
REFERENCES: (Provide any APA references used in the design stage here.)
Design Documentation – Week 5 - Testing
Course ID: IT 491 CAPSTONE PROJECT
Testing Plan:
Using your prior week’s work, develop testing plan.
Key tasks / items to consider:
Please note: Test Results for all of the following items needs to be included with your uploaded work for this week.
PILOT TEST:
Develop a pilot test plan so that the new technology can be rolled out in a controlled manner.
Include in your pilot test the sub group / area that the new technology is being rolled out to.
(for example, if you are rolling out a new operating system to your organization, roll out the new operating system to a select sub group of users to determine if there are any problems or changes that need to be made before going live with the entire new operating system).
PERFORMANCE TEST:
Develop a performance test plan for the new technology so that the performance needs of your organization are met.
For example, determine the response time needed for entering data into a new student information system.
VALIDITY TEST:
Develop a validity test plan to ensure that the new technology is producing the desired results.
In this test, you need to clearly define the desired results and then measure.
Additionally, validity tests should also consider usability testing (for example if the system is too complex, the end user will have difficulty using the system which will likely cause incorrect results).
Design Documentation – Week 5 - Presentation
Course ID: IT 491 CAPSTONE PROJECT
Presentation Requirements:
Using your completed work from the prior 5 weeks, develop a project presentation in MS PowerPoint.
Key items to complete:
Text Builds:
Your project presentation must contain bulleted text lists that build (ex. By clicking, one item in the bulleted list appears. When you click a second time, the next item appears, etc.).
Review my tech tip at: Presentation Best Practices - Text Builds
Footer:
Your project presentation must have a footer on each slide.
The footer must contain:
Your name, date, and slide number.
TITLE SLIDE:
Your project presentation must contain a title which consists of your project title, your name, date, and course name.
SLIDE TRANSITIONS:
Your project presentation must contain transitions between each slide. Make sure the transitions are not too flashy (or they will take away from the presentations main point).
PRESENTATION POINTS:
Bullet list of the main topics covered in this presentation.
PROPOSAL:
These slides will highlight the main points of your proposal.
Include illustrations / diagrams / pictures to help get these points across.
NEEDS:
These slides will highlight the project needs.
Include illustrations / diagrams / pictures to help get these points across.
Include in these slides how the following items potentially affect the needs of this project:
1. Organizational
2. Operational
3. Ethical
4. Social
5. Legal
6. Economic
REQUIREMENTS:
These slides will highlight the project requirements.
Include illustrations / diagrams / pictures to help get these points across.
PROJECT EVALUATION MATRIX:
These slides will highlight the project evaluation matrix.
Include illustrations / diagrams / pictures to help get these points across.
Explain how your evaluation matrix works (rankings / calculations).
IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:
These slides will highlight the project implementation plan.
Include illustrations / diagrams / pictures to help get these points across.
Explain any project plan dependencies that affect the implementation timeline.
SUMMARY SLIDE:
This slide will summarize the findings of your project.
APA REFERENCE SLIDE:
This slide will contain all referenced materials in APA format.
SCHEDULED BLACKBOARD COLLABORATE SESSION:
You will need to email the course instructor to schedule a 30 minute Blackboard Collaborate session to go over your actual presentation and your software project. This presentation needs to be scheduled in advance and will be conducted during the 7th week of the course.
Design Documentation – Week 7 - Capstone Technical Paper
Course ID: IT 491 CAPSTONE PROJECT
Executive:
Using your prior week’s work (from weeks 1 through 6), now you need develop your Capstone Technical Paper.
Key items to complete:
AUDIENCE:
The purpose of an executive summary is to communicate the major points of a project to a desired audience. Keep in mind that some of the terminology may need to be explained based on the audience. The key is to communicate your work so that the major stakeholders in this project understand how this project plan will work.
TECHNICAL PAPER:
Using the outline below, write a final capstone technical paper describing your project and its success.
The final paper must include the following:
Cover page
Table of Contents
Introduction (Objective, etc.)
[The remaining sections must follow in exact order with the section title provided in the paper.]
Problem Background and Definition (Essentially, this will be the background and definition of the problem which you developed for the proposal.)
Technology Solution (This is a narrative description of your solution to the problem highlighting significant design features and benefits. While it draws on the proposal and midterm statements, the solution is no longer a proposed solution but the solution which was actually implemented. A requirement in this section is a discussion which explains the sound network and security standards and principles as well as issues which were considered in the design and its implementation. Also required is a summary of the performance of the solution, including any shortfalls.)
Business and Technical Case for the Technology Solution (This is essentially what was developed for the midterm paper along with additional points, if any, which you gained from the implementation and test of the solution.)
Design Methodology (This should be more of a summary statement of the extensive work included in the midterm paper. It should address the theories, models, and techniques used in the design phase, the major design trade-offs, and the primary design choices.)
Final Design (This should basically be the final design section which was developed for the midterm with any modifications included based on the implementation and testing phases.)
Solution Implementation (Based on your project, this will be a proof-of-concept via virtualization or simulation, a proof-of-concept via a hardware lab implementation, or a field implementation. This should explain in detail how the solution was implemented (a requirement is that the models, techniques, and resources used be specifically identified and discussed), any challenges which were encountered and how they were resolved, and how performance is demonstrated. Any shortfalls in performance must be identified. Clearly labeled screenshots or other documentation should be provided as evidence.)
Evaluation of Solution’s Efficacy (A description of the test plan and methodology should be provided. The actual test plan will be provided in an appendix. The results must be provided (screenshots, tables, etc.) along with an evaluation of the results. Particular attention must be given, both in the plan and the evaluation, to end-user profiles and interactions.)
Improvements and Optimizations to Solution (In this section, any improvements or optimizations which were identified and implemented should be noted. Also, importantly, any ideas or opportunities for improvement or optimization which you identified but did not implement should be noted.)
Conclusion (Remarks, comments, observations, recommendations, etc)
References (Text, online, personal interviews, etc in APA format)
Appendices:
Requirements (This should be the requirements section which you developed for the midterm.)
Design Methodology (This should be the design methodology section which you developed for the midterm.)
Test Plan
Any other appendices which you feel are pertinent (user manual, commendations from users, screenshots, data, code, etc.)
APA REFERENCES:
Include at the end document all of your APA References.
Here is an example of a properly cited APA reference:
Top Ten Reviews. (2010). Retrieved October 23, 2010 from Antivirus Software Reviews 2011: http://anti-virus-software-review.toptenreviews.com/.
Program/Course Objective Mapping:
For each course objective, do two things: a) explain how your final project demonstrates the program objective and b) where in your paper (which section) you BEST demonstrate this objective.
Course Objectives:
1. Demonstrate proficiency in networking, standards, and security issues necessary to design, implement, and evaluate information technology solutions.
a.
b.
2. Design, develop, and evaluate systems based on end-user profiles and interactions.
a.
b.
3. Reconcile conflicting project objectives in the design of networking and security systems, finding acceptable compromises within limitations of cost, time, knowledge, existing systems, design choices, and organizational requirements.
a.
b.
4. Articulate organizational, operational, ethical, social, legal, and economic issues impacting the design of information technology systems.
a.
b.
5. Apply current theories, models, and techniques in the analysis, design, implementation, and testing of secure network infrastructures across LANs and WANs.
a.
b.