Excel experts

Academic Year 2016/7

Module Code: BN2292

Module Name: Dashboards and Spreadsheets

Module Leader: Gary Simpson

Coursework Title:

Referred/Deferred Assignment 2016/7

Task Details/Description:

Dashboards (50%)

Compare and critically appraise the dashboard displays of two fitness apps pictures below.

Apple’s Activity

FitBit

You should make clear reference to relevant theories including Tufte’s theories of Graphical Integrity and Graphical Excellence, Few principles and Gestalt principles.

Spreadsheets (50%)

You are to draw up a specification and house style and then design, build and test a new version of the spreadsheet for the task described below:

Uswitch.com, wishes to have an excel spreadsheet which can be down-loaded from their website which will provide advice as to best gas and electricity deals available. The system should be able to cope with different types of deal including

1. Joint fuel deals

2. Internet only deals

3. Fixed and variable cost deals

4. Filtering by different payment types

The system should be also able to give advice on the amount of carbon dioxide the householder is producing. Ideally it should allow the user to track their usage (for example by the user entering regular meter readings) and alert them when it might be advisable to switch provider and calculate savings made by introducing energy saving products.

In considering your design you should note:

The data on currently available tariffs will need to be able to be updated. The final format for tariff data has not been decided so you should suggest an appropriate one, and provide example data that demonstrates that your spreadsheet will be able to be updated as required.

Need to submit:

1. Your system (which should work in Excel 2016)

2. Your printout of a word document including:

a. Your specification of the system (including example customer data and tariff data).

b. Your house style appropriate to the USwitch brand.

c. A test schedule.

d. Some detailed test results which should demonstrate the system at least works correctly on the example data (from 1 above)

To obtain good marks your system should demonstrate the following:

1. At least one fully working UserForm

2. Use of cell protection, data validation and conditional formatting.

3. Clear documentation of VBA code

4. Clear and uncluttered layout informed by theory.

5. Appropriate error messages

6. Ability to update the tariff data.

7. The ability to both sort and filter the deals.

You will submit a portfolio including your spreadsheet, with supporting documentation and system testing to demonstrate their attainment of learning outcomes.

Submission Date & Time:

Wednesday 23rd August 2017 by 12.00 noon UK time

Marking Scheme

Dashboards

Comparision (10%) Choosing appropriate elements to compare

Tufte (15%) Clearly and correctly applies Tufte's Principles for Graphical Integrity and Excellence.

Gesault (10%) Clearly and correctly applies Gesault and other design theory

Few (10%) Clear application of Few's design rules and Common dashboard errors

Presentation (5%) Correct referencing in Harvard style. Good use of annotated graphical examples.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet Specification (8%) Original, specific including suggested elements and links to theory.

House Style (8%) Original, specific and appropriate for uSwitch , including suggested elements and links to theory.

Working Spreadsheet (24%) Fit for purpose, matching specification and applying house style, correctly sorting and filtering with at least one working userform.

Spreadsheet testing (10%) A clear test schedule, with demonstrating understanding different types of test, with examples of user testing, black and white box testing and testing of the sorting and filtering.

REFERRED/DEFERRED ASSIGNMENT