CN7039 Software Engineering – Group Coursework (50%) Assignment Brief 25-26

CN7039 Module & Assessment Information

1. Purpose & Learning Outcomes

This coursework covers the Planning, Analysis and Design phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle, developing your ability to elicit requirements, model systems and communicate professional design artefacts within a commercial context.
On successful completion you will be able to:

• Critically evaluate, select and apply software engineering methodologies to a development project.
• Design a software project from requirements through to testing, including project and risk management.
• Work effectively in teams to plan, analyse and design a system.
• Present software projects clearly and professionally using standard notations (UML, ERD, DFD, BPMN as appropriate).

2. Scenario

You are acting as systems consultants for a real organisation. Your task is to investigate one area of the organisation’s operations, identify shortcomings in current processes (manual or poorly computerised), and propose a technology-supported solution that saves money, generates value, or improves operational efficiency.

 Adopt a structured approach: review processes, select a focal process, gather requirements using multiple techniques, model the current state, evaluate opportunities for improvement, design the target system, and outline an implementation and testing plan.

3. Deliverables & Weighting (Total 50%)

Submit the following components as a single, professionally formatted report with appendices, plus supporting files as specified. All diagrams should be clear, labelled and referenced in the text.

4. Submission Package Format

• One consolidated report (DOCX or PDF) containing D1–D3 with diagrams embedded; include appendices as needed.
• A zipped folder with Python code, notebooks and a short README explaining how to run the prototype (D4).
• Slide deck used in the presentation (PDF or PPTX).
• Referencing: Harvard style for all sources; include in-text citations and a reference list.
• File naming: CN7039_GroupX_Report.ext, CN7039_GroupX_Code.zip, CN7039_GroupX_Slides.ext
• Formatting (guidance): 11–12pt font, 1.15–1.5 line spacing, numbered headings, page numbers, captioned figures/tables.

5. Assessment Guidance

Markers will consider the following across components:

• Clarity, coherence and professionalism of communication.
• Appropriate and correct use of analysis/design notations (UML, ERD, DFD).
• Quality of requirements elicitation and justification of design choices.
• Feasibility and completeness of plans (risks, implementation, testing).
• Technical breadth and correctness in the Python prototype and evaluation.
• Academic integrity and correct referencing.

6. Marking Descriptors:

A (Excellent): Outstanding, coherent work demonstrating full command of analysis and design techniques; models are correct and integrated; strong justification and professional presentation; prototype shows technical breadth and sound evaluation.

B (Very Good): Very strong understanding with minor issues; most artefacts correct and well-justified; good presentation; prototype demonstrates several appropriate techniques.

C (Good): Sound understanding of most facts and methods; some gaps in justification, modelling accuracy or organisation; prototype functional with limited breadth.

Pass (Satisfactory): Adequate grasp of key facts; incomplete documentation or weak justification; basic models and prototype with noticeable errors.

Bare Pass / Fail risk: Core requirements missing or unclear; modelling and prototype largely incorrect or incomplete; poor communication.

7. Academic Integrity

All work must be your group’s own. Turnitin is used to check originality. Keep drafts and versioned files as evidence of your development process. Suspected academic misconduct will be investigated under UEL regulations. Late submissions follow UEL policy.

8. Questions about the assessment:

• Only your lab tutor will be marking your report.
• Do not email the module leader as they will not be grading your work.
• Bring your work to the lab to collect feedback about your work.
• Email the lab tutor with questions and please allow three working days for them to reply.
• If you do not get satisfactory responds, please let the Module leader on fadi@uel.ac.uk