Incorporating Realistic Teamwork into a Small College Software Engineering Curriculum Ellen L. Walker Oberta A. Slotterbeck Hiram College {walkerel,

Observations Software development is best learned by doing it (under realistic conditions) Communication and teamwork skills are crucial to software engineering One term is too short for a realistic software development experience, including relevant instruction

Our Approach: Break up the Software Engineering Course Each course emphasizes one technical aspect, all involve teamwork Large-scale projects persist between courses Teams mix experience levels, backgrounds (traditional vs. weekend students) Team compositions change in each course; students may or may not change projects

Courses Support 2 Programs Computer Science (traditional) –Usual courses: algorithms, OS, languages etc. –Two Integrated Research Components Computer Systems Management (weekend) –Software engineering and IT courses –Limited programming –Approximately half management & communication –Capstone combines CS and Management skills Students share weekend courses

Weekend Course Formats 12-week course –Every other weekend for seven sessions –Four hours per weekend 3-week course –Three weekends, usually in a four-week span –Eight hours per weekend Only contact hours per term, compared to for traditional classes

Courses Included Database Design, Sep-Nov 2000 (12 weeks) Project Management, Dec 2000 (3 weeks) Interface Design, Apr-May 2001 (3 weeks) Systems Analysis, Jan-Apr 2002 (12 weeks) Software Evaluation, Apr-May 2002 (3 weeks) Verification & Testing Dec 2002 (3 weeks) Multimedia, Jan-Apr 2001 (12 weeks)

Teamwork Theme Each course incorporates a team project Teams produce “software artifacts” –Project plans –Entity-relationship diagrams –Databases –Web front ends –Problem analyses –Test plans

Emphasis on New Skills Professional and scientific writing –All team projects produce significant documentation –Individual projects (IRC and Capstone papers) Presentation skills –Every team member required to speak at every presentation Interpersonal communication and teamwork

Team Composition Team size: 3-5 students (4-6 teams / class) Mixed populations –Traditional: 18-22, full-time students, 11% women –Weekend: older, working full-time, 42% women Multiple levels of experience (SO, JR, SR) Membership: –Self-chosen (Proj. Mgmt, Sys. Analysis, MM) –Assigned (DB, Interface)

Database Projects Genealogy Database –Customer: Professor / hobbyist Gravestone Research Database –Customer: Librarian / researcher Internship Database –Customer: Psychology department “Books for Zimbabwe” database –Customer: Professor / Project director

Database Deliverables Design documents –Requirements documents, elicited from customers –ER diagram, relational design (graphical & SQL) –Proof of BCNF –User documentation Working implementation User approval

Project Management Projects Automating the advising process Web-based registration Both projects chosen to reflect current administrative software needs

Project Management Deliverables Project Plan –Overview & summary of recommendations –Feasibility assessment, cost-benefit analysis & risk analysis –Requirements (system description to be added in Systems Analysis course) –Work breakdown structure, Function Point and COCOMOII analyses, Gantt chart, CPM analysis Statement of Work

Systems Analysis Project Vehicle Management Department –Teams chose their own business process from a large case study to analyze –Teams define the scope and analyze the chosen project using Structured Analysis techniques Object-oriented Analysis techniques

Systems Analysis Deliverables Structured Analysis –Data Flow Diagram Existing and proposed systems –Multiple levels of abstraction Object Oriented Analysis –Use Case Analysis –Noun Extraction and Class Diagram –State Diagram (for at least one class) –Optional E-R diagrams, CRC cards, Scenarios

User Interface Projects Develop a web-based front end for a particular view of a given database –Course Schedule Database Faculty view Student view –Alumni Database Alumni view Department view –Quotation Database

User Interface Deliverables User model Interface design Interface implementation (JavaScript / PHP) Testing plan

Communication Methods Used Face-to-Face –In (or before or after) class –1-3 meetings between classes –On campus, at restaurant Electronic – –Instant Messaging Telephone –Phone tag!

Communication Lessons Communication breakdown can sink a group –Important for students to learn this Class time for meetings helps –First meeting –Last meeting (last-minute presentation preparation) Students appreciated getting to know each other –Especially weekend

Teamwork Lessons No significant differences between self- chosen and instructor-assigned teams Students with prior experiences tended to become team leaders Members needed to learn to trust their teammates –Diversity in background, experience made this harder Early intervention is needed!

Project Lessons Passing deliverables between courses is difficult –Student databases were too complex for interfaces –Systems analysis projects too big (then too small) to plan There is never enough time to “finish” the project

Achievements Culture of teamwork Expectations for presentations and written deliverables Multicourse themes (e.g. campus-wide information system) in projects Student growth from course to course Evidence of project work in individual projects (Capstone or IRC)