Unit number: unit-title (template)

Assignment Brief
Student Name/ID
Number

Unit Number and Unit 1-Programming

Title

Academic Year

Unit Tutor
Introduction to Algorithms and Programming
Assignment Title
with an IDE

Issue Date

Submission Date

Submission Format

The assignment submission is in the form of the following.

A formal 10-minute presentation (10–15 slides as a guide, with supporting
speaker notes) to communicate an investigation to a technical audience
explaining, comparing and evaluating the key features and characteristics of
the different programming paradigms used in a specified application.
Program Source Code – annotated/commented source should be produced in
the format created by the programming language selected (for
example: .py, .cs, .vb, .txt, .java files).
Implemented program (final working version) in format suitable to be run and
assessed for functionality – this could be as project/solution files or final
compiled executable.
A written report to identify and define the algorithms used in the
development of the solution as well as an analysis and discussion of the steps
taken in writing the program and the challenges faced. The report will also
clearly explain any coding standards used, as well as how algorithms have
been enhanced during the course of development.
The recommended word limit is 2,000–2,500 words, although you will not be
penalised for exceeding the total word limit.
You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs and subsections as
appropriate, and all work must be supported with research and referenced
using the Harvard referencing system.
A formal 10-minute presentation (10–15 slides as a guide, with supporting
speaker notes) to communicate an investigation to a technical audience,
demonstrating the key features and characteristics of the debugging process
and how these features are implemented in an Integrated Development
Environment (IDE) and applied to application development.
A written report to evaluate the algorithms used in the development of the
solution, as well as an evaluation of the use of the IDE and the role of coding
standards in software development teams.
The recommended word limit is 1,500–2,000 words, although you will not be
penalised for exceeding the total word limit.
You are required to make use of headings, paragraphs and subsections as
appropriate, and all work must be supported with research and referenced
using the Harvard referencing system.

Unit Learning Outcomes

LO1 Define basic algorithms to carry out an operation and outline the process
of programming an application
LO2 Explain the characteristics of procedural, object-orientated and event-
driven- programming
LO3 Implement basic algorithms in code using an IDE
LO4 Determine the debugging process and explain the importance of a coding
standard.

Transferable skills and competencies developed

Computing-related cognitive skills
● Computational thinking (including its relevance to everyday life)
● Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of essential facts, concepts,
principles and theories relating to computing and computer applications
● Recognise and analyse criteria and specifications appropriate to specific
problems, and plan strategies for their solutions
● Critical evaluation and testing: analyse the extent to which a computer-
based system meets the criteria defined for its current use and future
development
● Methods and tools: deploy appropriate theory, practices and tools for the
design, implementation and evaluation of computer-based systems.

Computing-related practical skills

● The ability to specify, design and construct reliable, secure and usable
computer-based systems
● The ability to evaluate systems in terms of quality attributes and possible
trade-offs presented within the given problem

The ability to deploy effectively the tools used for the construction and
documentation of computer applications, with particular emphasis on
understanding the whole process involved in the effective deployment of
computers to solve practical problems
● The ability to critically evaluate and analyse complex problems, including
those with incomplete information, and devise appropriate solutions within the
constraints of a budget.

Generic skills for employability

● Intellectual skills: critical thinking; making a case; numeracy and literacy
● Self-management: self-awareness and reflection; goal setting and action
planning
● Independence and adaptability; acting on initiative; innovation and creativity
● Contextual awareness, e.g. the ability to understand and meet the needs of
individuals, business and the community, and to understand how workplaces
and organisations are governed.)
Vocational scenario
You have just started a new role as a Junior Software Developer at Advance
ITech Solutions (AIS), an independent software development company that
designs and builds bespoke software solutions for various companies of
different sizes that cover a range of different industries. The software that they
design uses a wide range of technologies, from simple stand-alone programs
to large web-based applications.
AIS has been approached by a small, local company – ATA Martial Arts – that
specialises in providing Martial Art training sessions to people from the local
community. ATA martial arts caters to people of all ages and experience, from
expert to beginner.
ATA Martial Arts has requested a simple program that will calculate the cost of
training fees for their athletes each month.
The CEO of the company has reviewed the client requirements and has
determined that this is a suitable project for you to take on. The company
wants to see how you use and apply the AIS development environments and
code standards.
The requirements are that ATA Martial Arts wants a program that will allow a
user to enter the following information:
● athlete name
● training plan
● current weight in kilograms (kg)
● competition weight category
● number of competitions entered this month
● option to add the number of hours private coaching.

For each athlete, the program should then output the following information:
● the athlete’s name
 an itemised list of all costs for the month
● the total cost of training and competitions for the month

ATA Martial Arts currently have six athletes enrolled on their training program,
but they would like the ability to register more.
You should use the additional information on the next page to help you when
developing your program.
The client has not specified any Graphical User Interface, but the CEO has left
the design of the program completely up to you.
Once the program has been built, the CEO has asked you to report back to
them on how you designed and developed the algorithms required, as well as
how you converted these algorithms into a final program and to show any
issues you encountered.
As part of your report, the CEO wants you create a presentation for the
development team showing the different programming paradigms available, as
well as the debugging tools you used as part of the program development, so
that the development team can review your progress.
Athletes can receive a maximum of five hours’ private coaching a week
● Only Intermediate and Elite athletes can enter competitions
● Competitions are held on the second Saturday of each month
● All prices and costs should be displayed as currency to two decimal places
● The program deals with user error by displaying suitable messages to the
user and then prompting them for another go
● ATA Martial Arts assumes that a month consists of four weeks.

Assignment activity and guidance

Activity 1
Produce a formal presentation (with supporting notes) for AIS that explores the
features and characteristics of the three different programming paradigms –
Event Driven, Object Oriented and Procedural – in a selected application. The
selected application source code will need to implement all three paradigms.
Your presentation should include:
● a brief explanation about what the selected application is and what it does
● a general discussion of the three code paradigms, with specific reference to
their characteristics and how each one is related
● a comparison of how the three programming paradigms have been used in
the given application source code
● a critical evaluation of how the source code implements all three paradigms
in terms of code structure and characteristics.

Activity 2
You are required to develop a program for ATA Martial Arts that makes use of
appropriate algorithms to fulfil the given client requirements. You should make
use of whichever tools and techniques are most appropriate for your chosen
coding paradigm and for the nature of the software solution.
You are to write a report that details the process that would be required to
design the algorithm for the solution and how you turned the algorithm into a
working application. Your report should include the following.
● ·A definition, written in the design tool of your choosing, of the algorithm
required for the implementation of the ATA Martial Arts program
● An outline of the steps required to build the application
● A description of the steps required for converting the algorithm into a
working program, including identification of a suitable programming language
● An analysis of the relationship between the algorithm and program code to
be produced (e.g. parts of the algorithm that would remain the same, changes
that would have to be made)
● An analysis of the possible challenges you would face when converting the
designed algorithm into program code (e.g. data types/structures available in
the chosen language, control structures required)
● An explanation of the coding standards you used in your source code.

As part of your written report, you should clearly show how you have enhanced
your original algorithm, using the features of the IDE to manage the
development process. This could include:
● identifying and solving any logical errors in the original algorithm
● debugging any errors in the program

using version control within your IDE to track and monitor changes in the
algorithm
● using performance monitoring tools to optimise the algorithm
● refining and optimising the algorithm using different code constructs.

You will include your final, annotated source code and working application as
part of your report.
Activity 3
Produce a formal presentation (with supporting notes) for AIS that explains the
debugging features available to the developer in your chosen IDE and how
they have been used in the development of the solution for ATA Martial Arts.
Your presentation should include:
● a brief description of the IDE chosen for this project
● an explanation of the debugging process
● an explanation of the debugging features available in your chosen IDE
● an examination of how the debugging process can be used to develop more
secure and robust applications.

Activity 4
You are to write an evaluative report for the CEO of AIS that provides a
reflective overview of how the process evolved, from algorithm design to
implementation, and how the use of the IDE and code standards are important
for working in a company like AQDS.
Your report should include:
● an evaluation of how the algorithm you designed for ATA Martial Arts was
finally implemented
● an evaluation of the relationship between the written algorithm and the
actual source code
● an evaluation of the use of the IDE you chose to develop the ATA Martial Arts
application. As part of your evaluation, you will need to consider what the
development would have been like if you did not have access to the IDE
● an evaluation of the role and purpose of the coding standards you used,
making specific reference to why it is necessary for software development
teams as well as individual programmers.
Recommended Resources
Please note that the resources listed are examples for you to use as a
starting point in your research – the list is not definitive.
Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Define basic algorithms to carry out an

operation and outline the process of
programming an application

P1 Define an algorithm M1 Analyse the process D1 Evaluate the

and outline the process of writing code, implementation of an
in building an including the potential algorithm in a suitable
application. challenges faced. language and the
P2 Determine the relationship between the
steps taken from written algorithm and the
writing code to code variant.
execution.

LO2 Explain the characteristics of procedural,

object-orientated, and event-driven
programming
D2 Critically evaluate the
source code of an application
P3 Discuss what M2 Compare the
that implements the
procedural, object- procedural, object-
procedural, object-orientated
orientated, and event- orientated, and event-
and event-driven paradigms, in
driven paradigms are; driven paradigms used
terms of the code structure
their characteristics, in the given source
and characteristics.
and the relationship code of an application.
between them.

Pass Merit Distinction

LO3 Implement basic algorithms in code using an

IDE

P4 Write a program that M3 Enhance the D3 Evaluate the use of

implements an algorithm written, using an IDE for
algorithm using an IDE. the features of the IDE development of
to manage the applications
development process. contrasted with not
using an IDE
LO4 Determine the debugging process and
explain the importance of a coding standard

P5 Explain the M4 Examine how the

debugging process and debugging process can D4 Evaluate the role and
the debugging facilities be used to help develop purpose of a coding
available in the IDE. more secure, robust standard and why it is
necessary in a team as
P6 Explain the coding applications. well as for the individual.
standard you have used
in your code.