This assessment represents 80% of the module marks.

In this portfolio we are assessing the skills you have developed so far in the following areas:

Knowledge

1. The ability to compare and contrast methodological approaches to multimedia design, including different programming languages, database designs and appropriate web standards;

2. The ability to choose, compare and contrast design and development techniques for the design of multimedia interfaces, database systems and networking system infrastructures;

Skills

3. Plan, analyse, design, build and implement a media and interaction rich web application in a chosen domain i.e. social network, e-commerce, e-learning using appropriate interface design, programming and database technologies;

4. Plan, develop and implement an integrated testing and evaluation strategy accounting for user experience, data integrity and network performance issues.

 

Scenario

Beanaco is a growing food and beverage company headquartered in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, with interests in manufacturing, marketing and distribution of snacks, beverages and other food related products.

The company is embarking on an IT modernisation programme and has asked the Department of Computing, Engineering and Technology at the University of Sunderland for assistance.

The company is keen to explore the potential of modern multimedia in the development of internal and customer facing systems.

As a student developer, you’ve been tasked with five mini projects within the IT futures team, which you will develop individually and present to course tutors and the company at the end of the module.

Project 1 - Intranet proposal

 

The company would like to develop an Intranet that can be used by its employees to access detailed information about products, staff directory, document library and noticeboard.

Access to the Intranet is restricted to employees and is only available via the company network. All machines run Microsoft Windows 7 and a recent version of Google Chrome.

You have been tasked with the development of a hi-fidelity prototype and technical report for the development of the company intranet.

The following components should be submitted in your proposal:

• Initial design sketches of the new intranet home, contacts and product/productdetail pages (hand drawn)

• A detailed wireframe of the new home page (hand drawn using one of the 960 grid templates) with supporting details

• A mock-up of the new home page, contacts and products/product-detail screen in Adobe Photoshop using the 960grid PSD template

• A working HTML/CSS version of the Photoshop mockups using the 960 grid + your own CSS

• A short report that explains the rationale for your design

(i.e. why did you develop it that way, why is it an appropriate design, what insights did you have, what assumptions, what research was carried out etc) – include screenshot(s) of your design and code listings.

You should attempt to link your design decisions to relevant and appropriate theory as directed in the module teaching and from your own research (approx 2000 words)

You are not required to develop any back-end functionality for the prototype. The prototype should be a functioning HTML/CSS design with easy to use navigation.

Project 2 - Audio and Video

The company is conducting market research at universities around the country about student’s attitudes towards healthy eating and organic produce. Initial findings seem to suggest that students like the idea of healthy organic drinks and snacks, but only if the price is right and they taste good!

Management are exploring the use of multimedia to engage with this group, and have commissioned the development of a video advertisement for a prototype drink called ‘Organic One’ and supporting website with video interviews, games and video upload features.

The following components should be submitted in your proposal:

• Professional and detailed storyboard for video with appropriate annotations

• Video advertisement developed using NLE package (specified by the tutor) that demonstrates good use of the package for scene selection, lighting, sound, digital effects and titles

• Appropriate special effects and on-screen graphics

• A campaign microsite

The microsite should be developed using the latest version of Wordpress and hosted on the university web server. Unlike the Intranet project, this site could be viewed on a number of devices and therefore needs to be developed in an accessible manner.

The site should contain the following elements:

• Homepage

• Student feedback and video interviews (short 10 second video sequences)  Photo gallery (gallery of product photos and/or customers with products)

• Game/interactive features

• Newsletter sign-up (capture users name and email address to a database)

• Embedded video advert (video delivered from university server with subtitles that can be turned on/off during playback)

In addition to the video sequence and microsite, you are required to also submit:

• A report explaining the rationale behind the design, making reference to the storyboard, your approach and technology used. Give details on how you created this in the NLE, the issues/challenges you faced and how you resolved these.

• A technical report for the company IT team, on how to make audio and video online accessible and worked example on how you made the video advert accessible in the prototype site. Give details on how this can be achieved in older web browsers.

 

All elements of the build (code, designs, video artefacts etc) should be retained for inspection at the end of the module and included on a DVD with the final portfolio.

Project 3 – Kiosk and eCard application

The marketing team has asked you to develop a tablet application that will be installed in shopping centres around the country to promote the OrganicOne brand.

The dedicated stands will provide information about the product and an interactive epostcard facility, allowing shoppers to send electronic postcards and messages to friends and family.

The application should be developed using Adobe Flash /ActionScript 3.0 as a standalone Windows application (EXE) and should provide the following features:

• Provide graphical information screens about the product

• A news screen that can be controlled by easily controlled by HQ and updated live

• Ability to set the background colour of the postcard and give the user the choice of pre-set styles

• Ability to choose graphics (from a library of pre-made graphics) that can be added to the postcard (photos, clipart etc)

• Add customisable text elements to the postcard (fonts, colour, size)

• Change layout of the postcard (move objects around)

• Provide a feature to load an existing image (jpg file provided by the user)

• Provide at least three suitable features to manipulate the uploaded photograph using a filter

• Provide a way to export the badge mockup as a JPG file so it can be emailed from the application or posted to twitter/facebook

• Provide a history/undo feature

• Run at an appropriate size to demonstrate suitability for a tablet in landscape mode. The application should be developed to run as a standalone Flash application for the prototype (.exe)

The application should be developed to run as a standalone Flash application (.exe)

The following components should be submitted:

• FLA file

• Exported Windows executable

• Copy of your source code (including any references to code/libraries used)

• Appropriate design documentation

• A report explaining the rationale behind the design, making reference to the design documentation, your approach and technology used. Give details on how you created this with AS3 and discuss how this could be deployed to Android and iOS devices.

Project 4 - Admin System

Beanco have distribution centres in Sunderland, Liverpool and Portsmouth. The company has a fleet of 60 vans that deliver products from each centre to retailers daily. The company wants to track vehicle mileages, service records, vehicle damage and repairs more effectively using a browser based system. The current tracking system uses spreadsheets and paper documents.

Using an appropriate MVC framework (as directed by the tutor) and suitable data storage engine (e.g. MySQL) you are required to build a vehicle management system for the company, which will make it easier to track mileages and service records.

All vehicles are fitted with a transmitter which broadcasts the vehicle ID and current location. Drivers start work at 8.30am and return the vehicle at the end of the day, usually around 6.30pm, signing in and returning the keys to the admin office. Staff log the van, employee ID, mileage and any additional notes.

As a minimum, the vehicle management system functionality should include:

• Ability to view all vehicles (appropriate filtering, sorting and presentation)

• View specific vehicle location (using broadcast data)

• Ability to add new vehicles (all van details including photograph(s)

• Ability to amend vehicle information

• Ability to remove vehicle from system (mark as off-road, disposed etc.)

• Add service/repair information

• View audit/history of vehicle and record(s)

• Add appropriate notes to record

• View upcoming services – with estimated date

• Ability to search for vehicle using various search criteria

• Ability to run monthly mileage reports and vehicle inventory

• Uses the Bootstrap framework for the user interface

A ZIP file containing scanned paper documents (used by drivers and the admin team) has been made available for your perusal and should be consulted prior to the development of the computer system.

The following components should be submitted:

• A user manual (including screenshots of each part of the system & URLs)

• URL to your system

• Full code listing with comments

• Database diagram or equivalent

• MVC diagrams for system

• SQL export file or equivalent

• ZIP file containing all of your code (including all MVC and Framework files)

Presentation and Feedback

Although you submit your final portfolio at the end of the module, you will be expected to present your initial plans, mockups and approach for each project to tutors throughout the year.

In these sessions, you should demonstrate your organisation and planning. Tutors will be looking for evidence that you have a plan in place and that you’ve done some research.

Tutors will provide valuable feedback – make sure you take on board the comments and suggestions to improve your final submission.

	Topic	Date (w/c)	Format
1	Intranet proposal	20th October 2014	Presentation (5 min)
2	Video + microsite	24th November 2014	Poster and present
3	Tablet application	12th January 2015	Presentation (5 min)
4	MVC application	9th February 2015	Recorded screen-capture
5	Complete portfolio	9th March 2015	Final hand-in and formal demonstration of software projects

What to submit

The following components should be submitted no later than 4pm on Friday 13th March 2015:

• A printed copy of your portfolio, presented as a spiral bound document and handed in at the library on Friday 13th March 2015.

• A PDF of your complete portfolio submitted via SunSpace and TurnItIn. This should be the same as the printed copy that you handed in at the library.

• A ZIP file containing all of your portfolio components (source code, assets etc) Each project should be in its own folder.

A template for the final portfolio will be made available via SunSpace in term 2.