Okay, now I know I missed week 11, but I can't remember what we did except for the fact Grace was gone for most of the tutorial as the Dean of the faculty was at Berwick so we were working on the assignment and doing lots of talking (not always about SAD, funnily enough).
This week for Berwick was exam revision week, as Grace wanted to do it, and will be at a conference next week. (We have POD next week, really looking forward to it, if nothing else that the lecture notes will be available.) She gave us a practice exam and then we worked through the answers. Thought I did quite well seeing as I hadn't started studying yet due to assignment 2 and my Flash folio for FIT2012.
Speaking of assignment 2, I think that at the moment I should have it finished on time. Grace has made up a Minimum Requirements sheet which is good, a touch more direction is great. Now just to concentrate, its hard to work on this one when I have my Flash stuff to work on as well, which is good fun and I don't get distracted by the Internet and other things around like I do with my others. I have most of it typed up actually, its just a case of working on the screen shots. Unfortunantly I didn't plan it too well when I started in the sense that I just started straight away, and not plan what exactly I needed to do. Oh well.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Sunday, May 13, 2007
Week 10 and Assignment 2
First of all: Blog of the Week! I'd just like to thank the Academy, and my friends...and okay, I'll stop there!
This week we looked at Object Orientated Design. This meant that new models were introduced, such as interaction diagrams, sequence diagrams and more detailed class diagrams. It uses an iterative process, where you create a preliminary design class diagram model, followed by interaction diagrams for each use case, then return to design class diagram, then partition design class diagram in related functions, using package diagrams. We revisited coupling and cohesion (terms that, for me, go back to modularisation in year 11), as well as the other object-oriented design principles that need to be applied.
The tutorial was...interesting. It involved us trying to follow how to create the diagrams based on a dentist's booking system. I remember it making sense at the time, but this morning when I tried to start the assignment I managed to get myself confused, not helped by the fact the solution isn't up in MUSO yet and we worked in Rational Rose in the tutorial, which I don't have at home and therefore can't open the files! However, I just listened to POD's PODcast about starting assignment 2, and I have more of an idea what I should be putting in my class diagram. See, someone listens! And I highly recommend that those students who don't should be. Looking forward to Peter lecturing in week 13 at Berwick.
Oh, and I should mention that this blog seems to be set on some random time zone, and I can't work it out off the top of my head what it is - its not GMT, EST or AEST anyway. I am in fact posting at 4:20pm on Monday the 14th, not 11:00pm on the 13th. I could try and fix it, but with only 3 weeks to go, I can't be bothered.
This week we looked at Object Orientated Design. This meant that new models were introduced, such as interaction diagrams, sequence diagrams and more detailed class diagrams. It uses an iterative process, where you create a preliminary design class diagram model, followed by interaction diagrams for each use case, then return to design class diagram, then partition design class diagram in related functions, using package diagrams. We revisited coupling and cohesion (terms that, for me, go back to modularisation in year 11), as well as the other object-oriented design principles that need to be applied.
The tutorial was...interesting. It involved us trying to follow how to create the diagrams based on a dentist's booking system. I remember it making sense at the time, but this morning when I tried to start the assignment I managed to get myself confused, not helped by the fact the solution isn't up in MUSO yet and we worked in Rational Rose in the tutorial, which I don't have at home and therefore can't open the files! However, I just listened to POD's PODcast about starting assignment 2, and I have more of an idea what I should be putting in my class diagram. See, someone listens! And I highly recommend that those students who don't should be. Looking forward to Peter lecturing in week 13 at Berwick.
Oh, and I should mention that this blog seems to be set on some random time zone, and I can't work it out off the top of my head what it is - its not GMT, EST or AEST anyway. I am in fact posting at 4:20pm on Monday the 14th, not 11:00pm on the 13th. I could try and fix it, but with only 3 weeks to go, I can't be bothered.
Friday, May 4, 2007
Weeks 8 and 9
I missed a week again! Aren't I getting slack? Oh well, I shall take a break in typing up Use Case narratives (no, I haven't just started, they are hand written on paper) and try and remember backs to week 8 and Thursday (feels so long ago).
First of all, both weeks the Berwick lecture notes weren't up Wednesday night. And MUSO is always down for maintenance, so I can't check before I leave like I can with other subjects. And I know that this weeks were not up until 10:30, I was in my FIT2012 tute and kept refreshing. This meant I couldn't print them as I have no print credit because I always print at home with my laser printer. :( I really miss having the lecture notes so I can highlight and make notes on the slides, as compared to just copying points off the slides (or feeling like thats what I am doing). At least I had time after FIT2012 to go get White Hot Chocolate from the cafe :)
Week 8's lecture began with going through some points of the assignment, reinforcing the concepts involved with context diagrams, event tables, class diagrams and use case narratives. We then went on to beginning design. The definition for design is "the process of describing, organising and structuring system components". There is 5 major components of design: user interface, network, application, system interface and database. We also looked at the different types of architecture and networks. In the tute we looked at the CFA website's Incident Summary Page (which I personally have bookmarked on my computer, is useful when you live in a high bush fire risk area like I do) and the Webserver search, which was also interesting. We then got work on the assignment, and then I got to leave early (which meant I had more time to get ready for work :))
Week 9 looked at developing system flowcharts, something which I have studied before (ie. four weeks ago in AFW2851) and don't particulary like as I feel they are rather big and cumbersome. It also looked at structure charts and pseudocode, an old friend I've missed (or not. But it has been a while since I've truly used it, would have been year 12 I think). The tutorial was then supposed to be about databases, but we didn't end up doing that and ended up working on our assignments instead, with Grace helping us. I thought I had it under control by this point (just needed to type it up) but she then began pointing out problems and managed to completely confuse me. After going home and thinking about it, then seeing her today means I now have it (I hope) back under control, but it has highlighted even more so one thing about these sort of assignments, and that much of it is based on opinion. How you interpret it is going to be different to the person next to you. It was quite obvious from the discussions that I had that my idea of a country club and how it works (and what was to be included in this system) was different to others. It can make it hard when trying to do what your lecturer/tutor wants or finding out what they expect, but that's life, I suppose. Anyway, I feel that I'm learning from it, and that's what matters!
And I just listened to the episode 5 PODcast. My dad works for Telstra in a similar way in that he's actually employed by IBM Global Services. But I shall not say anything about that here, or Telstra's inability to give us broadband...
First of all, both weeks the Berwick lecture notes weren't up Wednesday night. And MUSO is always down for maintenance, so I can't check before I leave like I can with other subjects. And I know that this weeks were not up until 10:30, I was in my FIT2012 tute and kept refreshing. This meant I couldn't print them as I have no print credit because I always print at home with my laser printer. :( I really miss having the lecture notes so I can highlight and make notes on the slides, as compared to just copying points off the slides (or feeling like thats what I am doing). At least I had time after FIT2012 to go get White Hot Chocolate from the cafe :)
Week 8's lecture began with going through some points of the assignment, reinforcing the concepts involved with context diagrams, event tables, class diagrams and use case narratives. We then went on to beginning design. The definition for design is "the process of describing, organising and structuring system components". There is 5 major components of design: user interface, network, application, system interface and database. We also looked at the different types of architecture and networks. In the tute we looked at the CFA website's Incident Summary Page (which I personally have bookmarked on my computer, is useful when you live in a high bush fire risk area like I do) and the Webserver search, which was also interesting. We then got work on the assignment, and then I got to leave early (which meant I had more time to get ready for work :))
Week 9 looked at developing system flowcharts, something which I have studied before (ie. four weeks ago in AFW2851) and don't particulary like as I feel they are rather big and cumbersome. It also looked at structure charts and pseudocode, an old friend I've missed (or not. But it has been a while since I've truly used it, would have been year 12 I think). The tutorial was then supposed to be about databases, but we didn't end up doing that and ended up working on our assignments instead, with Grace helping us. I thought I had it under control by this point (just needed to type it up) but she then began pointing out problems and managed to completely confuse me. After going home and thinking about it, then seeing her today means I now have it (I hope) back under control, but it has highlighted even more so one thing about these sort of assignments, and that much of it is based on opinion. How you interpret it is going to be different to the person next to you. It was quite obvious from the discussions that I had that my idea of a country club and how it works (and what was to be included in this system) was different to others. It can make it hard when trying to do what your lecturer/tutor wants or finding out what they expect, but that's life, I suppose. Anyway, I feel that I'm learning from it, and that's what matters!
And I just listened to the episode 5 PODcast. My dad works for Telstra in a similar way in that he's actually employed by IBM Global Services. But I shall not say anything about that here, or Telstra's inability to give us broadband...
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Weeks 6 and 7
Aargh! Forgot to blog for week 6 - I blame Good Friday and the break-that-wasn't-much-of-a-break. So I'll try and cover both now.
Week 6 looked at use case modelling. A use case is a single function, that is performed by the system, for those that use that function, and are shown on the diagram as bubbles. Actors (love using film terms!) represent the user, and are represented on the diagrams by stick figures (much easier to remember than flow chart symbols). A line is drawn between the actor and the bubble, not to show a data flow, only to show that they participate. A big circle around the outside shows the system boundary. We then learnt how to write use case detailed descriptions, and about activity diagrams, and the system sequence diagram (which Grace does not like as they show the system as an object, which is incorrect). The tutorial then involved understanding the narrative, and then writing (again with an over-simplified example, our class always ends up in discussions as to what to include and what not, and how these systems supposedly work in RL). We also began to create the diagrams, but had a problem in that due to the week before's virus outbreak all the computers had been wiped. Someone forgot to reinstall Visual Paradigm, which was clever, so Grace showed us in Rational Rose, which was good, but as we can't use it at home makes it a touch hard for the assignment. It was still one of the better tutorials in that it had a better structure to it.
Week 7 signalled the end of analysis (and a subtle hint the assignment is due soon). It was a shorter lecture, and more review than anything else. It looked at requirements, the system's enviroment, and implementation. There was more of the buy vs. build, and in-house vs. outsource question, and some information on the variations on obtaining systems (including ERP, which I had to do a 1,500 word essay on implementing during the break). There was also some matrixes (is it matrixes or matrices? I can't remember) to help in the selection of an alternative, which I found interesting, and something that could be quite useful. We also looked at Request for Proposals, a document I hadn't heard of before (which surprised me). The tutorial was further revision still, going through each of the diagrams for an example (a video store, which reminded me of one of the questions on the FIT1004 exam last semester, and is vaguely multimedia related, which is always nice).
I'd thought I'd mention here too that I have been trying to make an effort to download and listen to the interviews on the PODcast. I must admit they've been a nice size, so my internet connection can handle them, as compared to some of the other podcasts I've downloaded in the past. I'd do it at uni, but I don't think iTunes would agree with the WiFi network and the proxy server. Anyway, I particulary enjoyed Episode 4 with Jacob, who contracts out to producers to make screens for the screen :P I'm a multimedia student, who wants to go into film, and yet had never considered the fact there was actually someone out there making those screens. Very cool. It's nice when the core units try to add in a bit of a multimedia element, as sometimes the units can feel rather unrelated to the rest of the degree.
And now, I must go back to working on the assignment. I've only just managed to begin on it properly this week, as I had two due Monday, and another one the week before. All is going fairly smoothly so far, but as I have another due on the same day as this, I think time is going to get a little tight once again. Anyway, shall just have to wait and see.
Week 6 looked at use case modelling. A use case is a single function, that is performed by the system, for those that use that function, and are shown on the diagram as bubbles. Actors (love using film terms!) represent the user, and are represented on the diagrams by stick figures (much easier to remember than flow chart symbols). A line is drawn between the actor and the bubble, not to show a data flow, only to show that they participate. A big circle around the outside shows the system boundary. We then learnt how to write use case detailed descriptions, and about activity diagrams, and the system sequence diagram (which Grace does not like as they show the system as an object, which is incorrect). The tutorial then involved understanding the narrative, and then writing (again with an over-simplified example, our class always ends up in discussions as to what to include and what not, and how these systems supposedly work in RL). We also began to create the diagrams, but had a problem in that due to the week before's virus outbreak all the computers had been wiped. Someone forgot to reinstall Visual Paradigm, which was clever, so Grace showed us in Rational Rose, which was good, but as we can't use it at home makes it a touch hard for the assignment. It was still one of the better tutorials in that it had a better structure to it.
Week 7 signalled the end of analysis (and a subtle hint the assignment is due soon). It was a shorter lecture, and more review than anything else. It looked at requirements, the system's enviroment, and implementation. There was more of the buy vs. build, and in-house vs. outsource question, and some information on the variations on obtaining systems (including ERP, which I had to do a 1,500 word essay on implementing during the break). There was also some matrixes (is it matrixes or matrices? I can't remember) to help in the selection of an alternative, which I found interesting, and something that could be quite useful. We also looked at Request for Proposals, a document I hadn't heard of before (which surprised me). The tutorial was further revision still, going through each of the diagrams for an example (a video store, which reminded me of one of the questions on the FIT1004 exam last semester, and is vaguely multimedia related, which is always nice).
I'd thought I'd mention here too that I have been trying to make an effort to download and listen to the interviews on the PODcast. I must admit they've been a nice size, so my internet connection can handle them, as compared to some of the other podcasts I've downloaded in the past. I'd do it at uni, but I don't think iTunes would agree with the WiFi network and the proxy server. Anyway, I particulary enjoyed Episode 4 with Jacob, who contracts out to producers to make screens for the screen :P I'm a multimedia student, who wants to go into film, and yet had never considered the fact there was actually someone out there making those screens. Very cool. It's nice when the core units try to add in a bit of a multimedia element, as sometimes the units can feel rather unrelated to the rest of the degree.
And now, I must go back to working on the assignment. I've only just managed to begin on it properly this week, as I had two due Monday, and another one the week before. All is going fairly smoothly so far, but as I have another due on the same day as this, I think time is going to get a little tight once again. Anyway, shall just have to wait and see.
Sunday, April 1, 2007
Week 5
Have just discovered I hadn't yet posted about week 5; shall do so now.
This week's lecture consisted mainly of diagrams. Lots of DFDs in particular. They started with level 0 (context diagram) which is an event partitioned system model, through to logical and physical DFDs. I did learn some bits and pieces - I didn't realise that the numbering on DFDs is purely identification, and I'd never thought of a DFD as being broken into "fragments", I'd only thought of them as subsystems. I like the idea of fragments better. I also had never heard of applying the 7+-2 rule to DFDs. Its a rule I know quite a bit about from year 12 Psychology (a subject I miss very much) and does make sense. Along with the fact that lines shouldn't be crossing on high quality DFDs, a rule which I have broken in the past :(
I had also never heard of the black hole and miracle problems. A black hole is where information goes in but never comes out (i.e. is an unnecessary data input), and a miracle is an impossible data output. (I do like the fact they have rather obvious names to remember, should make life easier come exam time, and not to mention black holes has me thinking of the film Zathura, which my brother had on the other day when he was sick.)
We also looked at information engineering (another method of design which believes data is more important than the process), process dependency diagrams and activity-location and activity-data matrixes.
Overall the lecture was pretty good, followed by a tutorial that wasn't too bad, but I can't remember much about it! Was pushed of my brain slightly by coming home and finding a virus on my USB key, which was different to the one they were having issues with in the labs. Anyway, was a pretty good week SAD wise :)
This week's lecture consisted mainly of diagrams. Lots of DFDs in particular. They started with level 0 (context diagram) which is an event partitioned system model, through to logical and physical DFDs. I did learn some bits and pieces - I didn't realise that the numbering on DFDs is purely identification, and I'd never thought of a DFD as being broken into "fragments", I'd only thought of them as subsystems. I like the idea of fragments better. I also had never heard of applying the 7+-2 rule to DFDs. Its a rule I know quite a bit about from year 12 Psychology (a subject I miss very much) and does make sense. Along with the fact that lines shouldn't be crossing on high quality DFDs, a rule which I have broken in the past :(
I had also never heard of the black hole and miracle problems. A black hole is where information goes in but never comes out (i.e. is an unnecessary data input), and a miracle is an impossible data output. (I do like the fact they have rather obvious names to remember, should make life easier come exam time, and not to mention black holes has me thinking of the film Zathura, which my brother had on the other day when he was sick.)
We also looked at information engineering (another method of design which believes data is more important than the process), process dependency diagrams and activity-location and activity-data matrixes.
Overall the lecture was pretty good, followed by a tutorial that wasn't too bad, but I can't remember much about it! Was pushed of my brain slightly by coming home and finding a virus on my USB key, which was different to the one they were having issues with in the labs. Anyway, was a pretty good week SAD wise :)
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Week 4
In today's lecture we began to look more in-depth at analysis. We began to learn about models and the different types (mathematical, descriptive and graphical), which is something I looked at 3 weeks ago in AFW2851 (Accounting Information Systems and Financial Modelling). I suppose that you have to expect a bit of overlap like that in a double degree (AFW2851's lecture was on database, which I only did a whole subject on last year). Anyway, we also learnt about events and things, which was interesting, especially seeing that they look like something that could easily be examinable, although I can't help but wonder why they couldn't come with a better name other than things. Covered also were event tables, and we began to look at the diagrams. There looks like there's going to be a bit of diagram drawing, which I haven't always liked in the past (but seeing I now have Photoshop that may be easier).
The tutorial was less structured than normal with the interview. I still think it was a little early to be asking questions; my questions normally come after I've sat down and done a draft of the assignment. I had quite a few questions, only to be told they related more to design than analysis! This means (I hope) that I got enough information out of the mp3 for the assignment, and that I was thinking in too much detail. I guess it helps too that my grandfather is a retired pro, means that between him and my dad I've picked up a bit of an understanding about golf.
Anyway, looking forward to next week and hoping I get a chance to do a bit of work on the assignment.
The tutorial was less structured than normal with the interview. I still think it was a little early to be asking questions; my questions normally come after I've sat down and done a draft of the assignment. I had quite a few questions, only to be told they related more to design than analysis! This means (I hope) that I got enough information out of the mp3 for the assignment, and that I was thinking in too much detail. I guess it helps too that my grandfather is a retired pro, means that between him and my dad I've picked up a bit of an understanding about golf.
Anyway, looking forward to next week and hoping I get a chance to do a bit of work on the assignment.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Week 3
This week, FIT2001 got off to a bit of a bad start, seeing as the lecture notes weren't up when I checked them Wednesday afternoon before work, and then I wasn't able to use the Internet that night, and then forgot how MUSO is down for maintenance Thursday mornings! I really don't like having no lecture notes, but there wasn't much I could do about it!
The lecture itself was more interesting than the last two weeks, and it really felt like I had learnt something a bit more to the assignment (and real life, for that matter!). I enjoyed learning about stakeholders and the questions they should be asked, as well as different techniques for gathering information.
The tutorial was good once again. It was interesting to hear that podcast with Jason Fried. His ideas about embracing constraints and building top-down I found quite intriguing. We then got into groups to work out questions for our "interview". I knew that we were doing an interview for the assignment, but I was surprised to discover it would be just next week. I was expecting it to be a little closer to the assignment, after we've had time to work through it and figure out what further information we need to know. Due to other assignments and the like, I hadn't even listened to the whole mp3 file yet. So now I'm going to have to sit down with this week's notes and the mp3, figure out what sort of questions we should be asking, what the mp3 file answered, etc. Hopefully that will be enough!
The lecture itself was more interesting than the last two weeks, and it really felt like I had learnt something a bit more to the assignment (and real life, for that matter!). I enjoyed learning about stakeholders and the questions they should be asked, as well as different techniques for gathering information.
The tutorial was good once again. It was interesting to hear that podcast with Jason Fried. His ideas about embracing constraints and building top-down I found quite intriguing. We then got into groups to work out questions for our "interview". I knew that we were doing an interview for the assignment, but I was surprised to discover it would be just next week. I was expecting it to be a little closer to the assignment, after we've had time to work through it and figure out what further information we need to know. Due to other assignments and the like, I hadn't even listened to the whole mp3 file yet. So now I'm going to have to sit down with this week's notes and the mp3, figure out what sort of questions we should be asking, what the mp3 file answered, etc. Hopefully that will be enough!
Friday, March 9, 2007
Week 2
This week we looked more into the SDLC and different methodologies. Again wasn't too exciting, but what do you expect when you have had 3 lectures in one week all covering the SDLC (at least in part anyway)? The tutorial was pretty good, worked with a nice group of people. The water system example was not easy, and took me a bit of thinking to get my head around it, but I learnt quite a bit from it, which was good. I think we start analysis this week, that should be good.
Thursday, March 1, 2007
Week 1
This week's lecture was pretty short, meant I ended up with a 2 hour break. The content we're covering this semester seems pretty self explanatory, plus another version of the SDLC to learn. Wonderful (not). Most of the stuff covered this week was relatively familiar from past units and years. The tutorial was actually pretty good, there was some good discussion and I got to work with people I haven't really met before. The tutorial group seems pretty good, should be a good semester.
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