Syllabus

Catalog Description

This course covers advanced topics in software engineering relating to software quality, with processes and metrics being viewed as a means of achieving quality. Quality is interpreted broadly to include all project and organizational objectives, including business objectives. Software metrics help a software organization on two main fronts: quality assessments of its process and products, and assessment of its progress towards its main goal, the production of software artifacts. (SWEN-256, STAT-205, one term of Co-Op [SWEN-499]) Class 3, Credit 3

Course Objectives

This is an upper-level elective presenting quality planning and assessment as an integral part of the Software Engineering and technical Project Management process. Emphasis is placed on using measurement and analysis to close the feedback loop for quality assessment and quantifiable product and process improvement. Students will use case studies to assess the effective selection and analysis of project, process and product metrics.

The focus of this course will be on software quality engineering, with processes and metrics being viewed as means to assessing and achieving quality. Quality is interpreted broadly to include all project and organizational objectives, including business objectives. For each project area (reliability, product quality, project management, customer satisfaction, etc.), we will Two major themes of the course are the importance of metrics interpretation (“how to avoid misleading with numbers”), and the need for perspectives arising from common sense, intuition and domain knowledge for effective quality engineering.

Contact Information

Samuel A Malachowsky - samvse@rit.edu - Room 70-1545 - Office Hours Posted

Learning Approach

We will be using problem-based learning. You will be working in teams. The learning material is divided into several units. Each unit includes reading material and a set of questions/problems to answer as a team. You use the questions, teamwork and readings to drive the learning, with the instructor acting as facilitator and mentor.

The following 2 textbooks are required: Additionally, there are several resources, which will be required reading linked from this course website within the schedule. Reading assignments should be completed before the first class of the assigned week.

There will be one major course project, to design a quality engineering strategy for a specific environment, which will include creative, evaluative, and presentation elements. Individual evaluation of concepts and their qualitative application will be covered in the midterm and final exams. The individual assignments throughout the quarter will cover accompanying quantitative application.

Project Teams

Project teams will consist of 3-4 members each, and will remain together throughout the class. Teams will submit rosters at the end of the second class and will be chosen at the beginning of the third class. Team members will evaluate each other based on teamwork, knowledge/skills, dependability, initiative/creativity, adaptability/flexibility, and delivery of results with each midterm and the final exam. Teams will also be responsible for cross-team feedback at regular intervals.

Grading and Attendance

The following tables will be used to determine your letter grade at the conclusion of the term:

Item Percentage Notes
Midterm 1 15% Cumulative, Closed Book
Midterm 2 15% Cumulative, Closed Book
Final Exam 20%
Team Project 20% Individual Grading Affected by Peer Evaluations
Team Units 1-4 15%
Individual Assignments 10% Typically due 11:59 PM Friday of week assigned
Classroom Activities 5%
2 or More Unexcused Absences -2% per Please check with Instructor for clarification if needed
2 or More Late Arrivals -1% per Also affects in-class and team activity related credit

Grade Range
A 93 or Above
A- 90 or Above
B+ 87 or Above
B 83 or Above
B- 80 or Above
C+ 77 or Above
C 73 or Above
C- 70 or Above
D 60 or Above

When assigning final grades, the instructor reserves the right to alter these division points as he or she deems necessary based on the overall evaluation of individual or class performance and effort.

Students will be evaluated individually using assignments, midterms and the final exam. Teams will be given a single grade for units and project deliverables submitted. Individual team members may have their grades for the units and team project adjusted up or down based on their contribution to the project. This adjustment will be based on peer evaluations from your teammates.

Academic Honesty

Academic Honesty demands that at all times student work be the work of that individual student (or student group when appropriate), and that any information which a student uses in a work submitted for evaluation be properly documented. Forms of dishonesty include cheating, duplicate submission, and plagiarism, and may in some cases include the use of AI assistance and tools. Students are expected to comply with the RIT Academic Honesty Policy and noncompliance may result in an F on individual assignments or for the entire course. (https://www.rit.edu/academicaffairs/policiesmanual/d080)