COMP430 applies an agile method to the engineering of features in a non-trivial software project. Students work as a team on a project that uses technology with which they are already familiar or that has a relatively short learning curve. Normally the project will not be developed from scratch. Rather, COMP430 approximates the normal situation in real-world software development where a team is required to understand, enhance and fix existing software.

The three main assessment items are focused on the software artefact(s) being developed by the class in teams. The items will be assessed in a continuous manner with feedback being provided frequently by the unit convenor to each student.

Students will be asked to document their contributions and associated evidence in each of the three assessment areas of Planning and Estimation, Development and Review as the semester unfolds. E.g., documentation of a development activity might include a link to the associated commits and pull requests in the source code repository. Or documentation of planning and estimation contributions might cite the role a student has played in the discussion that took place in a class session.

Based on the supplied evidence and the convenor's own observations, these assessment items will be assessed according to the following standards:

* Distinction/High Distinction: An extremely valuable team member who makes many key contributions to many different aspects of the software that is developed by the team.

* Credit: A team member who makes useful contributions to multiple aspects of the team's software.

* Pass: A team member who makes a small number of contributions to the team's software or focuses on a single area of contribution. 

The team contribution assessment item captures contribution to the functioning of the team rather than specific contribution to development of the software artefact (which is captured by the other three assessment items). E.g., a high team contribution mark might be earned by a student who often comes up with useful suggestions in planning discussions for features proposed by other team members or who volunteers to present some useful technology to the team so everyone can learn about it. Students are encouraged to think of ways in which they would like to contribute but the unit convenor will also suggest opportunities. Students should plan to attend all classes since they are vital meetings of the software team.

Participation will be assessed according to the following standards:

* Distinction/High Distinction: An extremely valuable team member who contributes strongly in many, varied ways to the smooth and efficient functioning of the team.

* Credit: A team member who makes multiple varied contributions to the team's operations, not just in a single particular way.

* Pass: A team member who makes a small number of contributions to the way the team operates or whose contributions have a single focus.

The focus of the unit is on development periods of a few weeks duration where milestones such as new features, bug fixes and the like are proposed, planned, delivered and reviewed. Students will develop code by themselves or in pairs, but students should aim to participate in each aspect of the project rather than focusing one or two aspects. In particular, students will be asked to review each other's code and participate in reviews of each software milestone.

Tools such as distributed version control and milestone planning software will be used throughout to coordinate activities.

In each week there is a three hour class during which the teams will meet to discuss expectations, plans and progress. Roughly speaking, the first hour or so will be devoted to general topics of interest to the whole class, while the second and third hours will be used by teams to work together on their activities. Students should plan to attend all classes since they are vital meetings of the software team.

The unit will run as in 2018 with some adjustment of class activities to adapt to the expected larger enrolment. Multiple teams will be formed instead of the one team used in 2018.