Students

COMP3850 – PACE: Computing Industry Project

2025 – Session 2, In person-scheduled-weekday, North Ryde

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Convenor
Deborah Richards
Contact via email
Room 369, 4 Research Park Drive, Macquarie University, Macquarie Park
please email
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
130cp at 1000 level or above including COMP2250 OR COMP2270 or COMP2110 or COMP2050 or COMP2200 or COMP2750
Corequisites Corequisites
20cp from 3000 level units
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

This PACE unit draws together learning in previous units to prepare students for the workplace through engaging with a partner organisation. Students will work in close collaboration throughout the session with a community-based project sponsor that has provided the specifications for the work that needs to be completed. Students will work in self-managed teams to first understand the problem or opportunity identified the partner and then develop a project plan and scoping or requirements document. Students will create appropriate designs to solve a given problem, potentially delivering a software product or other outputs as needed by the sponsor. All projects will involve the development of supporting project documentation. The project requires an equal focus on process and product, requiring quality control and assurance methods, tools and techniques.

Visit Employability Connect for important information on this unit including required preparation and closing dates for PACE activities.
 
Learning in this unit enhances student understanding of global challenges identified by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; Sustainable Cities and Communities

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Critically analyse and describe the client's problem and apply principles, models, tool, techniques, technology and processes to provide a solution.
  • ULO2: Demonstrate understanding of the project stages using appropriate process models in an authentic context  
  • ULO3: Apply the basic principles of project management and teamwork while working closely with the project's customer  
  • ULO4: Effectively Communicate results of the project  (in both written and oral form)  
  • ULO5: Recognise and address ethical issues when they arise based on an understanding of professional ethics  

General Assessment Information

This unit is a Professional and Community Engagement (PACE) Unit.

This unit is particularly focussed in getting you work ready and increasing your employability. To complete the unit you will need to draw together the knowledge and skills you have learnt in previous units and learn how to identify and gain any missing knowledge and skills needed to solve a real-world problem faced by a client. Furthermore, the unit provides practice in the softskills (see learning outcomes) sought by employers and required to meet the Australian Computer Society accreditation criteria. The unit assessments are structured around multiple deliverables including a final exam to ensure these goals are achieved.

To get an overview of what you will do, see the section below "What to Expect".

This unit includes students from many different majors. Also, sponsors have a wide range of projects. Deliverables have been modified according to the type of project being undertaken. Teams will need to identify the type of project they are delivering, undertake appropriate activities and submit appropriate deliverables according to the identified project type.

PACE units in Science and Engineering, their Unit Convenors, and their students, are supported by a PACE Team within the Faculty.  Throughout the unit offering, members of the Team may be in contact with students to provide or collect information. If you have any questions about PACE in Science and Engineering, please email:  pace.science@mq.edu.au  or visit the following webpages:  http://science.mq.edu.au/pace/

If you require more information about PACE in general or access to forms such as those for the PACE Travel Grants, please go to: http://mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/professional_and_community_engagement/

Release Dates

The specification of what you need to deliver throughout the semester and when is provided in the Deliverable Definition Document in the Assessment Section on iLearn. This document provides instructions and guidance for all deliverables and is available from Week 1. 

Late Assessment Submission and Penalties

Late work will not be accepted. As you are working in a team and also are expected to perform risk management where sickness or other misadventure should be planned for and managed. Disruption and special consideration requests will apply to individuals only, not to groups. If there is a significant problem outside the control of the group, they should contact the convenor well before the deliverable deadline to discuss solutions.

 

Requirements to pass the unit

To pass this unit you need to achieve a total mark equal to or greater than 50%. For more information about "Grading and Passing", please see that section.

 

Special Consideration

The Special Consideration Policy aims to support students who have been impacted by short-term circumstances or events that are serious, unavoidable and significantly disruptive, and which may affect their performance in assessment. If you experience circumstances or events that affect your ability to complete the assessments in this unit on time, please inform the convenor and submit a Special Consideration request through http://connect.mq.edu.au/. 

 

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due
Team Project Induction 25% No D1 due 14/08/2025 D2 due 4/09/2025
Team Project 50% No D3 2/10/25, D4 25/10/25, Presentation 6/11/25
Individual Project Retrospective 25% No Exam Period

Team Project Induction

Assessment Type 1: Practice-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: D1 due 14/08/2025 D2 due 4/09/2025
Weighting: 25%

 

Teams will complete a project Feasibility Report, Team manual, Project Plan and Software Requirements Specification or Project Scoping Document

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse and describe the client's problem and apply principles, models, tool, techniques, technology and processes to provide a solution.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the project stages using appropriate process models in an authentic context  
  • Apply the basic principles of project management and teamwork while working closely with the project's customer  
  • Effectively Communicate results of the project  (in both written and oral form)  
  • Recognise and address ethical issues when they arise based on an understanding of professional ethics  

Team Project

Assessment Type 1: Project
Indicative Time on Task 2: 70 hours
Due: D3 2/10/25, D4 25/10/25, Presentation 6/11/25
Weighting: 50%

 

Updated Project Plan and Requirements/Scoping Document, Project Documentation, Prototype/MVP development and demonstration, Project presentation

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse and describe the client's problem and apply principles, models, tool, techniques, technology and processes to provide a solution.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the project stages using appropriate process models in an authentic context  
  • Apply the basic principles of project management and teamwork while working closely with the project's customer  
  • Effectively Communicate results of the project  (in both written and oral form)  
  • Recognise and address ethical issues when they arise based on an understanding of professional ethics  

Individual Project Retrospective

Assessment Type 1: Reflective Writing
Indicative Time on Task 2: 24 hours
Due: Exam Period
Weighting: 25%

 

This is a final individual reflection that reviews the project, processes, product and people.

 


On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Critically analyse and describe the client's problem and apply principles, models, tool, techniques, technology and processes to provide a solution.
  • Demonstrate understanding of the project stages using appropriate process models in an authentic context  
  • Apply the basic principles of project management and teamwork while working closely with the project's customer  
  • Effectively Communicate results of the project  (in both written and oral form)  
  • Recognise and address ethical issues when they arise based on an understanding of professional ethics  

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • the Writing Centre for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation

Delivery and Resources

CLASSES

You are expected to attend class meetings (Weeks 1, 2, 11 and 13) throughout the semester. These classes are to prepare you for your project, working with your team and the assessment tasks. There will be team activities. On campus attendance provides a more engaging and productive experience for everyone and will help the team to bond and hit the ground running. In the event that you are unable to attend on campus, please let the unit convenor know beforehand and watch the live stream portion of the class. For the team activities, arrange with another team how you can connect with the team (e.g. via zoom, phone or other technology) so you are able to fully participate in the activities. Zoom breakout rooms for each team will be provided to facilitate communication.

Week 1 & 2 classes

Please ensure you attend the first lecture session in Week 1. You will meet with your group and industry sponsor who will provide a briefing on your project and allow future methods of communication to be established. By the time of this class, you should have already received information about which group you are in (check private forum on iLearn). If not, speak with the convenor.

In week 2 you will participate in a "Working in Teams" workshop. You are expected to be on campus, but if you can't be, let your team know so they can connect you in.

 

REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR MATERIALS

Lecture and Project Material

The most important document is the Project Deliverables Definition document in the Assessments section on iLearn. This document specifies what is required for each deliverable and provides deliverable specific guidance and rubrics. The guidance is at times generic for all projects and projects streams. Some guidance is specific to the four streams (Cybersecurity, Data Science, Games, Software) and you should ensure you are looking at the stream/s relevant for your project.

Some resources including tutorials, standards, templates, examples can be found on iLearn.which may be useful for your project. However, teams are expected to identify the knowledge and skills needed for their project, the knowledge and skills of the team and what knowledge gaps exist and how to bridge the gap. Scoping of projects according to the needs of the industry sponsor and the skills of the team is an essential activity for most projects that may require negotation with the industry partner and the assistance of the unit convenor.

 

UNIT WEBPAGE 

Website

Please login to ilearn http://ilearn.mq.edu.au/

 

METHOD OF COMMUNICATION

We will communicate with you via your university email and through announcements on iLearn. Queries to the convenor can either be placed on the iLearn discussion board or sent to the unit convenor via the contact email on iLearn. If your query is specific to feedback you have received for D2-D4, your query will be passed onto the marker handling that stream. You will also need to be in contact with your industry sponsor/partner. Your industry partner will receive a list of students in their teams and your university email on the Friday after the first class. Your team manual will specify you methods of communication with all stakeholders in more detail following discussion with your team members and industry partner.

From Week 2 until Week 13, mid-semester weeks are optional, the team is expected to send a Weekly Report to the unit convenor. More information will be provided in classes and in the Deliverables Definiton Document.

TECHNOLOGIES USED AND REQUIRED

The technology you use will depend on your client's needs. You will have access to the third year computers and the software on them. You will not be able to add any other software to the machines in the labs. However, you may want to use resources that your sponsor and team members have access to. Your technology needs will be determined and defined by you in your project plan.

Unit Schedule

There are only 4 classes. Attendance should be on campus. However, if this is not possible watch the live stream and coordinate with your team how you can connect electronically with them during the class.

WEEK TOPIC
1 Team and Project Induction - Meet your team and industry parnter. Receive a project briefing
2 Team Training
3 No classes/lectures
4 No classes/lectures
5 No classes/lectures
6 No classes/lectures
7 No classes/lectures
8 No classes/lectures
9 No classes/lectures
10 No classes/lectures
11 Exam & Presentation preparation including Ethics and Professionalism Training
12 No classes/lectures
13 Group Presentations (Thursday 5-9pm, Location: TBA)

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Changes from Previous Offering

New projects and continuations of previous projects are offered each semester involving long term and new industry partners.

The deliverables definition document has been updated.

Grading and Passing

Your final grade will depend on your performance in the project and exam. The final mark for the unit will be calculated by combining the marks for all assessment tasks according to the percentage weightings shown in the assessment summary. Note that in order to receive the full marks awarded to your group you must contribute your equal share to the project. Individual contribution forms will be used to identify the contribution of each team member. Every individual in the team will complete this online form. These forms and the process will be explained further in the week 1 induction.

You are expected to attend all compulsory class sessions or provide a reason (to the unit convenor preferably before the class) why you were unable to attend.

All work submitted should be readable and presented in a business-like and professional format.

Late work will not be accepted. As you are working in a team and also are expected to perform risk management, sickness or other misadventure needs to be planned for and managed. Disruption requests will apply to individuals only, not to groups.

If you receive special consideration for the final exam, a supplementary exam will be scheduled. By making a special consideration application for the final exam you are declaring yourself available for a resit during the supplementary examination period and will not be eligible for a second special consideration approval based on pre-existing commitments. Please ensure you are familiar with the policy prior to submitting an application. Approved applicants will receive an individual notification one week prior to the exam with the exact date and time of their supplementary examination.

Grade Assessment Standards

Final Grade Summary of required performance
P Has participated in group-based projects which delivered satisfactory outputs throughout the semester and has demonstrated this participation in the final examination.
CR Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which delivered quality outputs and demonstrated in the exam a high degree of contribution to those outputs and good grasp of the concepts relating to working in groups, managing projects and the development of software.
D Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which consistently delivered high quality outputs and demonstrated in the exam a high degeee of contribution to those outputs and strong grasp of the concepts relating to working in groups, managing projects and the development of software. All the assignment, in-class tasks (programming and written) completed to a very high standard. Excellent performance in the written examination.
HD Has participated in group-based projects throughout the semester which consistently delivered high quality outputs and demonstrated in the exam a high degeee of contribution to those outputs and strong grasp of the concepts relating to working in groups, managing projects and the development of software. Students achieving this grade are often distinguished by a high level of effort, enthusiasm, competence and often leadership in their project groups as well as by excellent performance in the written examination.

What to Expect

This unit is different to other units you have done. You will be working on a project with other team members to address a problem or opportunity identified by your industry partners. The more you put in, the more you will get out. To succeed, the focus will be on "something of value" to the client. This will involve understanding the client's context; working out the best solution with the given resources; working out what upskilling is needed and how to get it; scoping and ongoing management of the project to deliver a solution; great communication and team working skills. Team will follow agile processes to incrementally be improving their MVP and associated documentation. Communication mediums, including meeting times and location, will be negotiated with the client and team.

Before the semester starts, you will receive an email asking you to preference for projects. In Week 1 you will be advised which team you are in and your project. You will meet your team and industry partner in Week 1. In Week 2 there will be team training. After that there are no classes until Week 13 to prepare you for the final presentations and the exam. In Week 13, you will present your project to other teams, industry partners and university staff.

While your focus should be on delivering a Minimum Viable Product to the client, you will be be required to submit deliverables via iLearn on a regular basis to ensure engagement and progress.

Deliverable 1 (D1) is a Feasbility Report and Team Manual due in Week 3 aims to get you on the same page as the client - what is their problem and opportunity and what are possible solutions, and to get the teams processes in place.

Deliverable 2, worth 25%, updates D1 and adds a project plan and scoping/requirements document to ensure you are on the right track in knowing what is needed and how the project will be undertaken. You need to confirm the content of the scoping/requirements document with your client before submission. They will provide feedback to the unit convenor about their satisfaction.

Deliverable 3 updates D2 and adds documentation about your design and testing to reveal the current state of your MVP and your client's feedback. Teams will identify what documentation is relevant to the project and justify any aspects not relevant for confirmation by the marker.

Deliverable 4, worth 40%, is the updated D3 plus stream specific handover documents such as user manuals or montioring reports. Your client will provide feedback to the unit convenor about their satisfaction and this will impact the mark you receive for the MVP component.

Deliverable 5, worth 10%, is the final project presentation in Week 13.

Deliverable 6, worth 20%, is a final 1 hour exam involving reflection of the project and what you have learnt.

Deliverable 7 is final handover to the client. The client will provide a mark worth 5% for each individual after handover.

D1 and D3 will only receive feedback and no marks. These deliverables are important to submit as they will assist with project management and ensure the team are making steady progress with guidance along the way to ensure they are heading in the right direction. Rubrics for each stream are provided as guidance for teams and should be used to identify and justify what documentation is needed or not needed. Projects that span more than one stream can draw on more than one rubric to identify what project documentation/deliverables are required for their project.

The main guidance provided is the Deliverables Definition Document (DDD). You should become familiar with it and consult it for each deliverable. ILearn contains some resources and examples, but you are encouraged to take intiative and do wider research, draw on your experience and speak with your client in determing the contents and format of all documents. Ideally, the team should choose a document style that is professional and businesslike and use that for all documents. Your client is not responsible for editing your documents. All forms of communication should be ethical and professional.

Guidance in the DDD and feedback on deliverables focuses on minimal expectations, that is a pass level. Teams wishing to achieve more than a pass should be continuously improving their team processes, MVP and documents and striving for high quality. In the workplace, simply doing what you are told will not be seen as evidence of independence or critical thinking. If something is unclear, ask. Effective communication within the team, convenor (who acts as manager of all the teams) and the client will be key to knowing what quality should look like and achieving it.  In the context of a document, it means a consistent, professional (i.e. headers/footers, logo, consistent headings, table of contents, etc) look and feel that has been checked for grammar and spelling, which is concise and clear and easy to navigate. In the case of the MVP, it means understanding not only what features the client might want but also which quality attributes are important in their context, such as maintainable, secure, reliable, etc.


Unit information based on version 2025.04 of the Handbook