ECS 193A/B Senior Design - Department of Computer Science

Prof. Xin Liu
Computer science Department
University of California, Davis
Jan. 2015

Prof. Liu, CS, UC Davis, 2003 – now
◦ Computer networks
◦ liu@cs.ucdavis.edu

Prof. Mohapatra, Faculty advisor, vice-chancellor
◦ Computer networks
◦ prasant@cs.ucdavis.edu

TA Aveek Kumar Das
◦ akdas@ucdavis.edu

TA Chao Xu
◦ chaoxu@ucdavis.edu

Reader (TBD)



Negotiate, clarify, and document client requirements
Understand the pros and cons of available
technologies/products
Apply knowledge of fundamental algorithms,
programming language concepts, and design patterns
to determine an overall design for the system

Implement a fully specified system

Test a fully specified system

Plan and monitor the progress of software projects to
ensure on time delivery of a high-quality system




Communication with client
Team work and communication
Presentation
Technical writing



Team projects with real clients
Self-formed teams of 4
Bid on 6 projects by Wedn. 11:59pm
◦ Your qualifications, related experience, GPA if you
are willing to share
◦ Your document should read well, clear and concise
 Maximizes your chance of your preferred projects
◦ NO Guarantee
◦ Templates on smartsite







Understand the needs of clients
Understand available technology
You are welcome to look for and use existing
code
Design your system
Implement your system and MAKE IT WORK
Iterate the process
Communicate with your clients




Communication with your clients
Solving your own technical challenges
Deliver your design and product
Load distribution and coordination among
team members
 Rewarding
and challenging






Week1: Wedn. 11:59pm, submit your team
bid
W2: Monday, announce team-challenge
matches.
W4: Spec_v1 due, Design_v1 due.
W8: Testing doc due.
W9: Prototype Due
W10: Spec_v2 due, Design_v2 due.




W5: Beta System Due.
W6: Final testing document due. Preliminary
delivery to clients.
W9: Final delivery to clients.
Final weeks: Class presentation, COE
Showcase, Demo.








Github
How to make a good presentation
How to write a good report
Project management
How to succeed after graduation (alum)
Entrepreneurship, startups
Design thinking (temporary)
…





Class on Mondays 12:10-2pm
Lectures and team updates
Weekly team meeting
Weekly team meeting with instructor starting
week 2 on Mondays and Tuesdays (sign up
sheet later). 20 minutes. Be prepared.
If your team is presenting in class in a given
week, you do not need to meet me that week.

Incomplete at the end of first quarter
◦ Need to take both 193A and 193B to receive
benefits and course credit


Grades will be given AFTER delivering to your
client at the end of 2nd quarter
You will grade and be graded by your
teammate
◦ Can be up to a letter grade difference within a team

Depends on
◦ Challenges, results, client satisfaction, creativity
◦ Bottom line: a working delivery


Subjective aspect
Communications
◦ A necessity for life




Drop now or never
To be fair to your teammates, your client, and
students on the waiting list.
193B enrollment required
Signed commitment document with your UG
advisor
◦ for non-CSE majors
◦ Included in your bidding document
◦ Your team proposal will not be reviewed without the
commitment document








Understand and communicate well with your
clients
Do not try to do/promise too much
Starts EARLY
◦ It takes longer and much longer than expected
Good planning
Weekly code reviews and discussion (and update
with instructor)
Start version control and documentation from the
very beginning
Good presentation, clear and concise
Team communication and coordination very
important

Focused
Prioritized
Hierarchical
UI is important and is time consumption

Prototype



◦ Testing/demonstrating your most challenging and
risky components/assumption







Anything that can go wrong will go wrong
Write down what you will finish each week
Give yourself plenty of extra time
Everything will take longer than you think
If you are using technology that is new to you
Work will be slower than usual
KEEP TO THAT SCHEDULE!







Learn all “new” tools well at the very
beginning
Know where to look for answers before you
actually need to (see: Stack Overflow)
Use version control and document all
commits
Document code as you write it
Follow code conventions
Stay focused
Start working hard NOW!






IP
Hardware
TAs
Smartsite: handin, grade
Piazza: team forming, Q/A, discussions
Schedule management












43 design challenges
1 core CS development
8 from medical school/health system
4 national reserve
6 company and startups
1 legislation related
4 robotic-related
2 agriculture
4 environmental, energy related
1 NASA (through MAE)
English, MAE, arts, MIND, Vet, etc.
Two student-owned projects
◦ RTS game using Oculus Rift and Kinect
◦ Secure Messaging App Using One Time Pad






Quail Ridge National Reserve
Sustainable agriculture
Design thinking
ThinkLink and Barobo
Education legislation
Android PC