ITECH1101-IT Problem Solving

Overview

For this assignment, you will apply the skills and knowledge covered in the first four weeks of the course to develop a plan for solving a problem.  You will document your project and create a video presentation in which you will discuss the process you have used to formulate your program and the outcomes of each step of this process.  You do not need to implement a solution to the given problem.  This is an individual assignment.

Timelines and Expectations

Percentage Value of Task: 10%
Due: 16:00, Monday 16th April 2018 (Week 5)
Minimum time expectation: 10 hours

Learning Outcomes Assessed

The following course learning consequences are imposed by completing this assessment:

• Explain fundamental strategies for problem-solving
• Compare and contrast commonly used problem-solving strategies
• Describe tools and methods that can be used to model and describe problems
• Decompose a problem and create goals and plans to solve that problem
• Devise and implement problem-solving strategies which can be applied to a range of IT problems
• Apply problem-solving strategies, tools, and techniques to solve problems in a variety of domains

Assessment Details

This assessment requires you to select one of two available scenarios and apply The Global Development Research Centre’s Problem Solving Process Steps 1-5 to 1) define the problem, 2) analyse the problem, 3) generate possible solutions, 4) examine possible solutions and 5) select those most appropriate option(s), to meet the scenario criteria and constraints thereof.  You are not required to implement the chosen solution, nor are you required to plan for its implementation.

Note: The Global Development Research Centre’s Problem Solving Process is available as a separate document in the Assessment section in Moodle for your ease of reference, and the relevant steps of this process are discussed in further detail later in this specification.  The possible assignment scenarios are included as an appendix.

You must document your work as you progress through each stage of this process, ensuring that this document shows the output of each stage, any tools you have used as part of the process and the thinking processes you used to obtain this output.

Once you have completed your documentation, you are required to create a video recording of no more than 5 minutes duration in which you present an overview of your work.  This overview should provide the user with a description of how you have worked through this assignment, the work you did at each stage including any tools you may have used and how these assisted you, and the output of each step.  This overview will commence with your work in the initial phase of the Problem Solving Process and continue through each level to ultimately select your optimal solution.  You will then provide a short reflection on the process, covering both using the Problem Solving Process and your experiences completing this assignment.

You will not be assessed on the quality of the recording of your presentation – it is the quality of the information you are presenting and your understanding of the concepts that are important.  Using a mobile phone or similar quality camera is perfectly acceptable and will help keep the size of the presentation file small.

Important: You must be actively presenting throughout the video, with your face visible and identifiable for the duration of the presentation.  It is acceptable to briefly move away from your face to show a more explicit representation of supporting materials from your documentation, but you must otherwise ensure that you are visible and present throughout the video.

The Global Development Research Centre’s Problem Solving Process

Step 1: Define the problem

Develop a clear and brief description of the problem. Your work in the Design thinking session should have helped identify an appropriate explanation, but you should review this to ensure you are satisfied this correctly identifies the real problem. Think about what you want to achieve.

At this step, you should also recognize any constraints or restrictions that place limitations on the potential solutions. For example, any mobile or wearable device needs to be easily transported, so its weight must be considered.

Step 2: Analyze the problem

There are three sub-parts to this step. First, you must develop empathy for your potential users and your market. There requires being an excellent reason to try solving this problem, so you must be able to identify the advantages that will be gained through solving this problem. Why is solving this problem worth the effort?

Secondly, you need to understand what work has been done in this area before so you can identify what works well and what does not. This also helps you set your work apart from the work of other people, as there is no point creating a solution that has already been done before.

Finally, you also need to understand the criteria by which you can evaluate your potential solutions – what defines a “good” solution and sets it apart from a “poor” solution? Develop a clear list of general attributes an ideal solution would possess. Your constraints from step 1 should contribute to this, but you will have other attributes too. For example, any mobile or wearable device must be lightweight, so this is a criterion that must be included in a “good” solution.

Step 3: Generate possible solutions

Here you want to come up with as many ideas as possible. Some of these may later be combined into one larger solution. Your work in the Design Thinking session should have identified at least five radical solutions. Expand on this using brain writing and brainstorming techniques. These are explored in the week three lab. You may find it useful to use a tool, such as a mind map, to help document these ideas.

An important note about Step 3 and Group-work

This is an individual assignment. However, you may work with other students, friends or family, to brainstorm additional ideas for this step. You must acknowledge this assistance in your documentation.

Step 4: Analyze possible solutions

This stage is about sorting and organizing your ideas from step 3 into possible solutions and identifying the benefits and the negatives of each of these. You should use a tool to help you with this – think about what would be appropriate. You might also identify some exciting or innovative ideas and should note these too. This is a time for observations, not for evaluations, so use this step to take notes.

Step 5: Select the most appropriate options

For this final step, you need to evaluate your possible solutions from level 4 against the criteria for a “good” solution you established in step 2. This should be done using a suitable tool of your choice. Use this evaluation to select your “best-fit” solution, and document the reasons why this is the best possible solution to solve the problem.

Submission

Your completed video must be uploaded to Model in the Presentation Assignment – Video Upload submission box provided.

Your assignment documentation must be submitted to Model in the Presentation Assignment documentation submission box provided by the due date and time.

1. Videos will be awarded zero marks if the student is not visible, identifiable and actively presenting throughout. Brief absences are acceptable for display of supporting materials.
2. Any video that exceeds 5 minutes duration will be marked based on the first 5 minutes only.

Marking Criteria

1. Videos will be awarded zero marks if the student is not visible, identifiable and actively presenting throughout. Brief absences are acceptable for display of supporting materials.
2. Any video that exceeds 5 minutes duration will be marked based on the first 5 minutes only.

Criteria	Available Marks		Marks Awarded
Design Thinking Session worksheet Worksheet from design thinking session completed and submitted		5
Documentation Documentation showing working through the problem using Problem Solving Process completed and submitted.		5
VIDEO PRESENTATION Step 1: Problem Definition   The problem is clearly and concisely identified.  A person unfamiliar with the scenario would be able to determine what the student is attempting to achieve (3 marks). Any constraints/restrictions that impact the potential solutions are noted (2 marks).		5
VIDEO PRESENTATION Step 2: Problem Analysis   The current situation has been researched and analyzed to provide a stable grounding for the new development   • Benefits of proceeding with the selected scenario are identified (2 marks) • Features of competing (or closest to competing) products are analyzed and contrasted to the plan for the selected scenario (3 marks) • Criteria are established by which the potential solutions may be evaluated for suitability (5 marks)		10
VIDEO PRESENTATION Step 3: Generating Possible Solutions (collaboration recommended) A student has participated in a brain writing and brainstorming session to generate a large quantity (quality not relevant) of potential solutions/ideas for their chosen scenario.  It is evident that the problem has been considered from a variety of perspectives (4 marks).  Collaboration adequately acknowledged (1 mark).		5
VIDEO PRESENTATION Step 4: Analyzing the Solutions • Potential solutions from Step 3 have been organized using a suitable tool (2 marks)   • Advantages and disadvantages of each solution have been identified (3 marks)		5
VIDEO PRESENTATION Step 5: Selecting the Best Solution   • Solutions are reviewed for suitability based on the criteria established in Step 2 and the analysis conducted in Step 4 (5 marks)   • A solution (which may be a combination of smaller solutions) has been identified (2 marks) and its selection justified (3 marks)		10
VIDEO PRESENTATION Reflection • An insightful reflection is included that considers the challenges and advantages of using The Problem Solving Process (3 marks) and the student’s personal experiences in working through this assessment (2 marks)		5
Total		50

 

Feedback

Marks will be uploaded in fdlMarks and a completed marking feedback sheet uploaded in Moodle within two weeks of the assessment due date.

Plagiarism:

Plagiarism is the presentation of the formulated thought or work of a different person as though it is one’s own without adequately confirming that person. You need not allow other students to copy your work and must take care to safeguard upon this happening. More report about the plagiarism policy and procedure for the university can be found at http://federation.edu.au/students/learning-and-study/online-help-with/plagiarism.

Appendix:

Assignment Scenarios

Assignment Scenario A

As a keen gamer, you decide you would like to design the ultimate game for 2018, an original play that intrigues users through its novelty and abundant gameplay.  This game can only be performed on a single gaming platform of your choice.  You want to ensure your game is uniquely positioned in the market by providing that it does not strictly resemble other games currently available and that its gameplay is so engaging that players will want to keep playing it over an extended period.

Assignment Scenario B

You observe that augmented reality (AR) has a high level of public interest, but there are very few people who are regularly using AR in their daily lives.  You would like to take advantage of this interest by developing an augmented reality experience that allows people to use their existing mobile phones or tablets to engage with the content you provide.  You are aware that previous attempts at this have been launched with considerable interest and community engagement, but this engagement plummeted reasonably quickly.  This is something you want to avoid – the experience you design needs to be something that people will be willing to pay you to use and that they will continue to use over an extended period.