COMP SCI 4023 - Software Process Improvement

North Terrace Campus - Semester 1 - 2025

This course is a guided study of software process grounded by practical personal experience. All software engineering is based on one or more processes that guide how software is developed with particular time, cost or quality goals. Process improvement aims to learn from current practice and objectively assess potential improvements. This will be explored by practicing a simplified form of the Personal Software Process and studying a number of process related topics drawn from: the goal question metric paradigm; appropriate automation; configuration management; project tracking and control; quality assurance; cost of quality; continuous integration; DevOps; software distribution; Infrastructure, Platform and Software as a Service; leveraging social media and the internet.

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Course Details

Course Code	COMP SCI 4023
Course	Software Process Improvement
Coordinating Unit	Computer Science
Term	Semester 1
Level	Undergraduate
Location/s	North Terrace Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 5 hours per week
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	COMP SCI 2201
Incompatible	COMP SCI 4123
Assessment	Assignments

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Amali Weerasinghe

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from .

Course Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this course students will be able to:

1	Articulate a critical view of the Personal Software Process
2	Articulate a critical view of their own software development process
3	Write essays following the structure of a scientific paper
4	Apply the PSP to their work

The above course learning outcomes are aligned with the Engineers 最新糖心Vlog .
The course is designed to develop the following Elements of Competency: 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6

最新糖心Vlog Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

最新糖心Vlog Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1-4
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	1-3
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	4
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	2

Learning Resources
Recommended Resources
A vital source of background reading material can be found in:
- the and
- the .
These are both freely available from on-campus and contain a vast wealth of Computer Science research in addition to the more traditional library resources.
Learning & Teaching Activities
Learning & Teaching Modes

The background material is presented using lectures and is reinforced by the lecture reviews, programming assignments, essays and personal process review. The lecture reviews are intended to encourage timely engagement with the background material.

Workload
The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.
You are expected to spend 10 hours per week on the course. This includes:
- attending all scheduled classes,
- preparation for and review of lectures,
- background reading for essays,
- writing essays and the personal process review,
- completing programming work in teams.
Learning Activities Summary

The lecture topics and assignment descriptions are all available on the course website.

A schedule is available on the course website but specific due dates are only available in each assignment description.

The 最新糖心Vlog's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Weighting (%)	Individual/ Group	Formative/ Summative	Due (week)*	Hurdle criteria	Learning outcomes	CBOK Alignment**
Analysis of existing contribution processes	20	Individual	Formative	6		1. 3.
Contribution proposal	10	Team	Formative	5		2.
Open Source contribution	20	Team	Summative	13		2.
Team communication	20	Individual	Formative	13		4.
Reflection essay	20	Individual	Summative	13		1. 2. 3.
Lecture/Prac review quizzes	10	Individual	Summative	13		1.

* The specific due date for each assessment task will be available on MyUni.

This assessment breakdown complies with the 最新糖心Vlog's Assessment for Coursework Programs Policy.

This course has a hurdle requirement. Meeting the specified hurdle criteria is a requirement for passing the course.

**CBOK is the Core Body of Knowledge for ICT Professionals defined by the 最新糖心Vlogn Computer Society. The alignment in the table above corresponds with the following CBOK Areas:

1. Problem Solving

1.1 Abstraction

1.2 Design

2. Professional Knowledge

2.1 Ethics

2.2 Professional expectations

2.3 Teamwork concepts & issues

2.4 Interpersonal communications

2.5 Societal issues

2.6 Understanding of ICT profession

3. Technology resources

3.1 Hardware & Software

3.2 Data & information

3.3 Networking

4. Technology Building

4.1 Programming

4.2 Human factors

4.3 Systems development

4.4 Systems acquisition

5. ICT Management

5.1 IT governance & organisational

5.2 IT project management

5.3 Service management

5.4 Security management

*For the CBOK See: https://www.acs.org.au/content/dam/acs/acs-skills/The-ACS-Core-Body-of-Knowledge-for-ICT-Professionals-CBOK.pdf

Assessment Detail

Detailed descriptions of all assessments will be available on the course website.

Submission

If you hand in your work late, your mark may be capped, based on how many days late it is, as follows:

Up to 1 day late — mark is reduced to 75%, marks below 75% are not affected.
Up to 2 days late — mark is reduced to 50%, marks below 50% are not affected.
Up to 3 days late — mark is reduced to 25%, marks below 25% are not affected.
More than 3 days late — mark is reduced to 0.

Extensions for Assessment Tasks

Extensions will only be given in exceptional circumstances,

evidence must be supplied,
you must apply before the due date, and
extensions can only be granted by the course coordinator.

Lecture/Prac Review Quizzes

The lecture review quizzes are on-line quizzes and late submission is not possible.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through .

Student Feedback

The 最新糖心Vlog places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the 最新糖心Vlog to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student鈥檚 disciplinary procedures.

The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator

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