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 ====== Initial Project Plan ====== ====== Initial Project Plan ======
  
-The final year project is a substantial part of your degree. It can have a  +The final year project is a substantial part of your degree. It can have a major effect on the degree class you are awarded and even whether or not you pass the degree. The initial project plan is to make sure you understand what your project requires you to do and how you are going to finish it successfully. You must submit an initial project plan at the beginning of your project.
-major effect on the degree class you are awarded and even whether or not +
-you pass the degree. The initial project plan is to make sure you understand +
-what your project requires you to do and how you are going to finish it successfully. +
-You must submit an initial project plan at the beginning of the first semester of +
-your project (the deadline for this is listed in your PATS account under the project +
-description).+
  
-The initial project plan must be approved by your supervisor and moderator. Therefore, +The initial plan is marked by your supervisor and moderator independently. Before you submit the final version you should discuss the plan with your supervisor to make sure both of you agree on what your project entails.
-you should discuss the plan with your supervisor and moderator before you submit it to +
-make sure both of you agree on what your project entails. You should further check the +
-project plan with your moderator, but the first person to talk about it is usually your +
-supervisor.+
  
-We suggest that you write an initial version of your project plan and arrange meetings +We suggest that you write an initial version of your project plan and arrange meetings with your supervisor to discuss it and revise the plan. If you are not sure what to write in the plan, please discuss this with your supervisor before you write the draft. 
-with your supervisor and moderator to discuss it and revise the plan. If you are not sure +
-what to write in the plan, please first discuss this with your supervisor. Once your +
-supervisor and moderator are happy with your plan, submit it to PATS and they can +
-officially approve it there. As you can resubmit the plan via PATS multiple times, you can +
-also submit a draft and your supervisor and moderator can look at it there and even leave +
-comments. However, unless there are exceptional circumstances (e..g supervisor or moderator +
-may be away), we highly recommend to discuss the plan in person and not just in PATS or by +
-e-mail.+
  
-Finally, note that this is an initial plan, and you can, and most likely should, adjust the +You can find the deadline for submitting your initial plan on PATS under your project details. Note that there is little time to complete the plan, so make sure you start early and arrange the supervisor meetings well in advance. For information about how to submit your initial plan via PATS please see the [[Submission Guide]].
-plan as you progress. Note, however, that with the initial plan you are prescribing what you +
-intend to deliver at the various stages of the project (in particular for the final and, if +
-applicable, interim report).+
  
-For information about how to submit your initial plan via pats please see the [[Submission Guide]].+Finally, note that this is an initial plan, and you can, and most likely should, adjust the plan as you progress. Note, however, that with the initial plan you are prescribing what you intend to deliver at the various stages of the project as explained below.
  
 +===== Ethics =====
 +
 +For the initial plan you should consider, after discussion with your supervisor, whether the project will require research that needs ethical approval. See [[http://www.cs.cf.ac.uk/ethics/|School guidance on research ethics]] for further details. If it is necessary include the required steps in your work plan and briefly discuss the issues in the initial plan document.
 ===== Structure and Contents ===== ===== Structure and Contents =====
  
-For the initial plan one to at most two pages text are sufficient. It should contain +Your initial plan should be at most 2,000 words, excluding any figures and tales. It should contain the following information:
-the following information:+
  
 ==== Project Title ==== ==== Project Title ====
  
-The title of the initial plan document should be "Initial Plan" followed by the +The title of the initial plan document should be "Initial Plan" followed by the title of your project. List yourself as author and also list your supervisor with their roles. Please also list the module number and module title you are taking and credits due for this module.
-title of your project. List yourself as author and also say who your supervisor +
-and moderator is.+
  
 ==== Project Description ==== ==== Project Description ====
  
-The first section of the document should be a brief description of your project +The first section of the document should be a brief description of your project outlining the problem you are trying to solve, its context, and overall aims. You can adapt the proposal used to select your project. Half a page to one page should be sufficient for this.
-outlining its context and what it is overall about. You can adapt the original +
-project description used to select your project there. There is no need to describe +
-a lot of detail there and this would usually not be longer than half a page.+
  
 ==== Project Aims and Objectives ==== ==== Project Aims and Objectives ====
  
-The second section of the document should be a list of top-level aims and objectives +The second section of the document should be a list of more detailed aims and objectives for your project. These are statements of what you set out to achieve with your project. Try to be as specific as possible at this stage, but avoid getting into too many details that may change later. It's only the main results and components of your project you should list. A bullet point list with at most one level of sub-points is usually sufficient.
-for your project. These are statements of what you set out to achieve with your project. +
-Try to be as specific as possible here at this stage, but avoid getting into too many +
-details that may change later. A list of some top-level bullet points with at most one +
-level of sub-points is usually sufficient.+
  
-=== For Projects with Final Report Only ===+==== Work Plan ====
  
-If you are taking module CM0300, CM0333 or CM0400 your aims and objectives are what  +The last section of your initial plan should consist of a time plan stating what you are working on when. This should include clear milestones of what you expect to achieve by which date and also show how you intent to achieve these milestones.
-you expect to have at the end of the module for your final report.+
  
-=== For Projects with Interim and Final Report ===+Make sure you clearly describe what you intend to include in the deliverables required for your project type, i.e. state what you will produce for the interim and final report, as applicable for your project module. Link the deliverables to your time plan, such that you actually plan to deliver them when they are due.
  
-If you are taking module CM0343 you should also clearly indicate what you expect to include +Your time plan should further have at least two scheduled review meetings with your supervisor. You should typically see your supervisor once a week for a shorter time or once every two weeks for a longer time. The details of these arrangements are for you to agree with your supervisor. However, in your time plan you should mark out special meetings with your supervisor where you are reviewing your progress since the last such meeting (or from the beginning) and adjust your plan for the project based on the outcome of this meeting. These review meetings are mandatory and are considered as part of the mark of the reports (see marking criteria there).
-in the interim report and the final report. Note that the contents of the interim report +
-should not be repeated in the final report. You may think of the interim report as volume I +
-and the final report as volume II of your overall project report. Your final deliverables +
-(e.g. any final versions of software you developed) form part III of the project. +
- +
-What to include in the two reports depends on the nature of your project. Your interim report +
-should provide the results of the first stage of the project, representing about 25% of +
-the total project work. This would usually be the results of the background study and a +
-detailed analysis of the problem with a description of an approach of how to address the +
-problem. For some projects, e.g., it may also contain an initial version of a final +
-deliverable or some other building block of the overall project. +
- +
-The final report then contains the overall project findings and achievements and the +
-complete set of deliverables developed for the project to account for 75% of the complete +
-project. The report should not repeat the contents of the interim report, but may refer to +
-it and expand on it. +
- +
-Your project plan effectively defines what should go into which report. Hence, you should +
-carefully discuss this with your supervisor to make sure there is enough for 25% in the +
-interim report and you neither try to do too much or too little for the interim report. +
- +
-==== Work Plan ====+
  
-The last section of your plan should consist of a time plan stating what you are working +You are free to choose the work plan format that you think is best suited for your project and working style. This //may// be a [[wp>Gantt chart]], but sometimes it may also be sufficient to simply list in sequence what you are working on with a time-scale and milestones/deliverables. Usually a weekly scale for the work plan is a good choice. Take note of the deadlines for the deliverables as listed in your PATS project 
-on when. This should include clear milestones of what you expect to achieve by which date +description when you develop the work plan and also consider any other commitments and busy times such as the exam periods.
-and also show how you intent to achieve these milestones. Make sure the deliverables for +
-the final (and interim) report clearly link with your time plan, such that you can actually +
-deliver them when they are due.+
  
-You are free to choose the work plan format that you think is best suited for your project. +==== Planning for Multiple Reports ====
-This //may// be in a GANTT chart format, but sometimes it may also be fine to simply list +
-in sequence what you are working on. Usually a weekly scale for the plan is a good choice. +
-Take note of the deadlines for the deliverables as listed in your PATS project description +
-when you develop the work plan.+
  
-===== Approval Procedure =====+This section is only relevant if you have to produce an interim and a final report for your project. Note that the final report should not repeat content of the interim report. They should rather be two reports that overall make up your project report.
  
-Once you have discussed your project plan with your supervisor and moderator and have +What to include in the two reports depends on the nature of your project. Your interim report should provide the results of the first stage of the project, representing about 25% of the total project work. This would usually be the results of the background study and a detailed analysis of the problem with a description of an approach of how to address the problem. For some projects, e.g., it may also 
-submitted it on PATS, both, your supervisor and moderator, must approve your plan on PATS +contain an initial version of a final deliverable or some other building block of the overall project. It is not necessarily everything you have done by its due date (this depends on your time plan and other commitments), but is rather a first deliverable of your project due by the end of autumn term.
-as well. They can also choose to leave any comments with your plan. You will see the comments +
-and the approval as soon as they have done this.+
  
-You can resubmit your plan at any time until the deadline listed. Should you resubmit a plan +The final report contains the overall project findings and achievements and the complete set of deliverables developed for the project to account for 75% of the project. The report should not repeat the contents of the interim report, but may refer to it and expand on it.
-that has already been approved, the approval will be removed and the new plan must be  +
-approved again.+
  
-After the submission deadline your supervisor and moderator can still approve the plan, +Your project plan effectively defines what should go into which report. Hence, you should carefully discuss this with your supervisor to make sure there is enough for 25% in the interim report and you neither try to do too much or too little for the interim report.
-edit their comments, etc. and in very special cases even remove approval (they should +
-get in contact with you to discuss if they choose to do this). They can do this until about +
-one week after the plan submission deadline. After this approval deadline they cannot +
-undo any approval (but still approve your plan in case there is any delay, just that +
-approval will then be final).+
  
-In case you fail to submit your plan by deadline or wish to resubmit a plan after the +===== Marking Criteria =====
-submission deadline, please get in contact with the project coordinator to discuss this.+
  
 +Your supervisor and moderator will mark your plan according to the following criteria:
 +  * Title and project description accurately represent the project and are suitable for the module you are are taking;
 +  * Aims and objectives are clear, sufficiently detailed and provide a suitable challenge for your project;
 +  * Time plan is feasible, sufficiently specific to the project, and has a clear timeline and milestones;
 +    * Deliverables for the reports required for your project are suitable and clearly specified;
 +    * Approximate dates for at least two review meetings are given;
 +    * The amount of work is suitable for the credits and level of the module;
 +  * The report is well written and clearly structured;
 +on the following scale:
 +  * 0 marks: No suitable plan has been submitted.
 +  * 1 mark:  Only a partial plan with major deficiencies/omissions has been submitted.
 +  * 2 marks: A plan with a project description, aims and objectives, and time plan has been submitted...
 +  * 3 marks: ...which is feasible to execute within the constraints of the project...
 +  * 4 marks: ...and has sufficient project-specific details and clear milestones...
 +  * 5 marks: ...and shows originality and professionalism and/or scholarship.
 +Supervisor and moderator will leave comments about your plan explaining any concerns they may have and their expectations regarding the aims and objectives and deliverables. Make sure you consider these when executing the project.

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