CS4624 Project Overview


Project Rationale

Projects are a key part of this course since they help tie together the concepts learned from reading, listening to lectures, and undertaking exercises. Whenever possible, you should do the exercises in a way that will help you carry out your project, to reduce your workload and to provide highly motivational variations of what would otherwise be "toy" exercises.

Student groups are expected to complete their project during the semester, so the scale of effort should be sensible. Each student is likely to spend up to 90 hours on the project, so it should be something you want to do!

Many projects are likely to involve use of the special equipment available at Virginia Tech, such as to prepare videotapes and/or interactive multimedia materials.

Project Teams

Since multimedia project development is almost always carried out by teams, you will work in a group of 4-6 students. Thus, each section is expected to have 5 groups. Please be sensible in forming your groups, making sure people can work together. You should develop a written agreement or "contract" on working together, that will cover how to balance the workload. Groups are entirely responsible for their own interaction and for ensuring that everyone does their fair share --- they are empowered to rate each other on quantity and quality of effort, and that will be considered in assigning individual grades on the projects.

Each project will have an outside contact person (usually the instructor, unless otherwise stated). The contact person will act as a client, helping with requirements and ultimately gauging the suitability and quality of the project.

Project Deliverables

Each project must be documented (covering requirements, design, operations, and use). A final version of the project will be turned in at the end of the semester and will become property of Virginia Tech. The last 2 lab periods will be devoted to demos of the projects.


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Copyright 1996 Edward A. Fox