Summary

This course teaches essential skills in object-oriented analysis and design and the Universal Modelling Language. It is independent of particular software packages or programming languages, although there are a few small Java code examples.

Course Outline

The course starts with a thorough introduction to object concepts, before explaining business modelling ("what do the customers need?") analysis ("what must the software do?") and design ("how will it do it?") Aspects of design covered include system and subsystem design and semi-formal specification of software responsibilities. No particular sofware development process is prescribed, but the approach taken is consistent with current best practice, in particular, the Rational Unified Process (RUP).

The course covers the OO software development life-cycle up to, but not including, the actual writing of code.

Course Material, Learning and Teaching Processes

All distance learning course materials and related resources will be available electronically through our website on registration.

The unit is a 100% distance learning course, with the core material provided as a CBT package.The course is delivered using a virtual learning environment (VLE). The material is supplied as a Computer Based training Package (CBT) and the students are guided through their study using a series of work packages presented by the VLE.

A series of assessments associated with the course must be periodically submitted to the Course Assessor or Tutors who will respond with relevant feedback.

The VLE provides a bulletin board facility that the students are encouraged to use to communicate with one another, this board is moderated by the tutors and course assessor. Students also have weekly online tutorials. Discussion of the assessments is encouraged, but the actual exercise and project work is done individually.

Required Time per Week 8–10 hours

Learning Outcomes

After successful completion of the module, a student will:

• understand how to design software in an object-oriented manner.
• have mastered UML as a notation to support this design.
• have undertaken a reasonably sized OO design in UML as part of a team-work exercise.