Report Requirements BCS accreditation criteria state that projects must produce a report which includes: elucidation of the problem and the objectives of the project an in-depth investigation of the context and literature, and where appropriate, other similar products where appropriate, a clear description of the stages of the life cycle undertaken where appropriate, a description of how verification and validation were applied at these stages where appropriate, a description of the use of tools to support the development process a critical appraisal of the project, indicating the rationale for any design/implementation decisions, lessons learnt during the course of the project, and evaluation (with hindsight) of the project outcome and the process of its production (including a review of the plan and any deviations from it) a description of any research hypothesis in the event that the individual work is part of a group enterprise, a clear indication of the part played by the author in achieving the goals of the project and its effectiveness references Report Structure Although every project is unique, there is a common structure to MSc Project reports, with some variability in the middle. Fundamentally, the report has four sections: . Front Matter Main Body References Appendices Front Matter The front matter of the report is a common set of pages that provide the gateway to the work presented. You should not number the sections of the introductory information. The pages are normally numbered using Roman numerals excluding the Title Page. Title Page A standard report title page will be made available that you must use as the cover of the report. This page is not numbered. Abstract The abstract summarises your work giving the reader an overview of the project. It is meant to persuade people to read the project or not based on the content within it. Abstracts are approximately 300 words and no more than 500 words (about half a page to a full-page). It should explain: . The aims of the project. How the aims were achieved. The abstract is typically written last. You should review some academic papers for examples of the style and format of an abstract. Declaration You must attach the declaration sheet provided. You must complete, date, and sign the dissertation declaration and sign the own work declaration before submission. Acknowledgements It is common to acknowledge people who have supported you during the project, either in terms of knowledge, equipment, or support. This is your chance to formally acknowledge the people who have helped you in your work. This page is not essential, but it is normal practice to acknowledge your supervisor and any other staff who have supported you. Table of Contents The sections and subsections of the main body are listed with their page numbers. References and appendices are also numbered. Main Body The main part of the report. Each section should be numbered using Arabic (standard) numerals. The introduction should start on page 1. The structure of the main body will somewhat vary based on the nature of the project. However, there is a general flow through the project, with additional sections added as necessary. Introduction to the project. • The legal, social, ethical and professional issues relevant to the project. • The structure then varies based on whether the project is build-orientated or research- orientated: о Research Orientated: ■ An investigation, generally driven by a search and review of relevant literature. A methodology defining how you will undertake your research. The results from performing the research methodology. Discussion of the results and what they tell us about your area of research. Build Orientated: A review into the background of the work, which can be driven by technology, literature, and other resources. A design of the artefact to be built. Details of the implementation of the artefact. An evaluation of your artefact to objectively determine its quality. A conclusion to the report, summarising the findings, discussing related work, and any future work. It is, however, up to you how to structure your project and the contents of these sections. This guide lets you know what we expect and what is likely to provide you with the most success. The main body has a maximum word count limit of 10,000 words. Organising the writing of your report is one of the significant challenges you will face. Some suggestions on how to organise and write the main body are: Early in the project, plan the sections and estimated size. This will help you keep within the word count. Start writing early. Ask for feedback from your supervisor. And don't write from page 1 - the biggest obstacle is staring at the first blank page and wondering how to start. Write up parts of your work as you do them. You are writing your report for your examiners first and foremost. They will use the assessment criteria defined here. Importantly, it is expected that you use a formal, academic writing style relevant to the discipline. Your supervisor can help here by giving you feedback on your early writing. Introduction This section should introduce the work. Depending on the nature of the project, you might have the following parts: An initial paragraph introducing the project context and idea (all projects). A hypothesis and/or research question(s) (research-based projects) Aims of the project (all projects) 。 Aims are broad statements of desired outcomes and intentions. Objectives of the project (all projects) Tangible steps that will be taken to achieve the aims -- tasks that will be done. Breakdown of the rest of the report (all projects) Describe the upcoming sections in order -- this provides your reader with a roadmap of the report. Legal, Social, Ethical, and Professional Issues Your project must include a description of the legal, social, ethical and professional issues relevant to the project. All projects will have either a legal, social, ethical or professional issue element. You must discuss these here and highlight any issues that had to be addressed before undertaking the project. If your project required ethical clearance, then this must be clearly stated in this section, including how the ethical considerations were managed. Background You need to convince your examination team that your project is a viable one by answering the question -- why is this a suitable project for an MSc Project? The aim of the background section is to provide the reader with the relevant contextual information necessary to understand your work. This section must be suitably referenced based on the reviews undertaken. There are two reviews that are likely to take place within this section -- a technology review and a literature review. The section concludes with a summary of the findings from the background investigation and how that justifies the work undertaken in your project. Technology Review The technology review focuses on technology that will be and could be used for the project. Typically, it is expected that you have reviewed different technology options for your project and summarised these options here. It should be clear why the technology choices taken were made. Literature Review All projects should reference some academic literature, although it is primarily research- orientated projects that will conduct a significant literature review in the background section. As with the technology review, the goal here is to make it clear why the choices were made in the project. It is expected that at least the research methodology and/or evaluation approach is defined from existing sources. Design or Methodology Now you must tell your examination team what you are going by by answering the question - - how are you going to undertake the project? The aim of this section is to explain to your reader the work you are going to undertake. Depending on whether the project is more build or research-focused, this section can take one of the following forms. Design If your project is a build focused project, you should provide a design for what your project will build. The nature of this design will depend on your project, but it should provide a complete idea of what you are going to build, including the technologies to be used. Methodology If your project is research-focused, then you need to define the particular research methodology you are using to gather and assess data. Typically, this will involve some sort of data gathering process and statistical analysis of results. However, you should also describe the tools (e.g., technologies) that you will use as well. Alternative Approaches Another important point in this section is to document any alternative approaches you could have taken to complete the project. For example, were there different technology choices, design choices, or methodological choices you could have taken? You should explain why you have taken the approach you have taken rather than these alternatives. Implementation or Results Once the examination team what you planned to do, you must tell them what happened -- what was the outcome of the work you undertook in the project? A build project will discuss the implementation. Do not just paste in lines of code to your report and call that an implementation! Your report should feature minimum code to only discuss points. The idea for implementation is to describe how the design has actually turned out. A research project will present the results from performing the methodology. These results must be correctly presented, using appropriate tables, charts, and statistical tests that suit the nature of the project. Results should be summarised and any findings clearly presented./n Milestone 01- Project Proposal What is the working title for your project? Guidance Keep your title concise and to the point, ideally within 10-15 words. Use keywords and phrases that represent the main focus of your project. Consider including relevant technologies, methodologies, or tools in your title. Ensure that your title is not overly generic. Example Titles "Climate Change Impact Assessment Through Data-driven Analysis" "Designing and Implementation of a Real-time Chatbots for Customer Support" "Game Outcome Prediction in Sports Using Machine Learning" "An Automated Testing Framework for Continuous Integration in DevOps" "Web Accessibility and Usability Testing for Government Websites" "Prototyping a Scalable Backend Architecture for a Social Media Site" "Monitoring Intrusion Detection in LAN Network Assets" Question 2 Describe the problem that your project will aim to address and why this problem is important. Guidance 1. Identify the Problem Area: Start by identifying the broad area within technology where the problem exists. This sets the context for your problem statement. 2. Be Specific: Narrow down the problem to a specific issue or challenge. Avoid vague or overly broad statements. 3. State the Impact: Describe the impact or consequences of the problem and explain why it is important to solve the problem and the consequence of not solving the problem. 4. Consider the Target Audience: Specify who is affected by the problem or who will benefit from its solution. 5. Use Measurable Terms: Whenever possible, use measurable terms to define the problem, making it easier to assess the success of your project. 6. Avoid Assumptions: Base your problem statement on facts and evidence rather than assumptions. 7. Be Concise: Keep the problem statement concise and to the point. Avoid unnecessary jargon. Example In the domain of software development and user experience (UX), there are significant challenges concerning the usability and accessibility of modern web applications. Many existing applications have suboptimal user interfaces that lead to user frustration, decreased productivity, and limited accessibility for individuals with disabilities. This problem negatively impacts user satisfaction, retention, and the overall success of software products. Question 3 What are the aims of your project? Guidance Aims should be: Broad and General Aims are general statements that describe the overall purpose or intention of a project or research study. They provide a broad overview of what you want to achieve. Long-Term Focus Aims are typically long-term and focus on the ultimate goals or outcomes of the project. They answer the question, "What are we trying to accomplish in the big picture?" Qualitative Aims are often qualitative and do not specify particular, measurable actions or outcomes. They set the direction but are not as detailed as objectives. Strategic and Visionary Aims set the strategic vision for the project, providing context and motivation. They guide the development of specific objectives. Example The aim of this project is to research, design and develop an intuitive, user-friendly and universally accessible web application, that prioritises usability, responsiveness, and inclusivity. This project will include a case study exemple of an existing website that will be redesigned with exceptional user experiences, that will promote higher user engagement, retention and ensure equal access for all users. 345 Question 4 What are the objectives of your project? Guidance Objectives should be: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). They outline precisely what needs to be done and achieved within a defined timeframe. Short-term focused milestones or steps that lead to the accomplishment of the broader aims. They answer the question, "How will we achieve our aims?" Quantitativeand may often involve measurable criteria. They allow for the assessment of progress and success. Operational and actionable tasks or activities. They serve as a roadmap for project implementation, detailing the specific actions required to reach the aims. Example 1. By the end of Week X, redesign the website homepage to comply with WCAG 2.1 Level AA accessibility standards. Specific: Redesign the homepage for accessibility compliance. ○ Measurable: Evaluate the redesigned homepage using automated and manual accessibility testing tools to ensure it meets WCAG 2.1 Level AA standards. ○ Achievable: The necessary resources, including skilled web developers and accessibility testing tools, are available. ○ Relevant: Improving website accessibility aligns with our organisation's commitment to inclusivity. 。 Time-bound: Completion target is the end of Week X. 2. Increase the keyboard navigation score from 60% to 90% in the website's user interface components within X months. Specific: Improve keyboard navigation in UI components. ○ Measurable: Assess the keyboard navigation using automated tools and user testing, aiming for a 90% success rate. ○ Achievable: Resources, including developers and usability testing facilities, are allocated. Relevant: Keyboard navigation is crucial for users with motor impairments. ○ Time-bound: Achieve this improvement within six months. 3. Reduce the average load time of web pages to 2 seconds for all users, including those with disabilities, by X. Specific: Improve website load times. Measurable: Monitor and record page load times using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, ensuring all pages load within 2 seconds. ○ Achievable: Implement performance optimisation techniques and allocate resources as needed. Relevant: Faster load times benefit all users, especially those with slow internet connections. о 。 Time-bound: Achieve this goal by the end of the year. 4. Train all content creators and web developers on accessibility best practices by conducting workshops and seminars within the next X weeks. Specific: Provide accessibility training to content creators and developers. ○ Measurable: Track participation in workshops and assess knowledge retention through quizzes. ○ Achievable: Schedule and conduct training sessions with available trainers. Relevant: Ensuring team members are knowledgeable about accessibility is essential for long-term success. ○ Time-bound: Complete training within the next three months. 5. Conduct user testing with individuals with disabilities to gather feedback and make necessary improvements to the website's accessibility features every X months. Specific: Regularly gather user feedback from individuals with disabilities. Measurable: Document feedback and track the implementation of improvements. ○ Achievable: Allocate time and resources for quarterly user testing sessions. Relevant: Continuous user feedback ensures ongoing accessibility enhancements. 。 Time-bound: Conduct user testing every quarter. о Question 5 What resources will you require in order to complete your project? Guidance It is essential to carefully consider the resources that you will need to ensure the successful completion of your project. Example Here are some resourcces considerations, based on a fullstack web development project: