• Develop generic and package-specific skills and apply as appropriate.

• Produce a requirements specification for the identified problem, to match end-user needs.
• State the input, processing and output needs to match the requirements specification.
• Select and apply appropriate design tools and techniques.
• Determine the test strategy and test plan for the solution.                                                                 
• The test plan should include suggested test data.                                                                          

• Make full and effective use of the chosen hardware and software facilities to develop and implement a design as an information technology solution.
• Use appropriate data capture and validation procedures, data organisation methods, output contents and formats, operational procedures and user interface(s) when developing the IT solution.
• Relate the solution to the capabilities of the available hardware, software and human resources and to the time constraints.

• Test the implementation to ensure full compliance with the requirements specification.
• Follow the test plan in a systematic manner using typical, erroneous and extreme (boundary) data.
• Annotate each test output, cross-referencing to the testing plan.
  

• Assess the effectiveness of the solution in relation to the original requirements specification.
  

• Provide appropriate user documentation.

Assessment Criteria:

Introduction:
Assessment of project work It is necessary to provide a structure for the assessment of project work so that all teachers are, in general, following a common procedure. Such a procedure will assist with the standardisation of assessment from centre to centre. Each project is, therefore, to be assessed in accordance with the criteria set out below. In assessing candidates, centres must ensure that comparable standards are observed between different teaching groups. Each centre must produce a single order of merit for the centre as a whole.

Criteria for the Assessment of Unit 3:
The following categories are to be used in the assessment of the project. The criteria for marking these categories are listed below.

The project is marked out of a total of 60.

• Specification 13 marks
• Implementation 20 marks
• Testing 12 marks
• Evaluation 6 marks
• User Documentation 9 marks
• Total 60 marks.

Specification (13 marks):

• 11-13      A detailed requirements specification has been produced for the identified problem, which matches the needs of the stated end-user(s).
  The input, processing and output needs, which match the requirements specification, are clearly stated.
  Effective designs have been completed which would enable an independent third party to implement the solution.
  An appropriate test strategy has been determined. An effective test and full testing plan has been devised. The testing plan includes the test data, expected outcomes and directly relates to the requirements specification.
• 8-10      A detailed requirements specification has been produced for the identified problem, which matches the needs of the stated end-user(s).
  The input, processing and output needs, which match the requirements specification, are stated.
  Designs have been completed but lack detail, thereby preventing an independent third party implementation of the solution, or are inefficient in relation to the problem stated.
  A test strategy has been determined and testing plans have been devised which are limited in scope or do not relate to the requirements specification stated.
• 4-7      A requirements specification has been produced for the identified problem, but does not fully match the needs of the stated end-user(s), or lacks detail and clarity.
  The input, processing and output needs are stated, but do not fully match the requirements’ specification or are unclear.
  Design work has been attempted but is incomplete and does not reflect an efficient solution to the problem stated.
  A test strategy has been determined but is either incomplete or does not relate to the requirements specification stated. The testing plan is either vague or has been omitted.
• 1-3      The requirements specification is vague or has been omitted.
  The input, processing and output needs are only vaguely considered or have been omited.
  There is little or no effort on design.
  The test strategy and testing plan are vague or missing.
• 0      The candidate has produced no work.

Implementation (20 marks):

• 16-20      An effective solution has been developed which is operable in the proposed environment by the intended end-user.
  Appropriate data capture and validation procedures, data organisation methods, output contents and formats and user interface(s) have been used.
  Generic and package specific skills have been fully employed in an effective and appropriate manner.
  The selection of the chosen hardware and software facilities has been fully justified in relation to the solution developed.
• 11-15      A solution has been developed which is operable in the proposed environment by the intended end-user, but which has some inefficiences.
  There is evidence of the use of some appropriate data capture and validation procedures, data organisation methods, output contents and formats and user interface(s).
  Generic and package specific skills have been fully employed, but not always in an effective and appropriate manner.
  The selection of some of the chosen hardware and software facilities has been justified in relation to the solution developed.
• 6-10      A partial solution has been developed, but those aspects completed are useable by the intended end-user.
  There is some evidence of the use of some data capture and validation procedures, data organisation methods, output contents and formats and user interface(s).
  Generic and package specific skills have been employed, but not always in an effective and appropriate manner.
  The selection of some of the chosen hardware and software facilities has been only vaguely justified in relation to the solution developed.                                                                                                    
• 1-5 A solution has been developed which is very limited and not practically operable in the proposed environment by the intended end-user.
  Few, if any, data capture and validation procedures, data organisation methods, output contents and formats and user interface(s) have been used.
  The generic and package specific skills used are simplistic and/or were not always applied appropriately.
  The selection of the chosen hardware and software facilities are not justified in relation to the solution developed.
• 0      The candidate has not implemented the system.

Testing (12 marks):

• 9-12      The test strategy and test plan previously devised have now been followed in a systematic manner, using typical, erroneous and extreme (boundary) data.
  The results of testing are fully documented, with outputs crossreferenced to the original plan.
  Corrective action taken due to test results is clearly documented.
• 5-8      The test strategy and plan devised have been followed in a systematic manner, but using only normal data.
  The results of testing are partially documented, with some evidence of outputs cross-referenced to the original plan.                                                                                                                                           There is some evidence of corrective action taken in response to test results.
• 1-4      The test strategy and plan devised have been followed in a limited manner using only normal data.
  There is little or no documentation of the results of testing.
  There is little or no indication of corrective action required due to test results.
• 0      There is no evidence of testing.

Evaluation (6 marks):

• 4-6      The effectiveness of the solution in meeting the detailed requirements specification has been fully assessed, with the candidate showing full awareness of the criteria for a successful information technology solution.                                                                                                                 The limitations of the solution have been clearly identified.
• 1-3      The effectiveness of the solution in meeting the original requirements specifications has been partly assessed, with the candidate showing only partial awareness of the criteria for a successful information technology solution.                                                                                                  The limitations of the solution are vague or have been omitted.
• 0      There is no evidence of evaluation.

User documentation (9 marks):

• 7-9      There is extensive user documentation for the solution which covers all relevant aspects, including normal operation and common problems, and is appropriate to the needs of the end-user.
• 4-6      A user guide is included, which describes the functionality of the solution and is appropriate to the needs of the end-user.
• 1-3      A limited user guide is included which describes only the basic functionality of the solution.
• 0      There is no evidence of user documentation.