Reference no: EM132189296

Presentation Assignment Specification

Overview
For this assignment, you will apply the skills and knowledge covered in the first four weeks of the course to develop a plan for solving a problem. You will document your plan and create a video presentation in which you will discuss the process you have used to formulate your plan and the outcomes of each step of this process. You do not actually need to implement a solution to the given problem. This is an individual assignment.

Learning Outcomes

The following course learning outcomes are assessed by completing this assessment:
- K1. Explain fundamental strategies for problem solving
- K3. Compare and contrast commonly used problem solving strategies
- K4. Describe tools and techniques that can be used to model and describe problems
- S1. Decompose a problem and create goals and plans to solve that problem
- S2. Devise and implement problem solving strategies which can be applied to a range of IT problems
- A1. Apply problem solving strategies, tools and techniques to solve problems in a variety of domains

Assessment Details

This assessment requires you to select one of two available scenarios and apply The Global Development Research Centre's Problem Solving Process Steps 1-5 to 1) define the problem, 2) analyse the problem, 3) generate possible solutions, 4) analyse possible solutions and 5) select the most appropriate option(s), to meet the scenario criteria and constraints thereof. You are not required to implement the selected solution, nor are you required to plan for its implementation.

Note: The Global Development Research Centre's Problem Solving Process is available as a separate document in the Assessment section in Moodle for your ease of reference, and the relevant steps of this process are discussed in further detail later in this specification. The available assignment scenarios are included below.

You must document your work as you progress through each stage of this process, ensuring that this documentation clearly shows the output of each stage, any tools you have used as part of the process and the thinking processes you used to obtain this output.

Once you have completed your documentation, you are required to create a video recording of no more than 5 minutes duration in which you personally present an overview of your work. This overview should provide the user with a description of how you have worked through this assignment, the work you did at each stage including any tools you may have used and how these assisted you, and the output of each step. This overview will commence with your work in the initial step of the Problem Solving Process and continue through each step to ultimately select your optimal solution.

You will then provide a short reflection on the process, covering both using the Problem Solving Process and your experiences completing this assignment.

You will not be assessed on the quality of the recording of your presentation - it is the quality of the information you are presenting and your understanding of the concepts that is important. Using a mobile phone or similar quality camera is perfectly acceptable and will help keep the size of the presentation file small.

The Global Development Research Centre's Problem Solving Process

Step 1: Define the problem
Develop a clear and concise definition for the problem. Your work in the Design Thinking session should have helped identify an appropriate definition, but you should review this to ensure you are satisfied this properly identifies the true problem. Think about what you really want to achieve.

At this stage you should also identify any constraints or restrictions that place limitations on the potential solutions. For example, any mobile or wearable device needs to be easily transported, so its weight must be considered.

Step 2: Analyse the problem

There are three sub-parts to this step. First, you must develop empathy for your potential users and your market. There needs to be a good reason to try solving this problem, so you must be able to identify the advantages that will be gained through solving this problem. Why is solving this problem worth the effort?

Secondly, you need to understand what work has been done in this area before so you can identify what works well and what does not. This also helps you set your work apart from the work of other people, as there is no point creating a solution that has already been done before.

Finally, you also need to understand the criteria by which you can evaluate your potential solutions - what defines a "good" solution and sets it apart from a "poor" solution? Develop a clear list of general attributes an ideal solution would possess. Your constraints from step 1 should contribute to this, but you will have other attributes too. For example, any mobile or wearable device must be lightweight, so this is a criteria that must be included in a "good" solution.

Step 3: Generate possible solutions
Here you want to come up with as many ideas as possible. Some of these may later be combined into one larger solution. Your work in the Design Thinking session should have identified at least 5 radical solutions. Expand on this using brainwriting and / or brainstorming techniques. These are explored in the week 3 lab. You may find it useful to use a tool, such as a mindmap, to help document these ideas.

An important note about Step 3 and Group-work
This is an individual assignment. However, you may work with other students, friends or family, to brainstorm additional ideas for this step. You must acknowledge this assistance in your documentation.

Step 4: Analyse possible solutions
This stage is about sorting and organizing your ideas from step 3 into possible solutions, and identifying the benefits and the negatives of each of these. You should use a tool to help you with this - think about what would be appropriate. You might also identify some really interesting or innovative ideas and should note these too. This is a time for observations, not for evaluations, so just use this step to take notes.

Step 5: Select the most appropriate options
For this final step, you need to evaluate your possible solutions from step 4 against the criteria for a "good" solution you established in step 2. This should be done using a suitable tool of your choice. Use this evaluation to select your "best-fit" solution, and document the reasons why this is the best possible solution to solve the problem.

Assignment scenarios to choose from

Assignment Scenario A
As a keen programmer, you have decided to create an original app that will use augmented reality to teach a person first aid. This app can only be used on a single platform of your choice and must be targeted to a specific age range (e.g. primary, secondary or university level students). So that people will buy your app, it must have at least 3 functions/tools. These functions/tools must assist the person to learn first aid. You also want to ensure your app is uniquely positioned in the market by ensuring that it does not closely resemble other apps currently available.

Assignment Scenario B
You have been asked to assist a large financial provider in gamifying the main concepts behind banking to students. The gamified application needs to create an awareness about saving and withdrawing money, budgeting, and promote them to the next level based on their ability to reach certain goals. The application must be targeted to a specific age range (e.g. primary, secondary or university level students). It is envisioned that the student will have to go through at least 3 ‘levels' before they are named a "Money Wizard".

Attachment:- Global Development Research Centres Problem.rar