Qualification:
Cambridge Advanced National in Computing (AAQ)
Unit:
F160: Fundamentals of Application Development
Certificate:
Computing: Application Development (H029 / H129)
3.1 - Planning Projects
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Purpose of Planning
Planning Considerations
Planning Projects
You need to know why it is important to plan an application development project, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of taking the time to plan. You must also consider the potential consequences if a development team decide not to plan their project.
There are several considerations (e.g. budget, time and legislation) that must be looked at in the planning stage and you need to know how these may impact application development.
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You need to be aware of copyright, data protection and electronic communication legislation, but for this unit, you do not need to know the details of any specific laws.
Importance of Planning Projects
Planning application development projects is important as it sets clear goals and direction for the project and identifies required resources (e.g. time, money, people and tools).
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Other advantages include better organisation, as team members should know their roles and tasks. Also, planning improves time management as deadlines and milestones keep the project on track.
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However, there are disadvantages to planning as it takes time and can delay the start of development. Also, plans may become outdated if requirements unexpectedly change mid-project.
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Avoiding planning entirely will have consequences, such as a higher potential for missed deadlines and overrunning costs due to poor time / budget estimates. Goals may be unclear, leading to confusion, delays or an unusable product.
Planning Considerations
There are several considerations team members must carefully evaluate in the planning phase of application software development:​​​​
The three types of legislation cover copyright, data protection and electronic communication.
Questo's Questions
3.1 - Planning Projects:
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1. A company developing smartphones is considering whether to skip the planning stage and move straight to design. Give two advantages and two disadvantages of planning and two consequences of not planning an application development project. [6]
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2. Summarise the impact of the three identified types of legislation on application development. ​[6]
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3. Justify which planning consideration you think has the biggest potential impact on the success of a software application development project and why. ​[3]
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4. Describe the impact of three planning considerations (other than legislation and the one you chose in Q3) on application development. ​[6]​
If a company seriously breaches the Data Protection Act, it can be fined up to £17.5 million or 4% of its global turnover, whichever is higher.
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