Systematic Design

Learning Outcomes

Subject Specific Intellectual and Research Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Identify appropriate languages for implementing parts of a system
• Decompose a system into a set of loosely coupled components
• Define APIs and interfaces between components
• Understand the tradeoffs between off-the-shelf and bespoke components
• Identify ethical and security responsibilities with respect to data in motion and at rest.

Knowledge and Understanding

Having successfully completed this module, you will be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:

• Understanding of tools (both processes and software) for managing group-work
• Knowledge of best-practises for managing small group projects and identifying risks
• Understand the importance of defining clear APIs and component boundaries

Subject Specific Practical Skills

Having successfully completed this module you will be able to:

• Use test frameworks to perform integration tests for existing components

Analysing systems

• Functional and non-functional requirements
• Requirements gathering
• System architecture

Designing systems

• Decomposing into blocks
• Identifying interfaces
• Designing APIs and protocols
• Integrating libraries and IP
• Formal specification

Testing systems

• Build systems
• Continuous integration (both hw and sw)
• Testing hardware+software+network systems
• Formal verification

Managing development

• Development methodologies
• Project management
• Advanced source control (e.g. review, bots, …)

Lectures, labs and guided self-study

Summative

This is how we’ll formally assess what you have learned in this module.