The Songsmith: The Problem

You will need to brainstorm on a problem in the society that a Song production may address. Identify a client or clients that you will need to produce music for him/she/them.

Remember at the end of the day you need to solve a problem.

Download any free music production software and start working on it. You may want to download the Songsmith software produced by Microsoft and try out its features.

http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/um/redmond/projects/songsmith/download.html

UNIT TITLE: The Songsmith

AOI: Community & Service

AK Focus: Ethics

Unit question: How has the use of music software impacted the music production?

In this unit we will examine the impact of using music software in music production.

Your task today is to research for different music production software and compare them in terms of

• File Size
• Limitations
• merits of the software.
• Whether is suitable for MAC or PC
• Editting

Post all your finding in this blog.

Evaluate stage : Banking Data

The evaluate stage is due 24th Nov 2010. Always refer to the assessment rubric when responding to this task

You are expected to evaluate the product/solution against the design specification in an objective manner based on testing, and to evaluate its impact on life, society and/or the environment.

You are expected to explain how the product/solution could be improved as a result of these evaluations.

Students are expected to evaluate their own performance at each stage of the design cycle and to suggest ways in which their performance could be improved.

Please use the questions as a guide to your evaluate stage.

a) How did you perform in each stage of the design cycle? What were your strengths and what were your weakness? How did you address your weekness? How did the results of testing help you? (100 words minimum)


b) What are some of the improvements that you would make to your product following the feedback from testing?

c) what were the views of the client? and How did or will the database impact on your client? What were the strengths and weakness of using the database as stated by your client? (70 words minimum)

d)Which stage of the design cycle did you perform well and which stage did you perform poorly and what were your reasons? How did solve those weakness as a student? (70 words Minimum)

e) Reflect on one the area of interaction: How does the database created relate to the Area of interaction? What are the strengths and weakness of using database in the stated area of interaction? (60 words Minimum)

Create Stage: Banking Data 13 Oct-17 Nov 2010

Create stage will last for 5 weeks, That is from 13th October 2010 to 17 Nov 2010. For each product that you will create, you must ensure that you have the following included;

Tables
At least one table with a minimum of 50 records. Each record should store a minimum of 6 fields with a primary keyfield. The fields should be of different datatypes as listed (number, date, Yes/No, memo, integer, text, autonumber, Ole object and currency)

Querries
You must ensure that you have atleast 6 different querries generated in your database product. Each query should be realistic while addressing your clients requirements and not repeated.

Forms
Your database product should have atleast four different forms designed. One of the form should be an entry form to the table created.

The other form should be a Switchboard which must be the first to open every time database product is opened. It is from this switchboard that you can open the other object like the querries, forms, report etc.

Report
Your product should be able to generate different reports as requested by your client. Ensure that your product provisions for at least 4 types of reports generated.

Macro
Macros are important while designing the buttons in the Switchboard. Ensure that macros are used appropriately an skilfully.

Other skills discovered and used will be rewarded.

Look at the links below for tips.

http://www.databasedev.co.uk/user_interface_1.html


http://www.blueclaw-db.com/inventory_tracking_database.htm


http://allenbrowne.com/tips.html

Plan Stage (Planning Using a Gantt Chart): Banking Data

Gantt charts are a project planning tool that can be used to represent the timing of tasks required to complete a project. Because Gantt charts are simple to understand and easy to construct, they are used by most project managers for all but the most complex projects.

Read the brief notes on Gantt Chart in the links below
http://www.me.umn.edu/courses/me2011/handouts/proj_planning.pdf

http://www.ganttchart.com/


Then Download the Gantt project "Try Online" edition in the link below and generate your online Gantt for the database project. The Gantt Chart is due on wednesday end of the lesson.

http://www.ganttproject.biz/download

Look at the tutorial in the link below
https://docs.google.com/present/view?id=dg4kqnmf_0ccmvtcg3

Design Stage: Banking Data

Some examples of switchboards above. Look at different ones online before working on the task below.

The design section of the Design Cycle is where you sketch two different possibilities to solve the problem. Always refer to the assessment rubric provided

Your task is to draw either electronicaly or manually on plain A3 papers provided; The design should related to your problem and what you stated in the design specification.

Design two alternative designs for the product/solution (database switchboard) showing

-what will be included in your designs
-how the page will look like
-where different tools/features will be positioned in the blog
-what colours and fonts will be used
-what additional blogging features will be included.


* The two designs must be evaluated against the Specifications within the same document.

- What do you like and what don't you like in design 1?
- What do you like and what don't you like in design 2?

* From the two designs which is your final choice to be created in the create stage?

* Why is it your final choice and how does the design campare to what you stated in the design specification in the investigate stage? (measure against the design specification)

This work should be submitted during the Friday lesson.

Investigate Stage: BANKING DATA

Please respond to the following activities in word. These work should be submitted by Friday 1st Oct 2010. Keeping a process journal will be compulsory. Always make entries to process journal and carry it with you for checking in all the CT lessons.

Problem Identification
In your immediate environment, there are many individuals who can benefit from using database programs. At the end of this unit you will be expected to create database product for an identified client.

Problem Description:
a) Identify and describe your problem in 300 words.
- Who have you identified as you client?
- What does your client do currently in terms of data organization and storage?
- How is what the client is doing now a problem?
- What are challenges faced by your client? Give examples where possible.

Design Brief: (200 words)
• What will you create to address the problem identified above?
• What do you foresee the product will do? How will it work?
• What are the benefits/advantages of creating the stated product?

Research:(350 words)
Each of your researched sources should have an author. All sources must be written in the standard APA format of citation. I will expect to see the following sources for your research.
- 6 Internet sources.
- 3 Books sources.
- 2 Newspaper sources
- 2 Magazine sources.
Refer to the link below for citation examples;
http://www.sciencebuddies.org/science-fair-projects/project_apa_format_examples.shtml
a)Find any articles with issues related to those of your client. Discuss each issue briefly?
b)Describe briefly the different database careers.
c)Describe two database frauds. What are some examples of the crimes that have been committed using database or people hacking into databases.
d)Describe the advantages and disadvantages of using databases.
e)Describe some examples of databases formats and structures.

Interview/ Questionnaire: Part of data collection involves primary data collection. You be expected to carry out an interview. (Your interview document should have the following headings: Name of the interviewed, his/ her position, place of interview and date) 200 words.
- Identify a person within school or outside who uses a database e.g a doctor
- Develop 10 open ended questions that you will need to ask the person identified.
- Set an appointment and interview that person or use the questionnaire
- Write down all the responses from the interview process.

Design Specification
Design specification describes the details of what the final product should have based on the client problem. For examples it may have two tables instead of one; a receipt report; querries to filter something records etc.( looking at different database formats over the internet will guide you in reponding to this)

-Outline some of the design specification that we want to see in our final database product.

Test Strategy
Any product must tested before being handed over to the client or users.

- Describe the different strategies that you will use to test the product once it is finished.