Introduction
After completing the unit on Planning, you should be aware of just how important it is to carry out a piece of work in a particular order:
- You should get to know exactly what it is that you are being asked to do - this may involve further research such as interviews with clients and end users
- This initial information then needs to be planned out - broken down into smaller, more manageable steps perhaps with each small step being given a target deadline for completion
- Each 'chunk' of the overall task then needs to be well designed with great attention to detail - the designs also need to be checked back with the original requirements to make sure that nothing has been missed out
- Every one of these 'sub designs' can then be implemented - whether this involves writing code in a programming language or actually building something, such as a network or customised PC
- Once tested individually as far as possible, the sub sections then need to be combined and tested again as a whole
- Finally, the complete system should be evaluated to make sure that the final product is successful
In many 'live' (real life) situations this full process is likely to be carried out by several individuals in their various job roles. In addition to the roles of analyst and designer (covered in more detail in the Planning unit), there may well be several people involved in the actual implementation of the project.
This is precisely the task facing you now. You will be part of a team where each member will need to take on a role and contribute to the implementation of the overall task.
Think about it - could one person have written all the code for the operating system on your PC (or your favourite game); is it likely that just one person built all of the hardware components that make up your PC system?
Next we look at the meaning of the terms Project and Team.
Next: Project
