Nov
7
Divvying Up Design
Filed Under Uncategorized
Yes, I like alliteration.
With the Design Doc due in a week, we need to split the work up and decide on how we’re going to do things otherwise. I suggest we split things up by section initially, then edit the whole ordeal together.
I figure I’ll write the Introduction section again. Brent should do the Module Decomposition, I think, since that will be the one that requires the most knowledge of how Mindstorms and ROBOLAB actually work, and he’s definitely the most fluent in the LEGO stuff. Other than that, we’ll have to do the normal title page and Table of Contents, the Scope section, which is largely diagrams that we’ve more or less gone over but will still be a bit time-consuming (and we’ll want to make sure the diagrams are just right), the Hardware section, which is pretty simple, even considering the extra hardware (that is, the Legos) that we’ll be dealing with, the System Design section, which is mildly peculiar but shouldn’t be too bad (I’d be very willing to write that section if no one has any objections), and, finally, the Appendix.
As far as getting this done goes, I think we should do our parts in Google Docs (despite some of the hiccups we had before, I think that’s still probably an easier option than throwing Word documents around). We can do them separately if we want, but if we do I think we should still give permissions to everyone else to view each doc. I’ll cover main editing and such, at least for grammar and all, but we should all be checking on everyone else’s work and voicing any concerns we have.
Finally, Dr. Polack has said that she will look at individual sections of the paper, so we don’t have to feel like we need the whole thing done by, like, Friday or something; if we tell her who is responsible for each part, then only one person’s grade will be endangered if someone decides not to avail themselves of her editing services ahead of time. It might still be nice to have a finished product a little ahead of time, but we don’t need to view that as an absolute imperative.
So here’s how I think it’s looking at the moment:
Title Page & Contents - no one yet
Introduction - Me
Scope - no one yet
Hardware - no one yet
Module Decomposition - Brent
System Design - Me (unless someone else really wants it)
Appendix - no one yet
It may also make sense for someone to help Brent with some of the more tedious work in Section 4. I think there are some irritating diagrams and things that we’ll have to do for each module, and there’s no reason to saddle him with all of it. For that matter, we can all pitch in on the diagrams for Section 4, so each person only has to do a few.
So, comment in your thoughts on division of labor and what parts you would be willing and able to do.
Also, who’s doing this presentation? That’s not due until the Monday after we turn in the paper, so you’ll still have almost a week after the paper is finished, but you’ll still want to schedule a Speaking Center visit for sometime next week.
Alliteration for the win.
Splitting things up equally and having each person go to Dr. Polack for reviewing sounds like a good plan. In theory we could lose a few points for consistency once we put everything together, but the major things will be taken care of.
I’m fine with doing the diagrams. Rational Rose and I have come to an understanding. I’m sure Visio will behave well enough.
I can do the title page, appendix, harware since those are all easy. What is the scope? i can do that too since it also doesn’t seem too hard. also i can pick up any other side tasks. i’ll kind of be the leftover guy.
The scope section includes the system-level use-case diagram (I asked Dr. Polack about that one, and she said that the robot should be the center of the diagram, with the modules as the use-cases, grouped according to the component(s) they use), as well as the context diagram and such. Most of those we did in class. Just take a look at the assignment sheet and the example paper.
We don’t seem to be considering the human user at all (I’ll double check with Dr. Polack though). The human user gets to look at a webpage and click a few things, nothing more.
I already asked her. We’re not supposed to deal with the human user at all; the most we should do, and this is optional, is mention the website in the introduction, and put a screencap of our website in the Input Interface section (though that, too, is optional). I vote we just leave it alone; she wants the robot stuff mostly, and so the human stuff is out of place in the paper.
I’m fixing the diagrams. As I finish them, I’ll post them on a Google Doc.
I’m stuck on a few of them, since robot sensors aren’t easily squashed into module molds that were meant for databases.
I think Brent has section 4, since he knows the most about the Mindstorms systems.
I’m still doing the diagrams, and I could do the Appendix as well. I’m not sure how many pages that adds up to. Elliott, do you want to get sections 2 and 3? If that’s more than the diagrams and Appendix, I’ll take parts of those sections.
As for the table of contents and title page, I figure someone can do it when we actually know how many pages we have.
All the diagrams are up on the Google Doc.
I did data flow diagrams for the individual sensors so far; I asked Dr. Polack whether we need to do them for each Module as well.
Okay, so…
Title Page & Contents - Elliott
Introduction - Me
Scope - Elliott
Hardware - Elliott
Module Decomposition - Brent
System Design - Me
Appendix - Juliette
Assorted Diagrams - Juliette
Yes? If this is correct, I’ll send it on ahead to Dr. Polack so that she knows.
And has anyone heard from Brent?
I talked with Dr. Polack about the diagrams. The use-case diagram is getting changed. Rather than having use-cases which relate to the robot’s interaction with sensors (which we had in the Spec), the use-cases are now individual modules, which will be written up as data flow diagrams as well.
I’m emailing Dr. Polack the section assignments.
I also made an appointment for the Speaking Center for Friday at 1 p.m. in my name, but if Brent wants to do the presentation, he can take the appointment instead.