Software Innovation

The course is offered within the Software Engineering and Management Bachelor's Programme.

To be eligible for the course, students must have at least 90 credits in software engineering including a 7.5 credit project course and successfully completed the course DIT633 Development of Embedded and Real-Time Systems (or equivalent).

Applicants must prove knowledge of English: English 6/English B or the equivalent level of an internationally recognized test, for example TOEFL, IELTS.

In this project course, the students are given the opportunity to work on innovation ideas provided by industrial companies or research projects.

Students normally work together in groups to design and implement a product (or service) prototype. The project is challenging, and requires the students to collaborate and organize their work efficiently. There is little external steering in this project, the students are responsible for the overall planning and setting their own internal deadlines in order to finish the project on time.

Knowledge and understanding

• explain a project's working practices and scheduling, and reporting of the innovation challenge
• describe the context of research or industrial innovation problems
• explain how the project relates to Sustainable Development Goals

Competence and skills

• apply and use software development knowledge and skills to develop a solution for a research or industrial problem
• collaborate with external stakeholders on an innovation challenge
• create a demo or a prototype of a product, service, or other innovation, using agile
  development practices, design, and product research methods
• present project outcomes orally and in writing

Judgement and approach

• reflect on the challenges and opportunities of working in a context of research or industrial innovation
• reflect on the project's (and its results) impact on sustainable development (e.g. Sustainable Development Goals)

The teaching consists of introductory lectures, weekly meetings, seminars, as well as supervision in connection to the meetings.

The course is examined through a written report in groups, an oral presentation in groups of a demonstrable system at a seminar at the end of the course and an oral examination. The work is carried out in groups.

Each student needs to submit an individual report/statement that shows their:

• contribution of artefacts to the project and their working group,
• role in the project group,
• fulfilling the responsibilities associated with the role in terms of artifacts and activities;
• interaction and knowledge transfer activities with others, and
• how this contributed to the project as a whole.

To pass the course, the student must submit self- and peer assessments during the course and at the end of the course which will be part of the basis for the assessment of the student's individual contribution to the project.

In the event that a student fails the project, an individual is given re-examination. In the event that a student fails a re-examination the student must take the course next year with a new group.

If a student who has twice received a failing grade for the same examination component wishes to change examiner ahead of the next examination session, such a request should be made to the department in writing and should be approved by the department unless there are special reasons to the contrary (Chapter 6 Section 22 of the Higher Education Ordinance).

If a student has received a recommendation from the University of Gothenburg for study support for students with disabilities, the examiner may, where it is compatible with the learning outcomes of the course and provided that no unreasonable resources are required, decide to allow the student to sit an adjusted exam or alternative form of assessment.

In the event that a course has ceased or undergone major changes, students are to be guaranteed at least three examination sessions (including the ordinary examination session) over a period of at least one year, but no more than two years after the course has ceased/been changed. The same applies to internships and professional placements (VFU), although this is restricted to just one additional examination session.

The grading scale comprises: Pass with distinction (5), Pass with credit (4), Pass (3) and Fail (U).

To obtain 3, the student must show acceptable solution to the problem addressed in the project, acceptable contribution to the group and he/she needs to be able to answer the majority of questions in the examination.

To obtain 4, the student must (in addition to the above) show good knowledge of both the solution and design/architecture choices; the student needs to show that he/she took more than just one role in the project and that he/she is able to reason about the role of innovation in the project and in the surrounding society.

To obtain 5, the student must (in addition to the above) show exceptional skills related to innovation that are used in the project, the impact of the innovation on the society and sustainability as well as show technical or project-related leadership in the project.

The results of and possible changes to the course will be shared with students who participated in the evaluation and students who are starting the course.

For the application to the course, the student must attach a completed application form that specifies the student's prioritization of projects. Students are assigned projects according to the priority received and with the application.

The course is a joint course together with Chalmers.

The course replaces the course DIT828, 7.5 credits. The course cannot be included in a degree which contains DIT828. Neither can the course be included in a degree which is based on another degree in which the course DIT828 is included.