Cover Letter

A cover letter is what is sent along with the CV when applying for a job. This letter is what introduces yourself for any position and explains the purpose for writing. Includes highlighting skills and expertise and what you are willing to do for the employer (University of Winsconsin, 2012).

What to include in the cover letter

First paragraph - Should be short and explain briefly the reason as to why you are writing this letter
Second paragraph - Why you think you are suitable for the job position and give a brief description of your academic qualifications and refer to skills listed in the job description.
Third paragraph - In this paragraph you have to write what you hope to do for the compny if you receive the job and mention career goals.
Fourth paragraph - Mention why you are interesting in the job position and convince the employer that you would perform well if you had the position applied for.
Closing the letter - End the letter with "Yours sincerely' and sign you name under it.

(Cahillane, 2012)

According to VirginiaTech (2013),  all cover letters should explain why you are sending a resume to the employer. You should also mention where you heard about the job position and why you are interested. It is necessary to mention to the employer to look at your CV to show more information than what is mentioned in the cover letter. Reflect on your attitude, your motivation and personality.

Format and style

• Single A4 size page with a one inch margin
• Times New Roman, Arial, Calibri - 12 ppt 
• Avoid grammar and spelling mistakes
• Finish the cover letter in three paragraphs
• Write in a positive tone

Referred books/websites  
[Online] Available from: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/CovLetter_what.html

[Online] Available from: http://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/blog/2012/september/how-to-write-a-cover-letter
[Online] Available from: http://www.careers.monash.edu.au/students-grads/apply-for-a-job/cover-letters.html

http://www.career.vt.edu/jobsearchguide/coverlettersamples.html

Development Methodologies

According to CMS (2008), "A system development methodology refers to the framework that is used to structure, plan, and control the process of developing an information system.". Some of the system development methodologies include Waterfall method, Prototyping, Incremental, Spiral and RAD.

Waterfall method (Linear framework)

Some advantages of the model is that its easy for understanding  easy to manage, and phases are completed one at a time. A weakness in this model is that it's costs, slow and it is hard to respond to a change and any changes that occur later are costly (CMS, 2008). The five phases of the waterfall model in sequential order:

• Requirements specification
• Design
• Implementation
• Integration
• Testing
• Installation
• Maintenance

In this methodology the project is divided into phases one after the other with some overlap and splash back acceptable between phases. The stages in this method are feasibility study, system investigation, system analysis, system design, implementation, review and maintenance. A positive point of that waterfall method is easy for planning, conserves the resources and the progress is measurable. As stated by Deeb (2010), it allows for  departmentalization and managerial control.

Spiral methodology (Combination linear and iterative framework)

According to the research done by Deeb (2010), The spiral model was developed by Dr. Barry Boehm and is an "enhancement of the waterfall mode with risk analysis preceding each phase of the cascade". It is used in large systems for internal development and effective when software are reused. Like the waterfall method, spiral methodology adds feedback to previous stages. 

Based on research by Chapman (2004), "The spiral methodology reflects the relationship of tasks with rapid prototyping, increased parallelism, and concurrency in design and build activities. The spiral method should still be planned methodically, with tasks and deliverables identified for each step in the spiral." 

How to select the best suited life cycle
The waterfall cycle is chosen if the user is aware of the requirements and it they are fixed. The spiral method is selected if there are possible risks in each phase and if the client wants to be aware of the decisions made in the phases.

Categories of methodologies

1. Data oriented design - useful for systems that process a lot of data E.g Banking system
2. Function/process oriented design - to process intensive systems
3. OO Methods - usefull for object oriented programs
4. User oriented design
5. Hypertext methods
6. Web methods- WML
7. Instructional design methods
8. Hybrid methods

Referred books/websites  

[Online] Available from: http://istqbexamcertification.com/what-is-waterfall-model-advantages-disadvantages-and-when-to-use-it/

[Online] Available from: http://www.cms.gov/Research-Statistics-Data-and-Systems/CMS-Information-Technology/XLC/Downloads/SelectingDevelopmentApproach.pdf

[Online] Available from: http://cs.anu.edu.au/student/projects/10S1/Reports/Ahmad%20Deeb.pdf

[Online] Available from: http://www.hyperthot.com/pm_sdm.htm

Date: 10th December 2012

Project Management

A project is a temporary endeavor undertaken to create a unique product or service or a result. In order to make a project successful it has to be well organised, balanced, timely, resourceful and generate results that satisfy customers (Old Dominion University, 2012). According to Barren (2009), a project is temporary and includes start and end dates. The main goal of the project is completing it in the given time frame.

Managing a project includes identifying requirements, establishing clear and practical objectives, balancing competing demands of quality, scope, time and cost (Hutchings, 2011). The main process groups of project management includes:

Phase 01: Initiating

• Identify what needs to be done
• What the project needs to accomplish
• Final project goal, project scope
• Identify customer requirements and other stakeholders

Phase 02: Planning

• Modifying the project scope
• List activities that needs to be done
• Develop a gantt chart to schedule the work and work on a budget for the required resources
• Approval of the project plan

Phase 03: Executing

• Meeting minutes with team members
• Communicating with stakeholders
• Solving problems
• Completing the project plan

Phase 04: Controlling

• Monitoring the plan
• Evaluating project changes requested
• Rescheduling the project when necessary
• Adapting resource levels
• Returning to planning stage

Phase 05: Closing

• Acknowledging achievements and results
• Shutting down operations and disbanding the team
• Learning from project experience
• Review project process and outcomes
• Writing a final project report

According to the Project Management Institute (2013), project management "is the application of knowledge, skills and techniques to execute projects effectively and efficiently". "Project management knowledge draws on nine areas which are Integration, cost, human resources, scope, quality, communications, time, procurement and risk management". For project management there must be skills, tools and processes involved. Skills can enhance the chance of making the project successful and reduce risks. Tools are used by project managers to improve success and different processes are used to monitor and complete the project on time. Example: Time management, risk management, quality management.

Triple constraint

Time, Cost and Scope are the main attributes that must be handled effectively when a project is undertaken in order to complete it successfully. As stated by Haughey (2011), the triple constraint shows that projects must be delivered within cost, on time, meet customer requirements and must meed the scopes that were agreed on.

Referred books/websites  
[Online] Available from: http://www.pmi.org/About-Us/About-Us-What-is-Project-Management.aspx

[Online] Available from: http://www.cs.odu.edu/~cs410/whatisaproject.htm

[Online] Available from: http://cnx.org/content/m31435/latest/

[Online] Available from: http://www.projectmanagement.net.au/project_management

[Online] Available from: http://www.projectsmart.co.uk/understanding-the-project-management-triple-constraint.html

Westland, J. (2003) Project Management Guidebook
[Online] Available from: http://www.thoughtware.com.au/documents/method123-ebook.pdf

[Online] Available from: http://programsuccess.wordpress.com/2011/05/02/scope-time-and-cost-managing-the-triple-constraint/

Date: 26^th November 2012

Week 04 : Day 01

Final Year Project 
This project is the final project done by an undergraduate student. The student is given nine months (33 weeks) to do the project. The work done in FYP is the peak of the students academic achievement  Project should be feasible, useful and balanced. In four months time there will be a midpoint interview where the student must attend with the research completed. The project must be:

• Feasible - it should be completed in the time allocated. A gantt chart is made to record all the work done and the time taken for each task to be completed. The midpoint interview is conducted four months before the submission date where the student must have the research completed and it carries 20% of the marks given to the final grade.
• Useful - the solution proposed must result in a usable method and practical.
• Balanced - Should include both qualitative and quantitative material.

Project proposal

A problem statement is a short descriptions of the selected issue, which includes a vision and the methods that could help to solve the problem.The vision is what effect it will have on the public if it is a macro problem and how solving a micro problem will affect an organisation. The chosen problem should be logical and writing the problem statement ideas must be included from primary and secondary sources. Should include objectives of maximum 4-5 points that will be gained.

The contents that should be included in the proposal are the problem statement based on a macro or micro environment and the selected research area.The objectives given must be time focused, measurable and the change that will be implemented. Next is the research methods used and if the project is feasible academically and technically. Lastly the outcomes, conclusion and recommendations are given.

Primary data - Data collected by the person conducting the investigation. Example: Interviews, Questionnaires.This data is expensive and takes time to collect.

Secondary data/Qualitative sources - This data is not original and is work of other people,much cheaper. and mostly out of date. Example: Reports, Newspapers.

According to Ceptara (2013), The first step to think about when writing a problem statement are the following questions (5 W's)

1. who does the problem affect? (who will face changes once problem is solved)
2. what does it affect (what is the result when it is solved)
3. when does the problem happen/when it needs to be fixed
4. where the problem is happening (type of organisation)
5. why is it essential for the problem to be fixed (what are the advantages)

Project contents

• Abstract - this includes three paragraphs separated into the introduction, problem statement, methods used in the project and what will be achieved at the end of the project and key words that are being used.
• Introduction - Contains the table of contents, table of figures and the table of tables and introduction to the  proposed solution.
• Body 

Chapter 01: Introduction, Problem Statement, Research Question, Aims and Objectives
Chapter 02: Industry Analysis (SWOT, PEST, Value Chain, Porter's Analysis) - External environment
Chapter 03: Academic research (Literature review, Design)
Chapter 04: Initial design specification - Compare and contrast databases (Midpoint interview)
Chapter 05: Design - how it is being developed (ERD, DFD, Use case)
Chapter 06: Testing
Chapter 07: Implementation

• Conclusion
• List of references
• Bibliography
• Appendices

Referred books/websites  

Ceptara (2013) How to write a problem statement
[Online] Available from: http://www.ceptara.com/blog/how-to-write-problem-statement

[Online] Available from: http://curriculum.leeds.ac.uk/rbl/final-year-project

Date: 13^th November 2012

Week 03 : Day 01

Literature review

What is Literature review?

An overview of research on a given topic and answers to related research questions and what other researchers have done so far. According to the University of Canberra (2012), "description of the literature relevant to a particular field or topic. This is often written as part of a postgraduate thesis proposal, or at the commencement of a thesis. A critical literature review is a critical assessment of the relevant literature". It has an introduction, body and logical structure."A literature review is a critical, in-depth evaluation of research already undertaken on a specific topic" (University College Dublin, 2011).
The introduction of a literature review is identifying the issues in general regarding the topic including theory, proof, pros and cons. The writer's point of view is also analysed in the review. A good review includes a line of argument and research for facts that supports the argument in a short paragraph.

Steps to write a strong literature review

• Synthesis and evaluate information - requires reading, gathering information to synthesize and evaluate by coming up with new ideas and provide further explanation. Ex. What is technique A, Results of A

• Identify the main ideas of the literature - conducting the synthesis you will identify related ideas and key points to the research question. Further on these ideas can be discussed in depth in the latter parts of the review giving examples.

• Identify the main argument of the literature review - The literature review should deliver to people a main idea that helps them understand. According to University of Ottawa (2007), "This argument is closely related to your research question in that it presents a situation in the body of literature which motivates your research question". 

• Organize the main points of the literature review - Once all the ideas and facts are gathered, organize them point by point in a way that supports the main argument.

• Write literature review - Now that all points are gathered it is up to the author to compile it all together and by giving structure, examples where unnecessary and citing them, using the correct verb tenses will help to make the literature review much stronger.

(Academic Writing Help Centre. University of Ottawa, 2007)

According to the University of California (2012) a literature review must contain certain elements. A summary of the selected topic along with the listed objectives. Explanation of similar work of the topic and how it is different from other related material. Conclusions are given by selecting the best argument giving opinions and ideas for development. 

Purpose of writing a literature review

• Shows that the author is familiar with other research work done in the same area
• Evaluated further into the research based on the topic
• defines key points, and definitions (RMIT University, 2005)

Referred books/websites  

UCD Library (2011) Write a literature review

[Online] Available from: http://www.ucd.ie/library/supporting_you/research_support/literature_review/

University of Canberra (2012) Study skills: Writing literature

[Online] Available from: http://www.canberra.edu.au/studyskills/writing/literature

Birmingham City University (2007) What is a literature review?
[Online] Available from: http://www.ssdd.bcu.ac.uk/learner/writingguides/1.04.htm

University of California Santa Cruz (2012)
[Online] Available from: http://guides.library.ucsc.edu/write-a-literature-review

RMIT University (2005)

[Online] Available from: https://www.dlsweb.rmit.edu.au/lsu/content/2_assessmenttasks/assess_tuts/lit_review_LL/purpose.html

University of Ottawa (2007) Academic Writing Help Centre. Writing a literature review

[Online] Available from: http://www.sass.uottawa.ca/writing/kit/grad-literature-review.pdf

Date: 13^th November 2012

Week 02 : Day 02

What is Research?

It is a process of finding solutions to a problem after a thorough study and analysis of the situation factors. According to the Edison Libraries (2012), “Research is the investigation of a particular topic using a variety of reliable, scholarly resources. The three major goals of research are establishing facts, analyzing information, and reaching new conclusions”. According to Sekaran (2008), "Business research can be described as a systemic and organized effort to investigate a specific problem encountered in the work setting that needs a solution". It is mainly gathering information from various sources which includes reviewing past work done by other researches.

Research should be done accurately because the decision making process and recommendations depend on work gathered. Primary source is that it is available in different sources (public domain) such as interviews, observations and questionnaires. Secondary source is information gathered by other researches about the work being done currently. This data can be inside or outside the organisation.and accessed via internet of published Given below are the two types of research methodology.

• Qualitative data - This is collection of numerical data. This data can only be observed. Qualitative research is useful for studies at the individual level, and to find out, in depth, the ways in which people think or feel. E.g. case studies. (McLeod S. A ,2008)
• Quantitative data - Non-numerical data and conduction in natural settings which is with less control. Data here is being measured.

Scientific method of conducting a good research

1. Identifying the problem (problem statement)
2. Formulating a hypothesis (prediction of the research outcome)
3. Developing a research plan
4. Collecting and analyzing the data
5. Interpreting results and forming conclusions

Referred books/websites  
Sekaran, (2008) Research Methods For Business. 4th ed. Delhi: John Wiley and sons, p.5

Edison (2012) Research skills: What is research

[Online] Available from: http://www.edison.edu/library/researchskills/Unit1/1whatIsResearch.php
LifeHack (2012) 20 quick tips for better time management

[Online] Available  from: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifehack/20-quick-tips-for-better-time-management.html

McLeod, S. A. (2008). Qualitative Quantitative.
[Online] Available from: http://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html

Date: 12^th November 2012

Week 02 : Day 01

Time Management

According to Sasson (2008), “It is a set of principles, practices, skills, tools and systems that help you use your time to accomplish what you want”. It is important to use time effectively as time is used and cannot be retrieved. 

Having a plan to achieve goals with a time constraint helps to accomplish them faster with less effort. The 4 D’s is a time management tool and it represents Delete, Delay, Delegate and Diminish. It gives a person four alternatives if a task cannot be completed on time.

Delete: If an activity is not done on time, it does not mean that it needs to be done in the future and if it is not worth it one should not delay it and waste time in completing it. Instead get rid of them.
Delay: According to Morgenstern (2012),"Consciously deferring lower-priority tasks isn't procrastination  it's triage". "Procrastination is avoiding making decisions on when or if to do something, where "later" becomes default by definition".
Delegate: Get help with work from others. This saves time rather than doing work alone. According to Hooper (2007), “you need to be clear about desired outcomes and the consequences for the individual in doing the work”.
Diminish: These are the tasks that is kept to be done at a certain time in the future.

The table is to be filled by the students to see how much time they have left to spend on studying and how much time is set aside for co curricular activities. Adding up the total number of hours spent doing activities for the week the result was 124 hours. To find the percentage of activity time the total allocated hours was divided by 168 which is 74% so the remaining time left for studies is 44 hours. 

Figure 02: Time management exercise

Source: Lecture handout (2012)

Given below is a model, time management matrix in other words known as Covey's quadrants. The next activity given was to categorize the above set of activities done by the student into four groups which are Urgent and Important, Urgent and not important, Important and not urgent, not important and not urgent.

Figure 03: Time management matrix

Source: Lecture handout (2012)

The first grid shows activities with high priority and that must be completed immediately and is called as'firefighting'. The second grid is labelled as 'Quality Time'. Activities have high priority but there is no rush in order to complete it. According to Covey (2012), "As a result, they can be scheduled when they can be given quality thought to them".

The third box are the activities with less priority but must be completed on time and it is labelled as 'distractions' ."For example, when a person answers an unwanted phone call, -he/she has had to interrupt whatever he/she is doing to answer it". The last box represents activities that have no urgency or priority at all. An example for these kind of activities are driving time and time spent on social networking sites.

Figure 04: Time management model

Source: Lecture handout (2012)

Figure 04 helps to identify ourselves to which category each of us belong to. If you are a perfectionist, time manager, slob or a doer. A perfectionist is a person who spend a lot of time prioritizing their work but has less focus on the task that needs to be done. A time managing person saves time and does tasks that need are high in priority and they know which task is more important to be done first.

Slobs are always in disarrays because they do not prioritize the work or focus on the task to be done. Lastly a doer focus on the task but do no prioritize their work properly so because of this they are unable to complete the task.

Looking at the above figure I can categorize myself as a perfectionist because I am more focused on organizing my work than focusing to complete them. So using this information I should try to become a time manager and complete work on schedule. And as a result I am using timetables that will help me to complete work by a specific deadline, using a calender to arrange tasks to be done on specific date and creating a daily plan for all activities.

Referred books/websites  

Sasoon, R. 2008. Importance of Time Management

[Online] Accessed from: http://www.successconsciousness.com/blog/time-management/importance-of-time-management/

Morgenstern, J. 2008. Six Time Management Tools

[Online] Accessed from: http://tools-for-thought.com/2009/02/15/six-time-management-tools-from-julie-morgenstern/
CGG (2012) Soft skills for public managers: Handbook on Time Management Tools 

[Online] Accessed from: http://www.cgg.gov.in/Handbook%20on%20Time%20Management%20Skills.pdf

Nwlink website(2012)

[Online] Accessed from: http://www.nwlink.com/~donclark/leader/time_management.html