[Dedicated to the memory of Dr. Phil Dorin, teacher, mentor and friend.]

Course Description from the Latest University Bulletin

Design, development, and management issues of large-scale software systems which are reliable and easily maintainable, using methodologies applicable to evolving requirements through collaboration between self-organizing, cross-functional teams. A course project covers each step of the development process from the initial needs analysis and requirements specification through design and implementation. Tradeoffs between agile and older approaches, the impact of legacy systems, architectural representation issues, testing, project risk management, and emerging trends in software engineering such as model-driven engineering and aspect-oriented software development [are covered].

Prerequisites

It is not assumed that students have extensive programming experience for this class. The focus of the semester project is the management processes that are used to ideate, design, implement, test, and review an Agile project. While you WILL need to do at least SOME programming to implement the project, it does NOT have to be extensive or sophisticated, as long as good software development practices are followed, and as long as the student teams follow and document their Agile method of project management.

Note that the course description above from the LMU Bulletin is not very specific.... there is more detail below!

Course Goals

The goal of this course is to learn the concepts and issues related to the Agile Software Development process, along with related Project Management topics. Instruction and comparisons to the existing Waterfall method will be made, along with contrasts to other development life cycle models. The topics covered include [but are not limited to] the following:

Software Developement and Software Engineering Agile vs. Waterfall and Other Life Cycles Organizational Culture and Differing Viewpoints/Roles Different flavors of Agile Agile Project Management Project Management Tools Handling Requirements the Agile Way Planning, Estimating, and Cost Models Testing, Integration, and Quality Tracking and Reporting Status and Progress

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

When you finish the course, you will be able to:

• Identify the different Agile philosophies
• Understand knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methods
• Plan an Agile project from the gound up
• Estimate the time and cost of an Agile project
• Track and report on progress for an Agile project
• Understand what it means to develop a software architecture
• Work with a small team to develop using an Agile method
• Present your work to a technical panel

Expected Workload

In accordance with the LMU Credit Hour Policy, this 3-unit course will require 9 hours of work per week, which includes the time spent in class and lab sessions. This work will consist of homework, a project, watching and commenting on some videos about Agile and Waterfall and related topics, and reading/study of textbook material.

What You'll Need for Success in the Course

In a nutshell, here's what you'll need to do to be successful in this course. *YOU* promise to… Attend all classes — come prepared, having done the reading Do all the assigned homework, including watching videos, visiting web sites, reading articles Participate in class discussions, exercises, and activities Ask LOTS of questions, both in class and out of class Do well on the tests, which if you do the previous things will be no problem!

…and *I* promise to:

Ensure that learning outcomes for the course are clearly stated in this syllabus and are addressed during the semester Be accessible and available during office hours and by appointment for interactive discussions, which can be one-on-one or in small groups Provide constructive assistance and feedback to help you understand the material; such assistance and feedback can be via e-mail or text chat, or in person during class time or office hours Challenge you to do your best work and improve your interest in the topics presented Always let you know as early as possible in advance, whenever I can, if there are any changes to the course or related materials, or to my scheduled availability Always allow you to take photos of the whiteboard and to record lectures if you wish Do whatever I can to ensure you leave this course with more skill than you had when you came into it

Textbooks and Resources

There are two required textbooks for this course:

• Introduction to Agile Methods
  Sondra Ashmore and Kristin Runyan
  ISBN-13: 978-0-321-92956-3
  ISBN-10: 0-321-92956-X
• Head First Software Develoment
  Dan Pilone and Russ Miles
  ISBN-13: 978-0-596-52735-8
  ISBN-10: 0-596-52735-7

There is one optional textbook for this course:

• UML Distilled Third Edition
  Martin Fowler
  ISBN-13: 978-0-32-119368-1
  ISBN-10: 0-32-119368-7

YOU WILL NEED ACCESS TO THESE BOOKS FOR THE CLASS!

ONLY THE FIRST BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN THE LMU BOOKSTORE. The other two books are not available in the bookstore. However, they are available at many other fine retail outlets, both online and brick-and-mortar. We will be using them for homework assignments, general reading and information, as well as tutorials for using several different project management tools and Agile methodologies both in and out of the classroom. The titles of the books provide you with their contents and focus.

Although we won't be covering the books in their entirety for this class, we will be using them as primary resources. It is up to the student to read the book and be prepared for the class, including answering questions about the chapter material.

There is also a large number of other resources which can be used to "mine the gold" for related information about Agile development and Agile project management. The topic is a very broad field, which has been around for a long time. You may even be required to use the LMU library, [GASP!!] so be prepared!

General Course Topics Outline

A list of topics that are covered, and the approximate order and time frame in which they will be discussed, is available on the class notes page for this site.

Reading Assignments

Chapter readings from the text books and the dates by which these readings should be completed are listed below. Note that you should have read the chapter material prior to the date listed, and you should be ready to discuss the text, ask questions about the concepts, and begin working with some of the implementations of the concepts in class. It is also a good idea to at least read (or preferably try) the exercises contained in and at the end of each chapter.

Here is the reading list:

• Week 1: Nothing due for the first week… [well, duh…]
  For week 2, read all of chapter one and all of chapter two in Ashmore
  Pay special attention to the interview with Robert Martin in chapter one
• Week 2: For week 3, read/review the following web sites and be ready to discuss:
  
  • Agile Software Alliance
  • Agile 101
  • Twelve Principles
  • Glossary Page
  [You won't need to know ALL the Glossary terms yet, just familiarize yourself…]
  
• Week 3: For week 4, read chapter three of Ashmore
• Week 4: For week 5, read chapters one through four of Pilone
• Week 5: For week 6, read all of chapter five of Ashmore
  [You don't really need to read chapter four of Ashmore; I'll cover it in class in enough detail.]
• Week 6: For week 7, read chapter five of Pilone
• Week 7: For week 8, read chapter six of Ashmore
• Week 8: For week 9, read chapters six through seven of Pilone
  and read chapter seven of Ashmore
• Week 9: For week 10, read chapter eight of Ashmore
• Week 10: For week 11, read chapter twelve in Pilone
• Week 11: For week 12, read chapter nine of Ashmore
• …and that's it!

Homework Assignments

All written homework assignments are due at the beginning of the class on the date they are due. Deviation from this process requires prior consent of the instructor. I left my homework at home is not a valid reason for late work. Every effort is made to ensure assignments, required deliverables, and due dates are prominently posted on these pages; it is your responsibility to make sure you know what is due and when it is due.

You may certainly turn assignments in late; I will happily accept them, but they will be reduced in grade by one letter for each day they are late. Day means day, not workday or class day; an A+ homework due on Thursday which is not turned in until the following Tuesday will unfortunately only earn a failing grade, unless some prior arrangements are made with the instructor due to illness or some major schedule conflict. However, if you want to turn something in late, I'll still provide feedback even for assignments which have no chance of any credit; I keep this policy to allow you to get the learning benefit of the assignment even if you don't get a grade for it. My philosophy is that it is important for the students to know the material, even if an assignment doesn't get the best marks.

Some assignments may be required to be turned in as hard-copy. These must be printed on a printer. All assignments must use proper American English and/or Programming Language spelling and grammar. Failure to do so may cost you up to a letter grade, so get a spell-checker and a grammar checker, or find a friend who is proficient to proofread your work before it is submitted.

Other than these simple rules, there are no requirements for formatting, fonts, colors, diagrams, or anything else with respect to your homework assignments, other than good code craftsperson-ship.

There will be three homework assignments during the semester, due on the dates shown in the list below. Each assignment will contain eight to ten written problems, and some reading and other information/activities such as web sites to browse, articles to read (and possibly write about), or videos to watch. Each of these assignments is detailed on a separate web page; they are available by using the links in the list. Solutions will be provided after the assignments are handed in.

1. Homework #1 — Due date Wednesday of week 04
2. Homework #2 — Due date Wednesday of week 09
3. Homework #3 — Due date Wednesday of week 14

Exams, Quizzes, and Projects

There will be a mid-term during the semester, scheduled for the Wednesday of week six. Note that this test is due on the same day as your project Preliminary Design Document, so it would be wise to plan ahead so that you have proper time to study. There will NOT be a final exam. The semester project will take the place of the final. There will be weekly quizzes to keep your knowledge current. These will be for fun, not for grade, so you don't have to worry TOO much about studying for a weekly quiz. The quizzes are there to help you remember things about Agile processes, differences between Agile methodologies, and other things you have learned in the previous weeks.

There will be a semester development project, which will implement a project of your own choosing that will also include a significant Agile Project Management component. You will pick the application, and will decide which Agile methodology and project management tool[s] you will use to implement it. You will be documenting the project in full, per the requirements on the project page. That page also includes several suggestions for projects which you may use. You will be required to demonstrate certain basic functionality of your work. Demonstrations will be a presentation at the end of the semester, which will occur two weeks before final exam week, during normal class time.

Missed tests: it is the responsibility of the student to provide an adequate advance notice to the professor if a scheduled quiz or test is going to be missed. If you have a conflict in your schedule which will cause a missed test, please notify the professor at least two days in advance if possible, to avoid a failing grade for the exam. Prior arrangements must be made in order for a make-up exam to be taken, since this situation requires the professor to create a second different copy of the exam/quiz/test just for you.

Use of Technology

You will need access to a computer of some variety. …Well, Duh… If you don't have a computer available, let me know and I will try to work with Masao to get something set up for you to use a computer in the Keck Lab on campus. In the best of all possible worlds, we will all have super-duper computing engines to use, but we're obviously not there yet…

Attendance and Participation

Although attendance is not mandatory, it is in your own best interest to attend every class. Much of the material will be discussed and elaborated upon in class, so counting on the books or the web pages for all required information will not necessarily provide you with everything you'll need for success. In addition, there may be in-class exercises in small groups which you will miss out on if you are not there.

Obviously, if you skip too many classes, you will likely fail; this is a simple and self-fulfilling prophecy.

The class participation rubric appears with the grading stuff in the tables below.

Extra Credit

There will be no extra credit given in this course.

Grading

Grades for the course are assigned according to the weighting factors shown in the tables below.

Final letter grades will be assigned based on the following scale:

Percent	Letter	Rating and Achievement
90 - 100%	A / A-	Professional quality work; outstanding
80 - 90%	B+ / B / B-	Entry-level quality work; above average, shows extra effort and interest
70 - 80%	C+ / C / C-	Satisfactory work; expected with reasonable effort
60 - 70%	D	Substandard work; minimal effort shown
59 or less	F	Thank you for playing; see you next spring

Evaluation Item	Weight
Development Project [ 5% Requirements / Discription] [ 5% User Stories/Story Points] [ 5% Project Sprint Planning] [ 5% Burn-down Plan] [ 5% Sprint Tracking] [ 5% Project Implementation] [10% Project Presentation] [15% Management Implementation]	55% for all
Mid-term Exam	20%
Homework [5% each]	15%
Class Participation	10%

Class Participation Criteria	Value
Absent *without* prior notification/agreement of professor	0
Absent *with* prior notification/agreement of instructor	5
Hopefully, the student: Demonstrates excellent preparation with respect to readings and other materials; Offers pertinent analysis, synthesis, and evaluation; puts together pieces of the discussion to develop new approaches that take the class further.	5

Also of note…

An incomplete will be granted only when the student requesting the incomplete has completed at least 80% of the coursework, and has at least a B average in the course work completed. This is standard LMU policy.

Leave of Absence/Withdrawal Policy:

Please read the revised policy in the University Bulletin.

All work is evaluated for both technical merit and quality of written and/or oral presentation. Find yourself a good spelling and grammar checker, or a trusted human editor, if you are having any difficulty with the rules of standard English language usage. Another excellent resource is the Academic Resource Center, located on the south side of Daum Hall. The center takes appointments, and also allows drop-in consultation sessions, and they have a number of good benefits. Call (310) 338-2847 to schedule an appointment. (For those that don't know, Daum Hall is the building where the LMU Security and Parking office used to be. ARC is on the second floor.)

Another thing to remember is, your coding style is an important part of your assignment evaluations. I WILL NOT HESITATE to take points off for code that has hard-coded number

FAIR WARNING!!! DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!! FAIR WARNING!!! In this class, documentation which is not of professional quality is no longer acceptable. Spelling, grammar, and internal document consistency all count and will cost you big-time if not correct! I will not hesitate to knock off a full letter grade on an otherwise perfectly correct assignment if there are egregious and/or numerous spelling/grammar errors. In addition, coding style will play a large part in determining the grade on the code for the homework and project. It is the job of each student to properly structure, comment, and indent, to select the proper names for variables, and to not hard-code values. NO MAGIC NUMBERS! FAIR WARNING!!! DANGER WILL ROBINSON!!! FAIR WARNING!!!

Course Evaluation

Student feedback on this course provides valuable information for continued improvement. All students are expected to fairly and thoughtfully complete a course evaluation for this course. All course evaluations for the Seaver College of Science and Engineering are administered online through the Blue^™ evaluation system. You will receive an e-mail notification at your Lion e-mail address when the evaluation form is available. You may also access the evaluation form on Brightspace during the evaluation period. A few minutes of class time will be reserved for you to complete a course evaluation near the end of the semester. Please bring a laptop, smart phone, tablet or other mobile device to class on this date so that you can access the online evaluation platform.

Academic Honesty and Integrity

General Statement Loyola Marymount University is a community dedicated to academic excellence, student-centered education, and the Jesuit and Marymount traditions. As such, the University expects all members of its community to act with honesty and integrity at all times, especially in their academic work. Academic honesty respects the intellectual and creative work of others, flows from dedication and pride in performing one's own best work, and is essential if true learning is to take place. As an LMU Lion, by the Lion's Code, you are pledged to join the discourse of the academy with honesty of voice and integrity of scholarship. Academic dishonesty will be treated as an extremely serious matter, with severe consequences that can range from receiving no credit for an assignment or test to failing the class, to expulsion. It is never permissible to turn in any work that has been copied from another student or copied from a source [including the Internet] without properly acknowledging/citing the source. It is never permissible to work on an assignment, exam, quiz or any project with another person unless your instructor has indicated so in the written instructions/guidelines. It is your responsibility to make sure that your work meets the standard of academic honesty set forth in the LMU Honor Code and Process. The LMU Academic Honor Code and Process can be found at: https://academics.lmu.edu/honesty/. You can find further information in the LMU Bulletin as well.

LMU Academic Honesty Policy https://academics.lmu.edu/honesty/:
Unauthorized Access to or Alteration of Privileged and Proprietary Information:

• Unauthorized access to and/or use of privileged University documents, files, or information and/or alteration thereof by electronic or any other means.
• Unauthorized access to and/or use of proprietary information. For example, the unauthorized dissemination of research prior to publication.
• Unauthorized access to and/or use of University course resources and materials. For example, distributing any course materials [syllabus, assignments, exams, etc.] without explicit permission from the instructor. Therefore, dissemination or sharing of any classroom recording [e.g., Zoom or other videos posted by the instructor] without the permission of the instructor would be considered unauthorized use and, therefore, prohibited

Special Accommodations

Students with special needs who require reasonable modifications, special assistance, or accommodations in this course should promptly direct their request to the Disability Support Services [DSS] Office. Any student who currently has a documented disability [ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning, Physical, or Psychiatric] needing academic accommodations should contact the DSS Office [Daum Hall 2nd floor, 310-338-4216] as early in the semester as possible. All discussions will remain confidential. Please visit http://www.lmu.edu/dss for additional information.

Students should also keep in mind that resources are available through the Library [https://library.lmu.edu] and Information Technology Services [https://its.lmu.edu]. The DSS Office can help students connect with the appropriate person at the Library and ITS.

Respect For Self And Others

As an LMU Lion, by the Lion's code, you are pledged to join the discourse of the academy with honesty of voice and integrity of scholarship and to show respect for staff, professors, and other students.

The following LMU documents are available to reference: LMU's Community Standards, which defines as prohibited conduct (IV.D): Disruptive Behavior, and/or intentionally or recklessly interfering with normal University life, activities, processes or University-sponsored activities including, but not limited to: studying; teaching; research; classroom instruction; campus or residential life; University administration; judicial proceedings; or fire, police or emergency services. [see page 8, section P, paragraph 7 of the Community Standards document] The Lion's Code [see LMU's Community Standards at the link immediately above.] The LMU Student Affairs brochure Disruptive and Threatening Student Behavior (Fall 2010), which states Disruptive behavior which is persistent or significantly interferes with classroom activities may be subject to disciplinary action. A student may be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs if their behavior constitutes a violation of the conduct code.

For more information on this or any other conduct issues, please refer to the Student Codes and Policies section in the Community Standards. The Lion's Code, Student Conduct Code, Honor Code and Process, and information on many other policies are available from that link. You can find any and all other related data from the Office of Student Conduct & Community Responsibility web page. Also check the main Student Affairs Department Website.

Expectations for Classroom Behavior

Electronic Devices: Pretty easy — please turn off your cell phone ringer during class time. That's it for me! However…

The official LMU language for this is:

Please turn off and put out of sight all electronic devices (other than those and when allowed) during class-time. The interruptions and/or distractions they cause disrupt class and interfere with the learning process. Even if you are not on video, it's distracting to you.

Expectations for Classroom Behavior in an Online Learning Environment

In case we are required to [for whatever reason] continue our course remotely, the following items are carried over from the COVID era of zoom learning.

1. Netiquette: In addition to LMU's Community Standards, The Lion's Code and Guidelines on LMU Student Classroom and Course-Related Behavior, students should adhere to Netiquette. Your instructor and fellow students need a safe, online learning environment. All opinions and experiences shared, no matter how controversial they may be perceived to be, must be respected in the spirit of academic discourse. You are encouraged to critique an idea but should not attack an individual. Working as a community of learners, we can build a respectful space for discourse. Below are some tips for good netiquette:
   
   • Listen actively: listen to understand, to learn, and to receive information.
   • Present ideas appropriately
     
     1. Avoid the use of offensive language
     2. Be aware if Internet Language. For example, do not capitalize all letters since this suggests shouting.
     3. Popular emoticons such as 😜 or 👍 can be helpful to convey your tone but don't overuse them
     4. Use an appropriate and respectful tone when communicating formally or informally.
   • As in a classroom-based session, engaging in private chat during remote class discussions and presentations is disruptive.
   • Do not work on other things during class attendance
   • It may be tempting to multitask during class, but this will impede your learning. Your full focus on the conversation and class materials is required.
   • Before posting your question to a discussion board, check if anyone has asked it already.
   • Don't post irrelevant links, comments, thoughts or pictures.
   • If you refer to something your classmate said earlier in the discussion, quote just a few key lines from their post so that others won't have to go back and figure out which post you're referring to.
   • Respect the opinion of your classmates. If you feel the need to disagree, do so respectfully and acknowledge the valid points in your classmate's argument.
   • Be willing to express dissent. There should be space for non-majority opinions.
   • Edit before you push the Send button.
   • Students are expected to attend class sessions without interruptions.
2. Zoom Sessions:
   
   • Please keep your camera on if at all possible.
     Note that I realize some folks don't have cameras, sometimes things break, sometimes there are others in your same space, some people are shy, etc. Just do your best to be visible when you can.
   • Please keep your microphone muted until it is your turn to speak.
   • Please use the raise hand feature or use the chat if you have a question or comment.
     [Note that I'm notorious for NOT seeing things in the chat window, but using the raised hand will call my attention to you.]
   • Be an active participant in any breakout sessions.
   • All Zoom sessions [and most classroom sessions] will be recorded and put on Brightspace. Please review these if you are unable to attend or need to leave early. I know that these recordings are long, but you can use the slider bar to advance or replay portions of it if you want.
3. Safety and Privacy in the Remote Learning Environment:
   

   Students and faculty have a reasonable expectation for privacy in all learning spaces. Bimodal and remote learning can involve the use of synchronous video conferencing, asynchronous recorded lectures, live and online discussions, as well as online forums. In these venues, privacy is a priority for a safe learning environment. See Lion's code.

   As a member of our online community, please follow these privacy guidelines:
   

   • Videos captured during class meetings should be used only to support student learning and to prepare students for effective learning.
   • Do not share screenshots or images from sessions.
   • Do not record any sessions with your own device; asynchronous classes will be posted in a secured page on Brightspace and may not be downloaded, manipulated, or distributed, or uploaded to a public page for any reason [unless with instructor permission].
   • Do not share class access information such as Zoom links etc.

Because of the nature of the class delivery method during remote zoom times we will also take a look at a document which will serve as a guide for everyone in the class. This Netiquette Document is published here and on the Brightspace site. If necessary, we will take a look at it during the first week of class and will work to make it agreeable to everyone involved.

Emergency Preparedness

Public Safety can be reached 24/7/365 at 310.338.2893 [or x222 from a campus phone]. In a life-threatening emergency, call 911 first and then call Public Safety if possible. To report an incident, call Public Safety, submit an e-report on the Public Safety website or via the Rave Guardian mobile app, or visit the Public Safety office in Foley Annex. Review the evacuation information and other safety tips posted in each learning space. Make sure you're registered to receive emergency alerts – confirm your contact information at lmu.edu/alert, and download Rave Guardian in the Apple or Google Play store. For more information and emergency preparedness tips, visit https://publicsafety.lmu.edu.

To report an emergency or suspicious activity, contact the LMU Department of Public Safety by phone (x222 or 310-338-2893) or at the nearest emergency call box. In the event of an evacuation, follow the evacuation signage throughout the building to the designated safe refuge area where you will receive further instruction from Public Safety or a Building Captain.

For purposes of evacuating the building, our safe area is the sunken gardens. There will be people to guide you.

For more safety information and preparedness tips, visit http://www.lmu.edu/emergency.

Office Hours / Communication / Contact Information

Office hours are listed at the top of this syllabus page. I will make every effort to be available during those hours, and if I cannot for some emergency reason, I'll make sure you all know about it in advance if possible. Office hours will be in my office, Doolan 220. In some cases if you want to have a personal one-on-one with me, we can make an appointment for a zoom meeting.

I am also always available by e-mail at: my LMU mail address

YOU MUST CHECK YOUR LION EMAIL ADDRESS OF RECORD. I will start the semester's communications by sending all email blasts to everyone's lion.lmu.edu email address, which is known as your address of record. Brightspace has a full class roster which I use for e-mail blasts to everyone; the addresses in that list are your addresses of record, so it is important for both of us to have an email address which you will check on a regular basis.

Tentative Nature of the Syllabus

If necessary, this syllabus and its contents are subject to revision. Students are responsible for any changes or modifications announced or distributed in class, emailed to students' LMU Lion accounts or posted on LMU's course management system, Brightspace. If you are absent from an in-person or online class meeting, it is your responsibility to check Brightspace [and/or the course website] and to check with the professor to see if you missed any important class announcements. Students should not rely on word-of-mouth from classmates.