Description:

This module explored theoretical and practical experiences of the cloud and the technologies that underpin it, including the technical and business perspectives of the advantages and risks of using these technologies. A number of case studies were utilised to demonstrate the application of the technology in different contexts.

• Block 1 - Web Foundations: An overview of underlying standards and security features that underpin modern web services.
• Block 2 - Mobile Applications: An exploration of the current state of the mobile market, their combined use with cloud technology and the examination of developing a mobile application including deployment, user interface design, performance and memory. This block also included the exploration of toolkits for developing applications and practical development of a mobile application.
• Block 3 - The Cloud: An introduction to cloud modelling and resources available through typical cloud infrastructure. Different levels of models were investigated such as Iaas, PaaS and SaaS along with commerical offerings of cloud infrastructure such as OpenStack and Amazon Web Services (AWS), and the context in which different approaches can be deployed.

Description:

This module expored a user-central approach to designing and developing interactive products with each TMA forming a stage of a products design life-cycle.

• Block 1 - Introduction and Overview: This block provided an understanding of what user-centered design is, analysis and reflection on what makes a products design useable or not, and understanding the diversity of users needs in terms of their physical, cognative and sensory characteristics.
• Block 2 - Requirements: This block focused on understanding who the users are and what they want to do, so it's possible to pick appropriate requirement gathering techniques. It covered tools and techniques such as creating personas and scenarios and ways to help share information with stakeholders.
• Block 3 - Design: This block covered understanding and balancing user requirements - what they can do and how they will experience it. It covered a range of interaction types from traditional screen-based forms of mobile interaction to wearable, haptic and other types of interfaces.
• Block 4 - Evaluation: This block explored ways to identify if the product met the requirements or ways in which a product can be improved, and how these findngs can be presented.

Description:

This module provided a comprehensive look at approaches to software development processes, their phases, activities and techniques. It covered, understanding the business domain for a problem requiring a software solution, acqusition of tools and knowledge to analyse and design such a solution, how any chosen architecture will impact the satisfaction of users requirements, how to apply and reuse design patterns and how to test outputs of all activities throughout the process.