IT Capstone Project 1
Credit points
(Generally, 1 credit = 10 hours of classes and independent study.)
Location
VU Brisbane
VU Sydney
Prerequisites
NIT3251 - Advanced Data Science; and
NIT3007 - Data Analytics for ICT Business; or
NIT3202 - Data Analytics for Cyber Security
Completion of at least 192 credit points.
(Or equivalent to be determined by unit coordinator)
Co-requisites
(Corequisite units must be studied concurrently with this unit)
Overview
In this unit you will begin to work on your final-year capstone project, where you’ll work collaboratively to define, design, and plan a professional IT solution. You’ll scope project objectives, develop functional specifications, and produce technical artefacts such as use cases, mock-ups, and system diagrams. You’ll explore how AI tools can accelerate ideation, test design assumptions, and support high-quality project planning. By the end of the unit, you’ll be able to plan and present a complete project proposal, preparing you for the development phase in IT Capstone Project 2 and for transition into professional IT roles.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to:
- Design the scope and objectives of a professional IT project using appropriate planning and analysis tools;
- Develop functional specifications and system design artefacts, including use cases, UI mock-ups, and technical diagrams;
- Evaluate solution feasibility, including the appropriateness, risks and sustainability of any AI-assisted or data-driven components, while centering user needs;
- Exhibit professional documentation including design briefs, prompt libraries, model cards and ethical-impact statements to stakeholders;
- Articulate collaboration, planning, and communication skills appropriate to professional IT practice.
Assessment
For Melbourne campuses
Assessment type: Report | Grade: 30%
Project plan: includes scoping, functional requirements, and timeline (team-based assessment).
Assessment type: Report | Grade: 50%
Final proposal: revise the project plan, enhance the presentation with UML, UI design, and pseudo code (Team-based assessment) with Q&A verification.
Assessment type: Presentation | Grade: 20%
Oral presentation: demonstrate and defend the final project proposal to relevant audiences (team-based assessment) with oral Q&A.
Team-based assessment in the IT Capstone Project follows these guidelines:
- Team Size: Each team should consist of 2 to 4 students.
- Project Variety: Different teams will work on distinct capstone projects.
- Individual Responsibilities: Within a team, each student will be assigned specific parts of the capstone project and will collaborate with teammates, reflecting real-world industrial project dynamics.
- Individual Assessment: Student's responsibilities and contributions to the project will be evaluated individually in relation to the assessment learning outcomes.
Report 1: Student teams produce a project plan documenting the scoping of objectives, functional requirements, and project timeline for their proposed IT solution.
Report 2: Students analyse real data and produce findings in written form, supported by oral presentation or follow-up Q&A verifying interpretations and methods. AI-generated content is flagged via reflective process documentation.
Presentation: Students present technical insights or project findings in real-time, followed by a Q&A session. Understanding is verified via unpredictable questions requiring explanation of methods, assumptions, and decisions.
Required reading
Selected readings will be made available via VU Collaborate.
As part of a course
This unit is studied as part of the following course(s):