KTH /
Engineering Science
/
Mathematics
/
Optimization and Systems Theory
SF2867 Decisions support methods - project course
Course outline
Goals and aim
The aim is that the students shall get to apply their knowledge of
decision support models on some real world problem. This question will
come from industry or governmental institutions and can have either
strategic or tactical character.
After the course the student should have gained an increased knowledge
of for the project relevant decision support models and shall have
increased his or her ability to work in projects, collect and assess
information, attac questions and problems in an engineering fashion,
write concise and informative reports, and orally present questions
and results.
The projects will be presented at the first lecture March 31.
Examiner
Ulf Brännlund, telephone 08 790 7320, uffemath(AT)kth.se.
General information
The course consist of some projects from industry which are staffed
after applications by the examinar with 3-4 students in each project.
These projects are performed in the group under the supervision of the
examiner. The timeframe for the projects are that they start at the
beginning of April and end simultanously at the end of May.
In order to helt the examiner to initially get well functioning groups
the participants will get a leading roll in the group. These are the
project leader, the analyst, the programmer, and the writer. These are
not "carved in stone", instead the borders between them are rather
floating. The group has a collective responisibility that the projects
goals as well as the course's learning goals are fulfilled.
Course requirements
Application to project + CV
Each participant shall to the second lecture, 13.15-15.00 Wednesday
April 2, present a job-application including a CV (Curriculum Vitae).
This will be the ground on which the division of participants into
project groups are made. The job-application should include your
preference of projects and which main roll that you want to have in
the project (Project leader, analyst, programmer, or writer). In this
job-application (or on a separate paper) you should also specify your
learning goals for the course. You will get feedback on your
application and CV and it will also be graded.
Regular project meeting protocols
The project group shall hold formal project meetings at least once a
week. Protocols or notes from these meetings shall be handed in
through Bilda (see below). These notes ought to contain information
about who was present, what has to be done until next meeting and the
time and date of the next meeting. It is also important that it is
clear from the notes who is responsible for the tasks to be performed.
Initial project plan
An initial project plan should be written and turned in Monday April
14, at the latest. This project plan should contain a clearly defined
goal, but should also contain a brief description of the problem to be
analyzed, what methods to be used and what results are expected. It
should also contain a time plan for the work with clear milestones,
and a description of how you willl organize the work within the
group. The group should also appoint a project leader. This person is
responisible for that the plan holds and that reports and protocols
arrive on time. Extent: approximately 1-2 pages.
Half time report
Monday April 28, 13.15-15.00, the group has to present a written
report and orally for the other groups in seminar form explain their
questions, method of analysis and the results obtained so far and what
results are to be expected for the rest of the course. Approximately
extent of the written report is 10-20 pages.
Final report
Monday May 26, 10.15-12.00, is the time and date for finaly presentations of the projects. A written report of 30-50 pages containing at least the following or similar sections: Preface, Content, Background, Method of analysis, Results, Discussion, Proposal for continued work, References, Appendix (code).
This day, May 26, is an absolute deadline for the project. If a
delay occurs all members of the group will be serverely punished at
the grading of the course.
Critical reflection
Each participant shall write a critical reflection of another
groups work. Which group you shall review is determined by the
examiner. The reflection ought to contain a brief description of
how you perceive that the goal of the project has been achieved
and if the results have been what was wished for. You should also
critically check the methodology and the model that has been
used. You can also comment if you would have attacked the problem
differently. This reflection shall be about 1 page long, and has
to be handed in Friday May 30 at the latest.
Feedback
Each participant shall after the project answer a survey to facilitate the individual grading of the course and in a formal way give feedback to the other group members about their views on the individual performances. The questions will typically be of the type:
- For each member of your group (including yourself) we ask you to give feedbac on their
- Theoretical contribution (analysis)
- Practical contribution (problem solving)
- Social contribution (enthusiasm, ability to cooperate, conflict solving)
- Administrative contribution (planning, leadership)
- Other contributions.
- We also ask you to propose a grade on yourself and your group members. For each group member you will be asked to grade
- knowledge on for the project relevant decision support models,
- ability write concise and informative reports,
- ability to orally present questions at issue and results,
- and to propose a grade for the person in the group.
The feedback will not be anonymous but all answers will be available to all group members. However, the grade proposals will not be publicly announced.
Also the feedback is a course requirement in the meaning that it is compulsary but it will not be graded.
Bilda
The course is an activity in Bilda. Log in with your KTH
username. All hand-ins are expected through these pages.
There are also notice boards, discussion fora, etc. All information will be posted there.
Schedule
| Day | Date | Time | Room | Subject | Presenter |
|---|
| Mo | 31/3 | 13-15 | E34 | Introduction | UB |
| We | 2/4 | 13-15 | D41 | Theory | UB |
| We | 9/4 | 10-12 | E53 | Theory/Start up | UB |
| Mo | 14/4 | 10-12 | E53 | Discussions | UB |
| We | 16/4 | 10-12 | D41 | Discussions | UB |
| We | 23/4 | 10-12 | D35 | Discussions | UB |
| Mo | 28/4 | 10-12 | E34 | Half time report | You |
| We | 7/5 | 10-12 | D41 | Discussions | UB |
| Mo | 12/5 | 10-12 | E34 | Discussions | UB |
| Mo | 26/5 | 10-12 | Seminar room | Final report | You |
In excess of the listed times above the examiner is available for questions, discussion and supervision in his office every Tuesday and Friday 13-16. You can also book appointments for other times.
Grading
The course will be graded with a grade A-F.
The examiner will grad all parts of the course requirements with a number between 0 and 100.
The different parts will then be weighted together in the following proportions.
| Part | Proportion |
|---|
| Application + CV | 10% |
| Protocols | 20% |
| Project plan | 10% |
| Half time report | 20% |
| Final report | 30% |
| Critical reflection | 10% |
As a guide you should have an average of 70 for the grade E, 82 for a grade C and 94 for a grade A.
The feedback from the group members and your partipation at oral
presentations and lectures will also influence your grade.
|
