Unit 22: Application Development

Unit code Y/618/7436

Unit level 5

Credit value 15

Introduction

Application development is a process of planning, creating, testing, and

deploying an information system. Often applications are developed to automate
a process, build a product to address business need or to get ahead of the
competition by being innovative. Professionalism and critical thinking supported
by an ability to work independently and as part of a team are core skills for a
developer.
This unit introduces students to application development. It is designed to
simulate the roles and responsibilities of a commercial developer working in a
suitable business environment, with access to a small team of colleagues. Initially,
students are introduced to a business-related problem and will need to adopt and
use appropriate methods and practices to analyse, break down and discuss the
issues – then decide, design, create and test a possible solution. Students should
be free to debate, evaluate and select different design and development
methodologies, depending on their own judgement and consideration.
Among the topics included in this unit are design and developer documentation;
problem analysis; research, system and user requirements; design
methodologies and principles; security considerations; development
methodologies; software development lifecycles; teamwork, peer reviews,
development tools and techniques; integrated development environments;
debugging, testing, software versions and quality assurance.
On successful completion of this unit, students will be able to produce a software
design document by analysing a business-related problem and deduce an
appropriate solution, including a set of initial requirements. They will be able to
select and use design and development methodologies, with tools and techniques
associated with the creation of a business application. They will also be able to
work individually and as part of a team to plan, prepare and produce a functional
business application with support documentation, and assess and plan
improvements to a business application by evaluating its performance against its
software design document and initial requirements. As a result, students will
develop skills such as communication literacy, critical thinking, analysis,
reasoning and interpretation, which are crucial for gaining employment and
developing academic competence.

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Learning Outcomes
By the end of this unit students will be able to:
LO1 Produce a software design document for a business-related problem based
on requirements
LO2 Research design and development tools and methodologies for the creation
of a business application
LO3 Plan and produce a functional business application with support
documentation LO4 Evaluate the performance of a business application against its
software design
document and initial requirements.

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Essential Content

LO1 Produce a software design document for a business-related problem based on

requirements

Business-related problem and solutions:

Problem definition statement including highlighting and describing the

issues that need to be addressed.
Consider possible business application solutions which address
problem. Predict the overall success of the application.

Produce a software design document:

Proposed solution including relevant details on requirements, system

analysis, system design, coding, testing and implementation.
The value of software design documents with regard to application development.
Research and use information relating to software testing to create a
suitable test plan for a business application.

LO2 Research design and development tools and methodologies for the creation of
a business application

Discuss different design and development methodologies:

Consider current design and development methodologies e.g. Agile,

DevOps, Rapid Application Development (RAD), Waterfall
Strengths and weaknesses commonly associated with each methodology.
Security implications of design and development methodologies.
Selection of a design and development methodology for use with the
creation of a proposed application development.

Use appropriate tools and techniques:

Different tools and techniques available to create a business application.

Advantages and disadvantages of your preferred or selected tools and
techniques.

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LO3 Plan and produce a functional business application with support
documentation

Work as a small team to plan and prepare a business application:

Peer review a development plan.

Interpret and implement a given design whist remaining compliant with
security and maintainability requirements.
Communicate and defend effectively the ideas in a software design document.
Discuss differences with regards to the possible strengths and weakness of each
software design document.
Modify software design document to reflect any new insights or considerations.

Prepare and produce a functional business application:

Use a software design document with a preferred design and development

methodology and selected tools and techniques.
Functional business application including data set for testing.
Apply appropriate algorithms, logic and data structures as required in the
development of an application.
Build, manage and deploy code for the business application into a relevant
environment and link code to data sets.
Create and quality check appropriate support documents for an application.

LO4 Evaluate the performance of a business application against its software

design document and initial requirements

Assess the performance of a business application:

Factors that influence the performance of a business application with regard

to its system requirements.
Review of the performance and development of a developed application
against all identified factors and any adopted design and development
methodologies.
Measure the overall success of the application against original prediction
and identify any new areas of personal insight.

Plan improvements to a business application:

Strengths and weaknesses of a business application against its software design

document and initial requirements.
Detailed planning of possible revisions (including implementation) in terms of
improving application’s performance.

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Learning Outcomes and Assessment Criteria

Pass Merit Distinction

LO1 Produce a software design document for a business-
related problem based on requirements

P1 Produce a well-defined M1 Analyse a business- D1 Evaluate the solution

problem definition related problem using to a business-related
statement, supported by a appropriate methods to problem and the
set of user and system produce a well-structured preferred software
requirements for a software design development
business problem. document. methodology by
comparing the various
P2 Review areas of risk software development
related to the successful tools and techniques
development of a researched.
proposed application.

LO2 Research design and development tools and

methodologies for the creation of a business application

P3 Research the use of M2 Justify the software

software development development tools and
tools and techniques for development methodology
the development of a selected.
proposed application.

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Pass Merit Distinction
LO3 Plan and produce a functional business application
with support documentation

P4 Conduct a peer review M3 Interpret peer-review D2 Justify improvements

of the problem definition feedback and identify to the business
statement, proposed opportunities not previously application system made
solution and development considered. because of feedback and
strategy, documenting any also feedback which was
M4 Develop a functional not acted upon, including
feedback given.
business application based opportunities for
P5 Develop a functional on a specific software improvement and further
business application design document, with development.
with support supportive evidence of
documentation based using the preferred tools,
on a specified business techniques and
problem. methodologies.

LO4 Evaluate the performance of a business application

against its software design document and initial
requirements

P6 Review the M5 Critically review the

performance of the design, development
business application and testing stages of
against the problem the application
definition statement and development process
initial requirements. including risks.