64-851-P Project M-Lab: Innovation Lab for App Development

Instructors: Prof. Dr. Walid Maalej

Event type: Project

Displayed in timetable as: MProj - Mobis

Hours per week: 6

Language of instruction: German/English

Min. | Max. participants: - | 15

Comments/contents:
"Tell me and I will forget, show me and I will remember, involve me and I will understand, step back and I will act" – Confucius

 That is the guiding principle of M-Lab.

 In this teaching and innovation laboratory students develop innovative apps in small teams, under real conditions and tight project deadlines, for real customers from industry, society and the public sector. They experience the latest technologies and development tools, and the theory and methods of software engineering and project management. They also make valuable experience in teamwork and in communication with the "clients".

M-Lab consists of two parts: a practical part and a theoretical part. In the practical part, the teams will work on a software project and go through all phases of software development, including problem definition, requirements gathering, analysis, design, implementation, integration, testing, software delivery and presentation. A company, an association, or an authority will provide the project goals. In the theoretical part, each project phase of the software life cycle will be discussed and reflected. The topics will be timed to correspond to the expected project progress of the team. The teams will give a presentation on each topic (e.g., requirements analysis) and the theoretical elements (e.g., methods, tools, procedures) that are suited best for the project and why. Their challenges, current and past project decisions, as well as the alternative options they have considered, will be discussed and reflected with the teaching assistants and the other teams.

The students may have different major fields of study, such as computer science, human-machine communication, IT Management and Consulting, or business computer science. Students from other disciplines with computer science as a minor may also participate.

Preconditions:

• Passed the courses Software Engineering I and II
  
• Basic knowledge in at least one object oriented programming language (e.g. Java, Swift or Objective-C)
  
• High motivation and commitment
  

• A video about M-Lab:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-X7tBLWCZS8
  
• The trailers of recent projects can be seen on our YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJwkoH3PjjUETGX68e1G2Nw?feature=watch
  

• The experiences that the students make in their projects convey successfully the theoretical foundations for software project development and management.
  
• The real problems and real project context (e.g. real data, deadlines, infrastructure) motivate the students and give them a sense of responsibility and challenge.
  
• The project concept allows students to experience real teamwork. They improve their communication and presentation skills.
  
• A healthy competition between the different teams about who delivers and presents the best results.
  
• Not least, the results are often very useful and can lead to real products, startups in cooperation with the customer, job offers, or open source solutions, e.g., for environmental protection (Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU) e.V., M-Lab Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=96ACdKBrSos).