Q: How much will I use the web in the SWPM courses?

A: You will use the web to download student copies of the course notes (usually done before watching the lecture), to look at frequently asked questions, to download occasional reference materials that may be placed on the web for certain courses, and to download exercises. You may also use the web to upload exercises if you want to have them evaluated, and you can use the web to send email to the instructor.

Q: Do I use the web during the broadcasts?

A: No. You use it before (to download notes and exercises) and afterwards (to submit exercises for evaluation, to look at frequently asked questions, etc.)

Q: The SWPM program is described as "based on" some SMU graduate courses. What are the differences? Who should take the graduate courses and who should take SWPM?

A: Similarities:

Both are aimed at working professionals seeking continuing education in software project management and related topics. Both are available through NTU broadcast or via videotape. Both cover roughly the same topics.

A: Differences:

There are significant differences in terms of the amount of student work required, the depth of coverage of some topics, and certain format and timing aspects.

In terms of format, SWPM is offered in 2 hour units whereas the graduate courses are offered in 3 hour lectures. The graduate courses have a fixed period when assignments and exams are to be completed, whereas SWPM courses may be taken at any time and the exercises may be completed at any time. Exercises may be submitted (by registered students) for evaluation at any time, so long as the program is still being offered. (In practical terms, this means for at least a year after the initial broadcast, and probably longer.)

A: Who should take:

The graduate courses are intended for those seeking an advanced degree or in-depth coverage. They involve a lot of homework, require the student to take exams and do research, and will result in a grade as well as credit toward a masters degree from NTU or SMU. SWPM is aimed those who do not have the time or inclination to do a lot of homework or research, are not seeking a formal degree, who wish to select only certain topics, and/or who need a more flexible delivery format.

Q: What is the difference in content between SWPM and the graduate courses upon which SWPM is based? What would I get if I took the graduate courses that I would not get from the SWPM series - or vice versa?

A: SWPM is based on two courses in the SMU masters program in software engineering: Software Project Planning and Management (corresponds roughly to the first two series of SWPM) and Software Metrics and Quality Engineering (corresponds roughly to the third and fourth series of SWPM). Together the two graduate level courses amount to 28 3-hour lectures, including a certain amount of interaction with "live" students. Each student does a series of assignments and papers that serve to provide a more comprehensive learning experience. SWPM consists of about 30 2-hour lectures (roughly 3/4 as much content as the graduate courses), with all interaction occurring separately via email. Each student has an optional exercise for each lecture, but these are not as extensive as the assignments in the graduate courses. So the differences are:

- SWPM permits one to "pick and choose" if not all topics are desired, or to take some topics now and others later.

- there are several topics covered in the graduate courses that are not covered in SWPM. For example, an in-depth review of the SEI CMM and detailed discussion of ways to model processes

- the exercises in SWPM involve considerably less work than the student assignments in the graduate courses

- for example, in SWPM's course on effort estimating, the exercise involves filling numbers into a spreadsheet that is downloaded. In the graduate course, the student develops the spreadsheet from scratch, estimates a more complex case study, and provides a detailed estimating report

- in the graduate courses the student is expected to do a certain amount of research into various topics and to write term papers and such, which are not required in SWPM

- the student gets a grade in the graduate courses based on their performance on exams and assignments, whereas SWPM involves only the evaluation of optional exercises (no grades).

Q: If I have already taken the graduate courses on which it is based, will I get any benefit from taking SWPM? What about the other way around?

A:If you have already taken the graduate courses, SWPM would serve primarily as a refresher and perhaps as an update if you took the courses several years ago. If you took SWPM and later took the graduate courses, you would find that you have already heard much of what is in the lectures (but not all) but would still have a lot of homework to do.

Q: If I take SWPM do I get any "credit" towards a degree or towards the graduate courses?

A: No, but the courses would be a bit easier. You can earn "continuing education units" (CEUs) for taking SWPM courses.

Q: What is the difference between "evaluating" an exercise (from SWPM) and "grading" an assignment, as in a normal credit course?

A: The evaluation done for SWPM exercises will typically result in a series of comments and suggestions, which is similar to grading of an assignment in a normal course. However no grade is assigned. You might think of the SWPM exercises as "Pass/Fail" assignments. In fact, you cannot "fail" an SWPM exercise, but you must get a satisfactory evaluation if you are seeking the "Certificate of Completion" that is offered to students who complete the entire program. If you are not seeking this certificate (for example, if you are not taking the complete program), then exercises are entirely optional.

Q: I notice there are individual and group exercises. Are group exercises evaluated, or only individual ones?

A: Only individual exercises are evaluated in a "formal" manner (that is, records are kept of which students have had their exercises evaluated) and only individual exercises matter if you are seeking a "Certificate of Completion". Group exercises are normally intended to stimulate discussion within a group and to give the group an opportunity to apply techniques in a group setting. However you may submit questions regarding group exercises and they will be answered.