COMPSYS 301 : Design: Hardware Software Systems

Engineering

2025 Semester Two (1255) (15 POINTS)

Course Prescription

An appreciation of the engineering design process as applied to computer systems. Design skills are enhanced through engineering projects which typically include elements of: computer hardware/software design, system design and control, sensing, actuation and interfacing. Professional issues introduced in ENGGEN 204 and 303 (health and safety, ethics, sustainability, cultural diversity/awareness, communication, leadership, teamwork, financial awareness) are reinforced and developed.

Course Overview

The course focuses on a small team of students engaging to solve a problem that does not have a unique solution. The problem is loosely defined and the team will be expected to evaluate several solutions by both analysis and lab based empirical verification. The teams will be given an incomplete kit, to which they will be expected to make additions that they think are necessary to solve the problem(s). These additions include building electronic circuits, interfacing these to a microcontroller as well as writing low and high level code (usually in C).

The theoretical knowledge required is largely based on prior courses. The lecture content is focused on the kit, the technology and the requirements. The content-rich lectures will be delivered in the first few weeks after which we have discussions/QA sessions during the lecture periods.  

This is a laboratory intensive course and hence there are regular (weekly) laboratory sessions averaging at 5 hrs hrs/week - during which TA support will be available for some of the time. There are regular tutorial or Q/A sessions every week. 

The expected workload is 150 hours across the semester: 20hrs for lectures, 60 hrs for lab based project work, 20 hrs for group meetings, 20 hrs for tutorials, 10 hours for assessments and 20 hrs for reflection and analysis of the experimental findings. 

Course Requirements

Prerequisite: COMPSYS 305, and COMPSYS 209 or ELECTENG 209, and COMPSYS 202 or SOFTENG 281

Capabilities Developed in this Course

Capability 2: Sustainability
Capability 3: Knowledge and Practice
Capability 4: Critical Thinking
Capability 6: Communication
Capability 7: Collaboration

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this course, students will be able to:
  1. Understand and critically evaluate the project brief and hence 1) Create a detailed set of specifications and 2) Create a project plan for the completion of the objectives. (Capability 2.1, 3.1, 3.2 and 4.1)
  2. Working in a team to partition a big problem into smaller tasks, to create specifications of the subtasks and integrate subtasks (Capability 6.1 and 7.1)
  3. Justify and communicate their solution by oral presentation, with a technical report and a demonstration. (Capability 3.1, 3.2, 4.1, 4.2, 6.1 and 7.1)
  4. Demonstrate skills in Electronic Design, Embedded System Design and Software Design by effective use of data sheets, interface mixed signals, write real-time software, integrate electronic/computer/software subsystems, debug problem and quantify performance (Capability 7.1)

Assessments

Assessment Type Percentage Classification
Discussions 10% Individual Coursework
Practical 40% Group Coursework
Test 40% Individual Coursework
Reports 10% Group Coursework
Assessment Type Learning Outcome Addressed
1 2 3 4
Discussions
Practical
Test
Reports
  • Deadlines are strict and late submission will be handled on a case-by-case basis. 
  • A passing mark is 50% or higher, according to University policy.

Workload Expectations

This course is a standard 15 point course and students are expected to spend 10 hours per week involved in each 15 point course that they are enrolled in.

For this course, you can expect a weekly average of 1 lecture (1hr), 1 tutorial (hr), 2-3 hours of reading and thinking about the content and 4-5 hours of work on design related laboratory work and/or preparation for various assessments. In practice, the lecturing load is 'top-heavy' and most of the lectures are given in the first 2-3 weeks.

Delivery Mode

Campus Experience

Attendance is required at scheduled activities including labs/tutorials to complete components of the course.
Lectures will be available as recordings. 
Attendance on campus is required for the test.
The activities for the course are scheduled as a standard weekly timetable.

Learning Resources

Course materials are made available in a learning and collaboration tool called Canvas which also includes reading lists and lecture recordings (where available).

Please remember that the recording of any class on a personal device requires the permission of the instructor.

Ken Hurst. Engineering Design Principles. Arnold, 1999.

Tom DeMarco and Timothy Lister. Peopleware: productive projects and teams. Dorset House Pub. Co., 1987. [In the library. Great ideas about team work.]

Clive L. Dunn. Engineering Design: A Synthesis of Views. 1994. Cambridge. [In the library. Useful and thoughtful book about the design process.]

Kim R. Fowler. Electronic Instrument Design. Architecting for the life cycle. Oxford University Press. 1996. [An excellent book with good material relevant to electronics design. Should also be available in the bookstore.]

Paul Horowitz and Winfield Hill. The Art of Electronics. 2nd ed. Cambridge. 1989. [A good practical electronics book. Available in the library.]

Heather Silyn-Roberts. Writing for Science. 1996. Addison Longman. [In the library. Reference for report writing, by our own colleague in the School.]

 

Health & Safety

Students must ensure they are familiar with their Health and Safety responsibilities, as described in the university's Health and Safety policy. To enable this, you will be required to complete the standard MDLS Health and Safety requirements and strictly abide by any new requirements that eventuate. 

In addition, you are expected to adhere to the guidelines outlined in the Health and Safety section of the Engineering Undergraduate Handbook.

Student Feedback

At the end of every semester students will be invited to give feedback on the course and teaching through a tool called SET or Qualtrics. The lecturers and course co-ordinators will consider all feedback and respond with summaries and actions.

Your feedback helps teachers to improve the course and its delivery for future students.

Class Representatives in each class can take feedback to the department and faculty staff-student consultative committees.

Although pedagogic objectives are well thought out, we need to find a balance with student perception. All student feedback is taken seriously and changes should be expected to find a better balance.

Based on the feedback from 2024, there were no serious issues with the course or the course delivery. This could be because we tend to be proactive during the course and adapt or address issues as they arise. Hence students are expected to engage with the lecturers and the TA's with an open and fair attitude. 


Academic Integrity

The University of Auckland will not tolerate cheating, or assisting others to cheat, and views cheating in coursework, tests and examinations as a serious academic offence. The work that a student submits for grading must be the student's own work, reflecting their learning. Where work from other sources is used, it must be properly acknowledged and referenced. A student's assessed work may be reviewed against electronic source material using computerised detection mechanisms. Upon reasonable request, students may be required to provide an electronic version of their work for computerised review.

Class Representatives

Class representatives are students tasked with representing student issues to departments, faculties, and the wider university. If you have a complaint about this course, please contact your class rep who will know how to raise it in the right channels. See your departmental noticeboard for contact details for your class reps.

Inclusive Learning

All students are asked to discuss any impairment related requirements privately, face to face and/or in written form with the course coordinator, lecturer or tutor.

Student Disability Services also provides support for students with a wide range of impairments, both visible and invisible, to succeed and excel at the University. For more information and contact details, please visit the Student Disability Services’ website http://disability.auckland.ac.nz

Special Circumstances

If your ability to complete assessed coursework is affected by illness or other personal circumstances outside of your control, contact a member of teaching staff as soon as possible before the assessment is due.

If your personal circumstances significantly affect your performance, or preparation, for an exam or eligible written test, refer to the University’s aegrotat or compassionate consideration page https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/academic-information/exams-and-final-results/during-exams/aegrotat-and-compassionate-consideration.html.

This should be done as soon as possible and no later than seven days after the affected test or exam date.

Learning Continuity

In the event of an unexpected disruption we undertake to maintain the continuity and standard of teaching and learning in all your courses throughout the year. If there are unexpected disruptions the University has contingency plans to ensure that access to your course continues and your assessment is fair, and not compromised. Some adjustments may need to be made in emergencies. You will be kept fully informed by your course co-ordinator, and if disruption occurs you should refer to the University Website for information about how to proceed.

Student Charter and Responsibilities

The Student Charter assumes and acknowledges that students are active participants in the learning process and that they have responsibilities to the institution and the international community of scholars. The University expects that students will act at all times in a way that demonstrates respect for the rights of other students and staff so that the learning environment is both safe and productive. For further information visit Student Charter https://www.auckland.ac.nz/en/students/forms-policies-and-guidelines/student-policies-and-guidelines/student-charter.html.

Disclaimer

Elements of this outline may be subject to change. The latest information about the course will be available for enrolled students in Canvas.

In this course you may be asked to submit your coursework assessments digitally. The University reserves the right to conduct scheduled tests and examinations for this course online or through the use of computers or other electronic devices. Where tests or examinations are conducted online remote invigilation arrangements may be used. The final decision on the completion mode for a test or examination, and remote invigilation arrangements where applicable, will be advised to students at least 10 days prior to the scheduled date of the assessment, or in the case of an examination when the examination timetable is published.