4. Answer the questions to the text:

1. What is the idea behind Test Driven Development?

2. What are the main benefits of using Agile Methods?

3. What is the main aim of introducing the SPICE standard?

4. What is the aim of utilizing the Six Sigma methodology, and how can it help the performance of some kinds of companies?

5. Which of the software development steps involve most contact with the customer? (possible topic for discussion)

6. What kind of project often requires the use of the Waterfall Process of software development?

7. What is the function of requirements management, mentioned in reference to the Waterfall Process?

8. With reference to Iterative processes, what is agile development mainly based on?

9. What condition must the coding process fulfil before it can be completed?

5. Work in two teams: a/b. Group a are the customers, group b the developers:

• Imagine how the iterative process of development works on any application (e.g. building a house) and simulate it. Prepare a very short report which sums up the negotiations between the teams.

• Prepare a comparison between Iterative and Waterfall processes. Write it down in table form. Focusing on the differences, answer the following questions:

1. Which features of these techniques do you think are better?

2. Do you use any of them? Which ones and why?

2. 6. Discuss the following questions:

1. Do you agree with the critics of the iterative processes?

2. What are the steps of software development that are indispensable for creating a good academic project?

3. Imagine that you are the manager of a team of several people. Write the outline of a project that you have heard about during your studies. How would you divide the work within your team to make the final product perfect?

29. Text 30. HOW TO GIVE A SUCCESSFUL PRESENTATION

1. 1. Read the text:

2. Practical information

   1. Pre-preparation. Selecting the topic and materials

An essential task at the pre-preparatory stage is to ask yourself the following questions:

• What is the purpose of my presentation?

• What are the main points that I would like to get across?

Start getting ready for your presentation a few weeks before you are due to speak.

Collect the materials on which you would like to base your presentation.

Make a careful selection from the collected materials.

Prepare a reliable bibliography (the author’s name, the title of the article/book, the year of its publication, the website address, when the material was retrieved, etc.).

From the material select the keywords for your presentation and do not forget to put them on the handout.

1. Preparation

• Make the first plan of the presentation (you can modify it later)

• Remember to give your presentation a logical structure: Introduction - tell the audience what you’re going to say Main Body - say it, developing the above mentioned issue(s). Conclusions - sum up what you’ve just said

• Make the first draft of your presentation. Read it carefully. If any of the information is not related to the topic, remove it.

• If there are issues which you cannot express in a precise or clear way, it is probably because you do not really understand them yourself. So it is better not to talk about them.

• Never read from your notes. You should know the material you want to present well enough not to need your notes. If you don't, perhaps you're not ready to give your presentation.

• Prepare a set of numbered cue cards, on which you can write the main points and/or keywords and which will help you during the presentation. Make sure that on the cue card you've marked the appropriate visual aid (a transparency or slide) which you are going to refer to in your presentation.

• Find time to rehearse again and again! By doing that you will make yourself familiar with your own voice, be able to check and adjust how long your presention takes and see whether the visual aids (if you use them) actually illustrate your presentation and whether you are coordinating them with the points you want to make. If you have problems with the foreign language in which you are presenting the material, it might be better not to use visuals at all. The chances of something going wrong are greater than if you concentrate solely on the oral aspect of the presentation.

• Keep to the time! Do not exceed the time limit. It is better to shorten the presentation by two minutes than to extend it by two minutes. Remember that exceeding the time limit may mean taking the next speaker’s time. And this is really unfair!

• Follow the plan of your presentation! Do not digress! Usually digressions take more time than we think. Successful presenters have “spontaneous digressions” well thought over and well planned.

• Leave time for questions from the audience. Questions may help you to get your message across better.

• Design good visuals to help you get your message across more efficiently. Remember that tatty visuals will leave a similar impression on the listeners. Visual aids should speak for themselves in illustrating your point. Give listeners time to take them in. Reading out what you have written on a transparency or slide is counterproductive. Visuals are always welcome – they may help to catch the audience’s attention, but if you do not feel comfortable with them, give yourself more time for practice.