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CS8803-MDS

Progress Report

DUE FRIDAYS AT 5:00PM FOR ASSIGNMENTS 2 (OCTOBER 21), 3 (OCTOBER 28), 4 (NOVEMBER 4), 5 (NOVEMBER 11), 6 (NOVEMBER 18).

Table of contents

At this point, your goal shifts to making progress on your project. Each week for the next five weeks, we will ask you to share an update on your team’s progress during the week, and plans for the next week.

Part 1: Vectoring

Start the week by meeting with your team to perform vectoring. What is currently the riskiest unanswered question in your project? What is core to answering that question, and what is periphery?

Part 2: Plan

Your answer to the vectoring question should make clear what you need to focus on. Identify a goal that your team thinks is achievable in one week to reduce the risk on the dimension of your selected vector.

Part 3: Report

Meet with your group to perform vectoring for the next week. How far did you get, benchmarked against the goal you set? What is your new vector (in other words, what is now the riskiest unanswered question in your project)?

Your progress report should have the following sections, with a a few sentences for each section:

  • This week’s vector: what is the vector, and why is that the riskiest unanswered question right now? (In future weeks, it will be fine to copy-paste this section from the “next week’s vector” section of last week’s progress report.)
  • This week’s plan: What is core and periphery, given that vector? What was your concrete goal to achieve by the end of the week to reduce uncertainty in that vector? (In future weeks, it will be fine to copy-paste this section from the “next week’s plan” section of last week’s progress report.)
  • This week’s result: What happened? Did this reduce uncertainty in the vector you selected?
  • Next week’s vector: what is the vector, and why is that the riskiest unanswered question given what you learned this week?
  • Next week’s plan: What is core and periphery, given that vector? What is your concrete goal to achieve by the end of the week to reduce uncertainty in that vector?
  • One sentence per person: what that individual did this week Execute that plan this week.

Submission and Grading

Submit your weekly report on gradescope. Only one submission is required per group. Your progress report will be graded on the following rubric:

  • Vector: Did you select a vector that captures the main source of uncertainty in your project right now? (1pt)
  • Plan: Did you create a plan that should reduce uncertainty in that vector? Is that plan achievable in a week? (1pt)
  • Velocity: Did you make reasonable progress on your plan? We assume that plans may need to evolve as the week goes and you may need to re-vector midweek. We’re not grading on whether you stuck exactly to the plan, but on whether you maintained high velocity on your project. (2pt)