Module Review for AY15/16 SEM2

Overview of Modules

AY15/16
IE2100 Probability Models with Applications
IE2130 Quality Engineering I
IE2150 Human Factors Engineering
CS2103 Software Engineering

**This review is based only on my personal opinions and experience.**

Took 3 ISE modules this semester, almost finished the entire set of common ISE modules. Also took CS2103 as a technical Elective. None of the ISE modules this semester are webcasted.


IE2100 Probability Models with Applications

Another very standard mathematical module. Main topics involve DTMC, Poisson processes, birth-death processes and queues. 

The topics are very analytical, but a lot of math is skipped in particular when deriving the models and some of the methods used for calculation. The topics tested are rather light and most of the difficult materials are not tested, making this module very manageable. 


IE2130 Quality Engineering I 

This module teaches the tools employed by quality engineers. The main topics are Quality Management, Control Charts, Process Capability Analysis and Acceptance Sampling.

The module does not demand very good statistics background as the statistical methods covered are quite basic and easy to understand. It is a rather interesting topic, and the module does not go to in-depth theoretically/conceptually and is more focused on applications.

IE2150 Human Factors Engineering

HFE is a collection of a huge number of topics. The module exposes to select topics involving human cognition and mental model, displays and controls, anthropology and human error. Research and observational study methods and practices were introduced at the beginning of the module. The topics chosen were sufficiently wide, you will most likely find a few topics of interest.

This module is one of the very few non-mathematical and analytical modules we have in ISE. I found it to be one of the more interesting modules. We also had to do a project to go through the design methodology. The approach for the project is rather focused on user experience. You can pretty much choose any topic to work on and then go and observe and interview users if you go out for it. I had a really fun group and topic which made the project interesting. 

Assessments are well distributed across the semester making no component especially heavy or light. Exams are writing based where you just need to either remember key concepts and principles and regurgitate them. Not a fun exam at all but at least you barely need to touch the calculator throughout the module. 

CS2103 Software Engineering

Reasons for taking this as my technical elective: 
At this stage, you are likely to have cleared all prerequisites for this module, making it easy to take this module in stage 2. This module used to be core for ISE, Software engineering is perhaps very commonly encountered in developing tech companies, and it is good to learn some software engineering practices as an ISE students since we are likely to work with software as well.

This module's information could be found online with a simple search, as the instructor posts a comprehensive teaching outline for the entire semester as the weeks goes by. In short, the module touched on introductory aspects of software design, implementation and testing practices. These knowledge are very useful in giving a glance to how software is developed. Interested students can pick up from here and work towards becoming a good software engineering. Many of my friends who have done the module have gone on to take up an internship in a software engineering role.

The module is taught primarily through a project component and lecture details. Both are useful and coming from ISE, I am glad to be exposed to the topic in such a structured manner with good selection of topics on my own. The module promotes self-learning and how much you learn is really dependent on time and effort put in. 

Software engineering is quite different from the algorithmic programming done in CS1020 and CS1010. It is also good general knowledge to understand the workflow and methods of how software is being developed.

Overview of Semester

Starting from the next semester, will be beginning to take ISE electives. There doesn't seem to be much choices though.

Workload is not particularly heavy in this semester, personally enjoyed the CS module and highly recommend it.