How to prepare a project report for your final year project

You can follow the below order and content for preparing your final project report: Table of Contents Abstract You begin your Final Report with a Abstract. Write this section last as it is here that you will step back and give an overview of what has been achieved. In one page, certainly not more than two, list the main features of your project, what problem you were solving and how you solved it. Introduction How did the problem originally present itself to you in the first place, and how did it evolve over the course of the project. Give a detailed summary of the problem as well as a review of the literature or the market survey. The Solution Describe your solution in detail. You may refer to the Appendix for detailed program code or other technical materials, but some summary or overview diagrams of the solution should be placed in the body of the report. This will help the reader get a sense for the overall structure of the solution. The Implementation Process/Results Describe the process you went through to complete the project and compare what actually happened with the goals you were trying to achieve. Highlight any major variations from your original plans. Discuss the behavior of the finished program, and show some of its functionality. Conclusion What has been accomplished and what are the major things that you learned from this project? What work still needs to be done on the system and how can it be improved and/or enhanced? Do you have any future plans for this software package? References Include here all materials referenced within your report. Appendix Some of the minute detail of the sections above can be relegated to the Appendix and referenced from the body of the report. Include all relevant documentation, computer coding, screen shots, etc. In summary, the Final Report should be written in the style of a finished and fully polished document that you would be willing to show to either a prospective employer or the admissions officer of an PG College.

Steps involved in doing a Mini / Final Year Project

You need to structure your work in order to meet the goals of your mini or final year project. The below process could guide you through the various stages of the project, and at the same time help you to achieve its purposes. The process involves the following steps: (i) Developing your project proposal (ii) Developing your problem description (iii) Following the objectives

(iv) Presenting and analysing your data (v) Drawing your conclusions and identifying future work if any (vi) Presenting and defending your work orally (vii) Preparing your final version of the report The process has three checkpoints where the examiner or the supervisor performs a quality control. These checkpoints come after steps (i), (ii) and (v). The first two checkpoints assess the quality of the proposed project and the problem description. The third checkpoint is the last quality control before the work is presented and defended. The reason for these early checkpoints is based on experience; a good start is facilitated by a strong project proposal and problem description. If the project has a good problem description with clearly defined goals, then the rest of the work becomes easier; it is easy to keep focused. You may have heard the saying: knowing the problem well is like having half the solution. This is very often true. Finally, after step (vii) there is a final examination where the examiner recommends or decides the grade for your work.

Choosing a Topic for your Final Year Project

The first step is to select a teammate and pick a topic that you would enjoy working. Start thinking about possible topics well before the project course begins. Consider ideas that sound interesting because of a desire to know more about a subject, a desire to learn how to use a particular software package, or a goal of working professionally in this area after graduation. Perhaps you would like to investigate a research idea presented in one of your classes. Whatever the reason, the project topic should be something that you and your teammates choose rather than something assigned to you. It is much more enjoyable to put in time on a project if it is yours rather than someone elses. You can think of developing a system or application that is applicable in real life situation. For this you can find a company, and develop a useful software for them. Chances are, you might be hired once you finish your studies. Start by reading technical books, professional articles, or interesting Web pages. Talk with faculty and other professionalsperhaps people you are working with for Industrial Training. Your goal is to have a well-defined problem statement ready for design as early as possible.
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Problems faced in your final year project and ways to avoid them
Your academic project would be a demanding, but an exciting learning experience. However, it is not without problems which, if not identified and addressed, could seriously effect the final result and ultimately reduce your marks. Here we mentioned some of these problems and how to avoid them.
The Overachiever Problem:

A common problem is selecting a topic that is far too ambitious for the allotted time. Remember that you have only a few weeks to finish the design, development and testing of your project. Be careful not to select a topic that is unrealistically large. This can lead to frustration as well as errors caused by cutting corners and hurrying through the implementation. Discuss with your supervisor the scale of what you are planning. If he or she thinks it may be too large, consider implementing the project in stages, each complete in itself. When stage I is working move on to stage II. If you do not finish stage II, however, you still have a functioning system.
The Do It Tomorrow Problem:

The project weeks alloted for completion sounds like a long time, but it goes by quickly. You need an implementation schedule that allocates reasonable amounts of work throughout the entire semester. Then you must stick to that schedule. Dont be tempted to postpone work on the project because your due date seems so far off. All that happens is that during the final few weeks you rush madly to get something working, and project implemented in a rush rarely works correctly!
The Sleeping Member Problem:

In the ideal world, all team members have equal ability, equal interest in the problem, and work equally hard. In the real world that may not happen. You may have one (or more) team members who do not carry their share of the workload, not because of a lack of ability, but rather lack of interest or motivation. This is a serious problem because, although part of your marks is based on each individuals effort, another part is based on successfully finishing the project. A non-contributing team member can slow down or prevent completion of the work. If you have a teammate who is not doing his or her share of the work, talk to them and stress the

importance of everyone doing their job. If this does not solve the problem then talk to your supervisor. Dont let the failure of others prevent you from completing the work and receiving good marks.
The Poop Out At The End Problem:

You have worked hard for many weeks to complete the project. You have spent many late nights and chased down hundreds of bugs, but it is now working, so are you done? Absolutely not! The project evaluation is not based only on the programs you develop but also on your written reports and oral presentations. Even though you may be burned out from implementation, remember there is still work to do. Dont produce a poorly witten paper or give a poorly organized presentation. That will negate much of your good work. Put in the time needed to prepare both a well written, high-quality final report and a well organized, polished presentation. A good job on these last steps will insure that you receive the marks that fairly represents the work you have done.

Tips for Perfect Final Year Project

For an effective project, it is advisable to carry out the following activities: Defining the objectives of the project. Acquiring background information about the problem and its possible solutions. Establishing the criteria by which your solution(s) to the problem will be judged. Determining by what process the work will be carried out. Planning the detailed phases of the project. Adopting one or more design methodologies. Analysing requirements. Using (or constructing) tools. Construction of one or more artefacts (hardware, software, document). Evaluating your solution to the problem. Reporting on your work.

Whatever the nature of the problem you set out to solve, the conclusion of your project should be whether you solved it successfully or not.

THE PROJECT SUCCESS METHODSM consists of three integrated management processes by which projects are clearly defined, thoroughly planned, and proactively controlled during execution. This proven, proprietary project management methodology employs a consensusbuilding approach that promotes: 1) team ownership of the project, 2) the development of an actionable project plan, 3) team commitment to the plan, 4) a disciplined and tenacious approach to project control, and 5) a sense of mutual accountability and support within the team.

THE METHOD CONSISTS OF THREE PHASES:

1) Project Success FirstStep Process (formation of the project team, appointment of the project manager, and development of the project charter) 2) Planning Process 3) Control Process

Benefits of the Method:

CLEAR ANALYSIS and documentation of project scope, objectives, stakeholders, constraints, and risks A PARTICIPATIVE APPROACH to planning, which ensures a better plan, as well as the team members' commitment to the plan A SUPERIOR APPROACH to developing the project schedule, even with very tight deadlines CLEAR RESPONSIBILITIES and performance expectations for team members A PROACTIVE APPROACH to project control that identifies and solves problems as early as possible STRONG TEAMWORK DISCIPLINE AND CONSISTENCY of approach across all projects in the organization REDUCED CHAOS, stress, frustration, and conflict AND, THE BOTTOM LINE - projects completed successfully with respect to quality, time, and cost

The methodology is proven in practice, based on its application in thousands of strategic, complex projects in all types of business organizations. The Project Success MethodSM is essential when you cannot afford to fail on a mission critical project. PSI's Project Success Method has proven successful in complex, business-critical projects in a wide variety of industries over the last 25 years. PSI's clients include manufacturers of heavy equipment, electronics, aircraft components, paper products, beverages, and many other products. Also included are electric and gas utilities, hotel and restaurant chains, and companies in the financial services, telecommunications, real estate, entertainment, and transportation industries. The Project Success Method has proven effective in a vast array of project applications, including new product development and introduction, IT systems development and implementation, process improvement initiatives, marketing programs, engineering and

architectural design, construction and renovation, facility relocations and startups, mergers and acquisitions, major industrial maintenance, and special events. Organizations that leverage The Project Success Method achieve benefits that fall into three categories:

Project-Level Benefits Individual projects completed successfully - in accordance with scope and quality specifications, on time, and within budget.

Organizational and Personal Benefits

Documented plans and schedules Clear scope and objectives Clarified roles and performance expectations Mutual accountability and support among team members Improved communication Workload better matched to resource availability More effective problem prevention, detection, and solution Continuous improvement in project planning and execution Improved morale due to reduced frustration, stress and conflict

Strategic Benefits

Financial payoff, including reduced opportunity costs Improved quality Increased customer satisfaction and goodwill Uncovered weaknesses in organizational functions and processes, which can become targets for improvement Strategic marketing advantage