Skip to content

Unit 4: Development and Evaluation

The second part of the SAT is where you turn your Unit 3 work into a working software solution and then evaluate it.

In this stage, you:

  • develop the software solution using your SRS and detailed designs
  • test the solution to make sure it meets requirements and is usable
  • evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of the solution
  • assess how well your project plan managed the project

As you work, keep monitoring, modifying and annotating your project plan. You can update tasks, time allocations and notes through journals or work logs.

Established and Innovative Development Approaches

Code repositories

Code repositories support version control, collaboration and transparency. They also allow developers to build and test changes without affecting the main codebase until those changes are reviewed and merged.

Examples named in the study-design document:

  • Git
  • GitHub
  • BitBucket
  • SourceForge

Assessment rule

Code repositories can be used during normal teaching and learning so students can practise key knowledge. They must not be used for work completed as part of assessment, because teachers need to authenticate student work.

APIs and libraries

APIs and libraries are both key development tools.

  • APIs allow systems and solutions to interact and communicate. Examples named in the document include REST, SOAP, operating system APIs, GraphQL, webhooks, serverless APIs and API gateways.
  • Libraries provide reusable code for common tasks. The document names standard libraries, third-party libraries such as NumPy, modularisation, micro-libraries, AI-generated libraries and community-driven libraries.

Challenges connected to APIs and libraries include:

  • complexity
  • dependency management
  • security risks from APIs and outdated libraries
  • versioning and compatibility

AI-based assistants

AI-based assistants are increasingly built into development environments. They use artificial intelligence, natural language processing and machine learning to observe developer actions and respond to prompts.

Benefits listed in the document include:

  • increased productivity and efficiency
  • support for problem-solving and innovation
  • reduced development costs
  • code generation and suggestions
  • automated debugging and testing
  • automated generation and improvement of internal documentation

Challenges listed in the document include:

  • lack of accuracy and context awareness
  • over-reliance on AI assistants
  • cost of integration
  • accidental introduction of security vulnerabilities
  • copyright and intellectual property theft
  • bias in training data
  • environmental impact

Examples named in the document:

  • GitHub Copilot
  • Tabnine
  • Synk
  • TensorFlow
  • Codeium

Broader Unit 4 legislation and framework revision

The software tools and outcome-specific requirements document also points students to key legislation and industry frameworks linked to Unit 4 study:

  • Copyright Act 1968 (Cwlth)
  • Privacy Act 1988 (Cwlth): Unit 4 Area of Study 2 APP 1, 6, 8, 9, 11
  • Privacy and Data Protection Act 2014: Unit 4 Area of Study 2 IPP 1, 2, 4, 5, 9
  • Essential Eight
  • Information Security Manual (ISM) Guidelines for Software Development, especially development / testing / production environments, secure software design and development, and application security testing

For the full reference, including Unit 3 links and legislation URLs, see Software Tools and Outcome-Specific Requirements.