← VCE Software Development U3O2

Tracking progress with a project log

A record of each work session: the date, what was done, any problems and the next step. It shows actual progress against the plan and evidences why the plan changed.

Part of: VCE Software Development - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 20, VCE Software Development - U4O1 - development and evaluation — Module 189, VCE Data Analytics - U3O2 - Analysis and Design — Module 17, VCE Data Analytics - U4O1 - Development and Evaluation — Module 101, 9-10 Digital Technologies: Project management — Module 12

Understanding Tracking progress with a project log in VCE Software Development U3O2

What it does: Starting each entry with a date creates a timeline of the work, which is evidence of progress. Logging the problem, the fix and the change to the plan evidences your decisions and how you adapted. Recording problems and fixes shows your thinking and explains why the plan may have changed. Comparing log dates with planned dates shows whether you are on track, ahead or behind. A project log evidences why the plan changed, not just that it did. A clear next step tells you exactly where to start in the next session. Logging as you go keeps dates and details accurate. Entries written later are often incomplete or made up.

Common mistakes: A log problem must say exactly what went wrong so it can be fixed and evidenced. It should be specific, like 'Problem: Form would not submit'. The Actual line says only half the menu is finished, so the next step must be to finish the rest. It should be 'Next: Finish rest of menu'.

Class: _____________________  ·  Name: _____________________  ·  Date: _________

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This module's key terms are also in a printable crossword (Modules 12–24) and word search (Modules 2–24).

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Learning
Duo
Which entry is the better project log entry for a work session?
Did some work on the app today and it went fine.12 May: Built the login page. Problem: button did not submit. Next: fix the form code.
Matches
Log entry: Worked on the app. Next: keep going.
↓
There is no date, no detail about what was done, and the next step is vague.
Applying
Meanings
Term
project log
Meaning
A record of each work session: the date, what was done, any problems and the next step. It shows actual progress against the plan and evidences why the plan changed.
Practice
Date: 14 May
Testing
Gaps
: 12 March
Check Answer
Spots
2Done: Wrote survey questions
3Problem: stuff went wrong

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Quick Questions

1. Which entry is the better project log entry for a work session?
A. 12 May: Built the login page. Problem: button did not submit. Next: fix the form code. ✓
B. Did some work on the app today and it went fine.
A good log entry has the date, what was done, any problems and the next step. Vague entries cannot evidence progress.
2. What should every project log entry start with?
A. The final grade you hope to get
B. The date of the work session ✓
Dated entries show when work happened, so you can check actual progress against your planned timeline.
3. You hit a bug during a session. What should the log show?
A. The problem and how you fixed it (or what you will try next) ✓
B. Nothing, because logs only record things that went well
Recording problems and fixes shows your thinking and explains why the plan may have changed.
4. Your Gantt chart said the database would be finished by 20 May, but your log shows it was finished on 27 May. What does the log show?
A. Actual progress was ahead of the planned progress
B. Actual progress was behind the planned progress ✓
Comparing log dates with planned dates shows whether you are on track, ahead or behind.
5. Your team changed the plan because the chosen app tool was too hard to use. Where is the best place to evidence why?
A. In a dated project log entry that explains the problem and the change ✓
B. Nowhere, because the plan only needs to show the final version
A project log evidences why the plan changed, not just that it did.

Match the Pairs

12 Aug: Built login page. Problem: button did not work. Fix: renamed the ID. Next: test with users. → A complete project log entry with the date, what was done, a problem and its fix, and the next step
Planned: 5 tasks done. Actual: 3 done. Reason: testing took longer. → Comparing actual progress with the plan and recording why they differ
Dated entries let you see when work happened and in what order → Log entry - Tue 3 Sep: Wrote the survey questions.
Recording a problem and its fix shows how you solved issues and why the plan changed → Problem: images loaded slowly. Fix: compressed the files. Plan: add 1 day for testing.
Log entry: Worked on the app. Next: keep going. → There is no date, no detail about what was done, and the next step is vague.
Week 4: Everything went fine. (Actual progress: 2 of 6 tasks, planned: 6 of 6) → The log ignores a problem. Actual progress is behind the plan but no problem or reason for the delay is recorded.

Key Term

project log
A record of each work session: the date, what was done, any problems and the next step. It shows actual progress against the plan and evidences why the plan changed.

Fill in the Blanks

1. Date: 12 March Done: Drew the app wireframes Next step: Build the login page
Hint: Type the label that records when the work session happened.
2. Date: 14 March Problem: Login button did not work Fix: Renamed the button ID
Hint: Type the label for something that went wrong during the session.
3. Date: 19 March Done: Tested the quiz screen Next step: Fix the scoring bug
Hint: Type the label that says what to do in the following session.
4. Planned: 5 tasks done by Friday Actual: 3 tasks done Change: Move testing to Week 4
Hint: Type the label for what really happened, to compare with the plan.
5. Planned: 5 tasks Actual: 3 tasks Tasks behind: 2
Hint: Type the number of tasks by which actual progress is behind the plan.

Spot the Error

Question 1
A Date: 12 May
B Done: Wrote survey questions
C Problem: stuff went wrong
D Next: Fix the submit button
Line C — A log problem must say exactly what went wrong so it can be fixed and evidenced. It should be specific, like 'Problem: Form would not submit'.
Question 2
A Date: 14 May
B Planned: Finish menu page
C Actual: Finished half of it
D Next: Nothing, I am done
Line D — The Actual line says only half the menu is finished, so the next step must be to finish the rest. It should be 'Next: Finish rest of menu'.
Question 3
A Date: sometime this week
B Done: Drew app wireframes
C Problem: Colours hard to read
D Next: Test new colour pairs
Line A — Each log entry needs an exact date so progress can be tracked and checked later. It should be a specific date like 'Date: 19 May 2025'.
Question 4
A Date: 21 May
B Done: Coded the quiz scoring
C Problem: Score showed NaN
D Fix: Nothing, ignored it
Line D — A fix must record what was actually done to solve the problem. Ignoring it leaves no evidence of a solution. It should be something like 'Fix: Changed text to number'.
Question 5
A Date: 26 May
B Done: Will test game levels
C Problem: Level 3 too hard
D Next: Lower enemy speed
Line B — 'Done' records work already completed in the session, so it must be in the past tense. It should be 'Done: Tested the game levels'.

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