Synoptic Project - 2025 entry

This module involves project work, completed as part of your normal day-to-day work, in which you apply the skills and knowledge that you have acquired during the course. The aim of this module is to provide you with the opportunity to demonstrate excellence and mastery in the practice of your occupational specialism, building on the work you have done in your reflective practice modules.

The project should relate to one of the specialisms in the standard. A high-level description of typical projects is given below for each specialism:

- Software Engineer

The primary role of the Software Engineer is to undertake all requirements during the solution development life-cycle from gathering requirements to analysis, design, code, build, test, implementation and support. They may also be required to supervise the work of junior software developers and others who may be working on elements of the solution and work with product managers and UX designers in implementing solutions. They will apply software engineering principles to all stages of the solution life cycle, from gathering requirements, undertaking analysis and design, development of code and data requirements whilst also ensuring security feature are addressed. As well as creating new code, they can support existing code by troubleshooting, reverse engineering and conducting root cause analysis. They typically work as part of a large collaborative team and will have responsibility for significant elements of software solutions.

- IT Consultant

An IT consultant bridges the gap between users and technology: they reinvent the digital world of the future. They require a broad set of skills in business analysis, solutions development, network infrastructure, data, cyber security etc. They use their consulting skills to get to the root of a problem and advise clients, both externally and internally, on how to best utilise technology to meet their business objectives, overcome problems and increase productivity. They provide strategic guidance and training to clients, both externally and internally, about digital and technology solutions. They facilitate changing business processes, improved structure, and efficiency through enhancements to digital and technology solutions. They design, build and install innovative customer experiences using the latest technologies to win business for their organisation.

- Business Analyst

A business analyst is an interpreter between two worlds: business and IT, bridging the gap of understanding between business and technology teams. They analyse and understand business needs and define and manage business requirements. They oversee design and delivery of tested system solutions throughout a project life-cycle to ensure these meet business requirements. They are key communicators and drivers of collaboration throughout the development life cycle. They are focused on the customer and work closely with the IT delivery team. They are essential in the development of successful digital and technology solutions through their rigorous analysis of business requirements to inform their recommendations and insight.

- Cyber Security Analyst

A Cyber Security Analyst leads in the work to define, implement and maintain security products and systems within an organisation’s policies and service level agreements. They will need to analyse and understand the points of vulnerability within IT systems and a proactive and agile approach to maintain high levels of systems and organisational security. They will monitor security performance using tools, statistical reporting, and analysis, using the output of monitoring to problem solve, propose improvements and implement changes to meet service level requirements. A Cyber Security Analyst leads technical implementation of security infrastructures and technical designs, including producing cost and timescale estimates and identifying risks. After implementation they take ownership for obtaining the information required to diagnose and resolve more complex problems and escalations such as security incidents and business recovery. They engage with third parties to jointly resolve in-depth product issues where necessary and completing cyber risk assessments.

- Data Analyst

The primary role of a data analyst is to collect, organise and study data to provide new business insight to a range of stakeholders . They are responsible for leading the provision of up-to-date, accurate and relevant data analysis for the organisation. They are typically involved with managing, cleansing, abstracting and aggregating data across the network infrastructure. They look for opportunities to build data driven insights into decision making. They have a current understanding of data structures, software development procedures and the range of analytical tools used to undertake a wide range of standard and custom analytical studies, providing data solutions to a range of business issues. They are comfortable supporting teams and colleagues with analytics. They report the results of data analysis activities making recommendations to improve business performance.

- Network Engineer

The primary role of a network engineer is to lead in the planning, design , installation, maintenance and support of communication networks within an organisation or between organisations. They take a proactive and agile approach to maintain high levels of network performance and availability for their users, such as staff, clients, customers, and suppliers. They understand network configuration, cloud, network administration and monitoring tools, and give technical advice and guidance to their users. As part of their role they analyse system requirements to ensure the network and its services operate to desired levels with security at the heart of everything they do. They understand data traffic and transmission across the network and have a major role to play in ensuring network security and resilience. They are the key problem solver when networks fail and respond with resilience under pressure.

All projects must involve practical work of some sort using computing/IT technology. This will most frequently be achieved by the creation of an artefact as the focus for covering all or part of an implementation lifecycle.

Your employer must be content that you are working at or above the occupational standard.

Your End Point Assessment (EPA) is taken in the EPA period. The EPA period starts when the EPAO confirms the gateway requirements have been met and is typically 3 months.

Before undertaking your EPA, your employer must be content that you have attained sufficient KSBs to complete the apprenticeship. The employer may take advice from the University, but the employer must make the decision. You will then enter the gateway. A full description of the requirement of gateway are described in the DTS Assessment Plan V1.2.

At EPA, you are assessed by project report with presentation, questions and answers.

1. Project with report
2. Presentation with questions and answers

It is important that the project report addresses the KSB indicated in the EPA plan to map to the project report and the professional discussion addresses the KSBs indicated in the EPA plan to map to the professional discussion underpinned by portfolio. See Appendix A.

Component 1: Project with a project report

The project output must be in the form of a report.

The apprentice must start the project report after the gateway. The employer should ensure the apprentice has the time and resources, within this period, to plan and complete their project. The apprentice must complete their project and the production of its components unaided.

The apprentice may work as part of a team to complete the project which could include technical internal or external support. However, the project report must be the apprentice’s own work and reflective of their own role and contribution. The apprentice and their employer must confirm that the project report is the apprentice’s own work when it is submitted.

The report must include at least:

· an introduction

· the scope of the project (including key performance indicators and stakeholder engagement)

· how the outcomes would be achieved

· a project plan

· research and findings

· project outcomes

· recommendations and conclusions.

The project report has a word count of 6000 words. A tolerance of 10% above or below the word count is allowed at the apprentice’s discretion. Appendices, references and diagrams are not included in this total. The project report must map, in an appendix, how it evidences the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. See Appendix A.

Component 2: Presentation with questions

In the presentation with questions the apprentice delivers a presentation to an independent assessor relating to their synoptic project. The independent assessor must ask questions following the presentation. This gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method. See Appendix A.

The independent assessor will ask questions after the presentation. The presentations must include:

• an overview of the project
• the project scope (including key performance indicators)
• summary of actions undertaken by the apprentice
• project outcomes and how these were achieved.

The apprentice must prepare and submit their presentation speaker notes and supporting materials to the EPAO at the same time as the report by the end of week 12 of the EPA period.

The apprentice must notify the EPAO, at that point, of any technical requirements for the presentation. 

The project report with presentation, questions and answers is structured to give you the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade.

In the presentation with questions, you deliver a presentation to an independent assessor relating to your specialism synoptic project. The independent assessor will ask questions following the presentation. This gives you the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.

You must prepare and submit your presentation speaker notes and supporting materials presentation with questions and answers. The independent assessor will ask questions after the presentation.

Professional Discussion underpinned by a portfolio

Overview

In the professional discussion, an independent assessor and apprentice have a formal two-way conversation. It gives the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method.

The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence.

Delivery

The professional discussion will be structured to give the apprentice the opportunity to demonstrate the KSBs mapped to this assessment method to the highest available grade. See Appendix A.

An independent assessor will conduct and assess the professional discussion. The purpose of the independent assessor's questions will be to explore the following topics and themes:

Theme A: Underlying Principles

Theme B: Technical Solutions

Theme C: Innovation & Response

Theme D: Legal, Ethics & Landscape

The apprentice must have access to their portfolio of evidence during the professional discussion. The apprentice can refer to and illustrate their answers with evidence from their portfolio of evidence however, the portfolio of evidence is not directly assessed.

The professional discussion must last for 60 minutes. The independent assessor can increase the time of the professional discussion by up to 10%. This time is to allow the apprentice to respond to a question if necessary.

The independent assessor must ask at least 4 questions. Follow-up questions are allowed where clarification is required. The independent assessor must use the questions from their EPAO’s question bank or create their own questions in-line with the EPAO’s training.

The independent assessor will make the grading decision.

On successful completion of this module you should be able to:

Module Specific Skills and Knowledge

Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge

Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge

Further learning outcomes for the module may be agreed in advance between you, your employer and your academic mentor. The learning outcomes to be achieved will depend on the employer’s needs and your role, but will be broadly in line with the outcomes documented in the apprenticeship standard for your occupational specialism.

Synoptic project (work-based learning):

- Revision: reflective practice and action learning;

- Nature of synoptic project;

- Preparing for your project;

- Key milestones and assessment;

- Planning your work and learning;

- Monitoring progress;

- Keeping a reflective journal;

- Dealing with problems.

- Attending and passing gateway

- Writing up your work;

- Attending end point assessment and presenting your results.

Basic reading:

• Schon, D. A. The Reflective Practitioner: How Professionals Think in Action, 1st, Ashgate Publishing Group, 1995, 9781857423198.

ELE:

• ELE.

Web based and Electronic Resources:

Other Resources:

Reading list for this module: