The Grader application allows for an organized, graphical display of grades for both students and teachers. The tool has many potential positive outcomes, including:
In addition to real-world outcomes from use of the software, the class can gain from the implementation of the software as well. A better understanding of the software engineering process can be gained through the development of the software, as well as experience working in a team towards a common goal.
Possible negative outcomes can come from a poor implementation. For example, an insecure method of allowing students to compare their grades to the rest of the class could break student confidentiality by revealing personal information. Cal Poly has regulations about personal information and student confidentiality stating that a student's EMPL can never be shown to other students. A breakdown in implementation could potentially reveal this information; this could cause legal issues for the university and professor, as well as reducing student confidence and integrity of the class. There is also the possible loss of valuable data if the system is not reliable. If the implementation is flawed, students’ grades could be inaccurately represented, causing a miscommunication of class-standing.