IST 552 Syracuse University School of Information Studies Information Systems Analysis: Concepts and Practice Spring 2007 Course Syllabus as of 30 December 2006 Instructor: Kevin Crowston E-Mail: crowston@syr.edu Physical Office: 348 Hinds Hall Phone: +1 (315) 443 1676 Syracuse University Syracuse NY 13244 FAX: +1 (866) 265 7407 Class URL: http://istwebct.syr.edu/ WebCT Helpline: istwebct@syr.edu Course Description & Objectives Modern organizations large and small need computerized information systems to function and maintain their competitive edge. Information systems relieve organizations of the burden of slow and cumbersome manual paper-based processes and enable them to conduct business more efficiently and effectively. Information systems analysis is an important step before implementing any computerized information system. Any mistakes made during the analysis stage will significantly affect the later stages of system development and cost time and money to correct. Competence in information systems analysis is crucial to virtually every modern Information Technology professional, including those professionals highly demanded by the market such as Systems Analysts, Business Analysts, Web Developers, Information Architects, Database Administrators, Network Administrators, or Software Engineers. This is why Information Systems Analysis course plays a key role in IT programs worldwide. IST 552 is an introductory course, covering the concepts and techniques of information systems analysis and design (SA&D), including analysis skills as well as managerial issues. The course covers techniques used by modern systems analysts and gives extensive practice with structured methodologies and object-oriented techniques. The course will emphasize: 1. Experiential learning through assignments and projects, 2. Collaborative learning the important concepts, techniques, and skills with peers through class discussions and project conduction. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to be able to: 1. Define various systems analysis and design concepts and terminologies, 2. Describe the stages of the system development life cycle model, 3. Describe different methodologies and state-of-the-art developments in SA&D techniques and methods, 4. Compare, use and synthesize different conceptual modelling techniques for systems analysis (including ERDs, DFDs and UML), 5. Apply logic modelling techniques (decision tree/table, structured English), 6. Address the managerial issues involved in SA&D, 7. Model the importance of collaboration and communication during SA&D.
Course materials Text (available through the University Bookstore): Whitten, Jeffery L., and Bentley, Lonnie D. (2007). System Analysis and Design Methods (7th ed). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ISBN 0 07 305233. Additional readings may be distributed on WebCT. Software: QSEE SuperLite CASE tool, available free for non-commercial use from http://www.qsee-technologies.com/downloads.htm Assessment This course provides knowledge and hands-on experience in Systems Analysis. To gain practice and technical skills, class members will engage in discussions, collaborative and individual assignments and group projects. Discussions will assist in the ability to reflect about practical issues and discuss these with colleagues. Collaborative assignments will compliment individual ones as critical skill building exercises. A group project will be the culmination for the course material and provide students opportunities to learn from each other. The following table lists the planned due dates for the various assignments. Note that these dates may be changed with sufficient advanced warning. Due Type Assignment Who Points Sun 21 Jan Discussion Ice-breaker Individual 15 Mon 22 Jan Project Proposal Group 10 Mon 29 Jan Project Project plan Group 10 Sun 4 Feb Discussion Systems analyst careers Individual 15 Thu 8 Feb Pair and share Use case Pair 15 Mon 12 Feb Project Requirements Group 20 Thu 15 Feb Pair and share DFD Pair 15 Sun 18 Feb Problem set Use case Individual 80 Mon 26 Feb Project Use case Group 10 Thu 1 Mar Pair and share ERD Pair 15 Sun 4 Mar Problem set DFD Individual 80 Mon 5 Mar Report Team dynamics report Individual 5 Mon 12 Mar Participation Part 1 Individual 45 Mon 19 Mar Project DFD Group 20 Thu 22 Mar Pair and share UML Pair 15 Sun 25 Mar Problem set ERD Individual 80 Mon 2 Apr Project ERD Group 20 Sun 8 Apr Problem set UML Individual 80 Sun 8 Apr Discussion New architectures Individual 15 Mon 9 Apr Project Feasibility Group 10 Mon 16 Apr Project Architecture Group 10 Mon 23 Apr Project Interface Group 20 Mon 30 Apr Participation Part 2 Individual 65 Mon 30 Apr Project Implementation plan Group 10 Mon 7 May Project Final report Group 300 Wed 9 May Report Team report Individual 5 Wed 9 May Report Peer project evaluation Individual 10 Wed 9 May Report Reflective paper Individual 5 Total 1000 2
The following table shows the breakdown of the grade by the type of assignment and the party responsible for the assignment. Type Individual Group Total Problem set 320 320 Discussion 45 45 Participation 110 110 Report 25 25 Pair and share 60 40 Project 440 440 Total 560 440 1000 Note that many of the skills taught in this course will be reinforced through several alternative presentations: an initial demo, a pair-and-share exercise, an individual problem set and a team project assignment. The goal of these repetitions is to provide several repetitions for you to master particularly important skills. Each of the assessments is discussed in more detail below. Pair and share 60 points total Four pair and share exercises will be assigned during the semester: one each on use cases, data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams and object modelling. These provide an opportunity to practice a particular skill with another student and to learn from critiquing others solutions and being critiqued. For each, an exercise will be posted at the start of the week. During the week, you and another student will jointly work on the exercise (ideally, by using an application sharing program as will be discussed), posting your solution by Thursday morning. You will then have an opportunity to review other pairs solutions to the exercise and comment, as well as to optionally make corrections to your own exercise in response to comments. A solution will be posted at the end of the week, allowing you to check your understanding. Points will be awarded for posting a plausible solution and for comments made critiquing others solutions (but not for the correctness of the solution). Problem sets 320 points total Four problem sets will be assigned during the semester: one each on use cases, data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams and object modelling. These problem sets provide an opportunity to practice a particular skill. Each is worth 80 points and should be completed individually. More detail on the assignments will be provided on WebCT. Project 440 points total The term project provides an opportunity for an in-depth investigation of a specific database problem that interests you, as well as a vehicle for you to exercise and receive feedback on your communication and investigative skills. The goals, therefore, are to become familiar with the techniques of systems analysis and design and to expand your written communication skills. Each team will work collaboratively to propose a new system based on user requirements. Due to the large amount of work involved in a complete project, joint projects with other members of the class are encouraged (teams should be about 4 students). Of course, you must be prepared to deal with the inevitable coordination problems inherent in managing team work. Teams may decide to assign specialist roles to particular members, such as project manager, design specialist, writer or research coordinator. However, it should be kept in mind 3
that the object of the course is for students to experience as many aspects of the ISAD process as possible. In some cases, it may be most beneficial for students to aspire to roles for which they feel least prepared. Different components of the project will be due on a regular schedule through out the semester. The intent of the frequent submissions is to keep your project team on schedule, to provide an opportunity to practice the skills being discussed in class and to provide an opportunity for frequent feedback. 1. Project proposal 10 points Mon 22 Jan Each team must provide a brief proposal for the project stating the purpose of the proposed system, the planned sources of information about the topic and the members of the team. 2. Project plan 10 points Mon 29 Jan Your team will prepare a project plan. This plan should give a brief overview of the project and a plan for finishing the project as either a Gantt chart or network diagram prepared using Microsoft Project or another project management application. You can think of the plan as a sort of team contract. Your plan should include: a short (1 page) overview of the project, a list of key deliverables for the project, key due dates, estimated start dates and task durations, and who will do the work. Care should be taken to arrive at an appropriate level of granularity for the tasks. (Hint: simply listing the assignments and their due dates will not be sufficient.) The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Completeness and detail of plan. Diagrams accurately describe the process. Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. All elements are correctly labelled. 3. Requirements report 20 points Mon 12 Feb Your team will prepare a report describing the requirements for your project. The report must be based on original research about the proposed project, not just your current understanding. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Requirements accurately describe the project selected. Completeness of requirements. Correct format of requirements. Data collection approach. Quality of writing. 4. Use case diagram 10 points Mon 26 Feb Your team will prepare use case diagrams for your project following the model of the individual problem set. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Diagrams accurately describe the project selected. 4
Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. All elements are correctly labelled. 5. Data flow diagram 20 points Mon 19 Mar Your team will prepare the top-level and detailed data flow diagrams for your project following the model of the individual problem set. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Diagrams accurately describe the project selected. Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. All elements are correctly labelled. Diagrams are titled. This report will also include a formal description of the system logic for some part of your project. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Logic is correct for the project selected. Clear which part of project is being modeled (i.e., by referring to a particular part of the DFD). Completeness of logic. Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. Rationale for choice. 6. E-R diagram 20 points Mon 2 Apr Your team will prepare an entity-relationship diagram and a data dictionary for your project following the model of the individual problem set. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Diagrams accurately describe the project selected (i.e., each data item in the DFD matches the ERD and vice versa). Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. All elements are correctly labelled. Diagrams are titled. 7. Feasibility report 10 points Mon 9 Apr Your team will develop a feasibility report discussing the feasibility of your system and proposing a possible option. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Report accurately describe the project selected Completeness of analysis Depth of analysis Quality of writing 8. Architecture report 10 points Mon 16 Apr Your team will develop a report describing the proposed architecture for your system. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: Report accurately describe the project selected Diagrams conform to the recommended guidelines and format. All elements are correctly labelled. 5
9. System interface prototype 20 points Mon 23 Apr Your team will develop a Web-based or Visual Basic prototype of the interface for your proposed system. The system does not have to function, but it should have enough functionality to demonstrate how the interface would work (e.g., data entry screens and fields, reports, help, options, etc.). Separately, submit a document that presents the rationale for your interface design choices. The assignment will be graded based on the following criteria: The interface is suitable for the project selected. Usability of the prototype. Conformance with interface design principles. Rationale for design. Functionality of the prototype. 10. Final project report 300 points Mon 7 May The final project report will include at a minimum: An executive summary Analysis of the existing system or service Business overview of the proposed system Methods used for requirements definition Requirements analysis (based on the reports above) System design (based on the reports above) Alternative solutions considered The report will incorporate revised versions of the systems analysis documents you created and handed in during the semester, but note that these documents support your report, rather than replacing it. Grading of the final report will be based on: Accuracy and completeness of the analysis and design (hint: correct any problems identified from previous submissions) Challenge of system chosen by team Timely submission of work Evidence of collaborative team effort Quality of writing Reports 25 points total Four short reports are required at different points in the course. Project progress reports 5 points each Two individual reports on your team process are required. 1. Team dynamics report. By the start of class on Mon 5 Mar, you should individually submit a one-page report describing the dynamics within your team. This report is intended to help me identify individuals and teams that are having trouble working together before it is too late to intervene. The points for the report are given for submission. 2. Team report. At the end of the semester (Wed 9 May), you will submit an evaluation of your fellow team members contributions to your project team. The assessments of your 6
fellow team members will be taken into account in determining your project grade. An individual who in the opinion of the majority of other team members contributes less to the project will receive less credit for the project (including the possibility of no credit in the case of no contribution). The points for the report are given for submission. Peer project evaluation 10 points Wed 9 May Once the final project reports are submitted to WebCT, you will select one to read and comment on. The goal is to provide students with an audience for their reports beyond just the instructor. Evaluations will be grade according to the rubric for discussions shown below. Reflection essay 5 points Wed 9 May Finally, you will individually submit a short essay reflecting on what you learned in the course. A portion of learning comes from reflection. Many times we do not realize all that was learned (or not learned) until we take the time to review the good and the uncomfortable. Your one to two page essay reflecting on the learning and experiences from this course should include: Reasons for taking the course in the first place; Objectives for learning (what you wanted to learn, expectations); Did you learn what you wanted to learn; Most valuable thing you learned; Least valuable thing you learned (and why); What you learned that will help you in your next group project; and What you learned that you will definitely not do in your next group project. I suggest you record the first items early in the semester so they are not distorted by your later experiences. You may find it helpful to keep a diary that you update weekly so you can see what you ve learned and how your view of the subject evolves (space will be made available on WebCT). The points for the report are given for submission. Please note: your essay will be the last item I read before I assign your final grade. Discussions 45 points total In addition to the general class discussions, there will be three separately graded discussions during the course: an initial ice-breaker the week of 21 Jan, a discussion of systems analyst careers the week of 4 Feb and a discussion of the impact of new technologies and architectures on systems analysis the week of 8 Apr. Each discussion will be worth 15 points (in addition to the general discussions that are graded for participation). Contributions to discussion will be graded based on the following rubric from Palloff, R. M., & Pratt, K. (2003). The Virtual Student. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. 0 6 points Minimum number of postings not met. 9 points Minimums met; all discussion on Level I 11 points Minimums met; at least one example of discussion above Level I 13 points Minimums met; at least one example of discussion above Level I with at least one above Level II 15 points Minimums met; at least two examples of discussion above Level I with at least one above Level lli 7
Evaluation of levels of thinking in discussions Critical thinking Information processing Level I Elementary clarification Introduce a problem; pose a question; pass on information without elaboration. Level II In-depth Analyze a problem; identify assumptions. clarification Level Ill Inference Make conclusions based on evidence from prior statements; generalizing. Level IV Judgement Express an opinion about a conclusion or the relevance of an argument, theory, or solution. Level V Strategy Propose a solution; outline requirements for its implementation. Level I Surface Repeat information; make a statement without justification; suggest a solution without explanation. Level II In-depth Bring in new information; show links, propose a solution with explanation; show evidence of justification; present a wider view. Skills Level I Evaluation Question your ideas or approach to a task; for example, I don't understand Level II Planning Show evidence of organizing steps needed and prediction of what is likely to happen. Level III Regulation Evidence of implementing a strategy and assessing progress; for example, I have done Level IV Selfawareness For example, I believe or I have found Class participation 45 points 65 points Through Mon 12 Mar Through Wed 9 May Participation in general online discussion is included in this portion of the grade. It is important that you make a good faith effort to contribute to class discussions. This means that you need at least a few substantive contributions to the discussion during the week to receive full credit for participation. 45 points of the participation grade will be assigned at midsemester and the remainder for the second part of the semester, based on the rubric above. 8
Prerequisites: This course has no prerequisites. IST Statement on Academic Integrity: Course policies Undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students enrolled in IST courses are required to follow the guidelines for academic honesty described in the School of Information Studies Statement on Academic Integrity, available: in any IST Student Handbook, on the Web or on request at the IST Student Services Office. Academic dishonesty includes but is not limited to plagiarism, cheating on examinations, unauthorized collaboration, multiple submission of work, misusing resources for teaching and learning, falsifying information, forgery, bribery, and any other acts that deceive others about one s academic work or record. Students should be aware that standards for documentation and intellectual contribution may depend on the course content and method of teaching, and should consult instructors for guidance. Sanctions for academic dishonesty may include but are not limited to the following: requiring students to re-produce work under the supervision of a proctor; rejecting the student work that was dishonestly created, and giving the student a zero or failing grade for that work lowering the course grade giving a failing grade in the course formal reprimand and warning disciplinary probation administrative withdrawal from the course suspension from the University or expulsion from the University. Instructors who impose sanctions must notify the student promptly and indicate any formal or informal hearing procedures available. Students accused of academic dishonesty have the right to challenge accusations. For IST 552, you are permitted and encouraged to discuss course material with your classmates, especially regarding group assignments. However, individual assignments should not be worked on in a collaborative manner. Special consideration: Students who may need special consideration because of any sort of disability should email the professor for appropriate accommodations. WebCT Information: On the WebCT homepage (http://istwebct.syr.edu), you will find links to student FAQs, troubleshooting tips, tutorials, and other information that may prove useful for both new and experienced WebCT users. As students are responsible for being fluent on this educational platform, it is recommended that you review these resources as necessary. 9
Organization of the class week: Unlike a face-to-face class, this course requires students to actively participate throughout the week in discussions and activities. As there is no formal class meeting time, it is expected that students will do their readings, view any multimedia presentations, and contributed actively to discussions. Please be advised, this is not a self-paced course, so it is essential that students maintain their work load accordingly. Conduct of discussions: It is expected that students will behave professionally both in language and attitude when posting or responding to discussions. Public disparagement of your fellow students in this course is unacceptable and may result in disciplinary action. Additionally, discussions should model your ability to think critically about course topics and articulate ideas clearly. Responses should be detailed and explanatory. Simple, unconstructive replies such as I agree with the previous post will not be considered valid posts unless elaborated upon. If you have any concerns regarding the suitability of a post, please contact the instructor. Guidelines for preparing assignments: Prepare a professional document. Include tables and graphs that support your content where appropriate. When you prepare assignments be sure to provide proper bibliographical information for any sources referenced, for direct quotations and for the source of key concepts or ideas. Any citation format is acceptable (I personally use APA format), as long as it provides sufficient information for a reader to find the source (i.e., authors names, title of article or book, title, volume and issue of journal (if appropriate), page numbers, publisher, date of publication). If you cite a webpage, be sure to indicate the URL and the date on which you accessed the page, as pages do change. Failure to cite sources is considered plagiarism and subject to sanctions ranging from being required to redo the assignment through expulsion (see above). If you have any questions about what must be cited or how to cite, please feel free to ask. In addition to punctuality, grammar, presentation and ability to follow instructions are very important, as in the real world. If your work does not meet professional standards, up to 30% of your score may be deducted. It is essential that you spell check and proofread your documents. In assignments you may be asked to offer opinions. As with discussions, simply stating your opinion does not constitute a complete response. You must support any opinion with arguments and evidence. Assignments are due as defined in the syllabus unless otherwise specified. The penalty for late assignments will be 10% within the first 24 hours, and an additional 25% for each week thereafter. An exception to this rule is possible in an extreme circumstance in which there is no reasonable way to anticipate or control the situation. Computers crashing, viruses, lost files, etc. are specifically not grounds for an extension at this point in your professional careers, you should know how to manage your technical infrastructure. According to Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, all student work produced as part of this course may be used during this semester for educational purposes. Later use of this work is also permitted providing either the work is rendered anonymous or if the student provides 10
written permission for such usage. If you do not wish your work to be used even if rendered anonymous let me know and I will not do so. Grades If you wish to discuss a grade, hand in a written explanation of your argument and arrange for a private conversation. Except for unusual circumstances, no appeal for an individual assignment or project will be considered more than two weeks after the graded paper is returned. For final course grades, no appeal will be considered more than two months after the final day of classes. It is unfair to allow some students additional opportunities, such as extra credit assignments, without allowing the same options to all students. Accordingly, extra credit assignments are not possible. According to the grading policy of the School of Information Studies, a basic grade will be awarded for student performance that is judged to be satisfactory for the course level (undergraduate or graduate). All other grades will be determined in comparison with the standards of the basic grade. For graduate students the basic grade is B. Fulfilling the requirements for an assignment coupled with the absence of errors (in writing, arithmetic, formatting) will earn a grade no higher than B+. To earn an A- or A grade, the assignment must go beyond the minimum expected in terms of quality (e.g. insight, creativity, analysis, thoroughness, synthesis). An incomplete grade, I, can be given only if the circumstances preventing the on-time completion of all course requirements were clearly unforeseeable and uncontrollable. If an incomplete is required a written contract must be completed which specifies the nature of the missing work, the date it will be completed, and the default grade that will be given if that deadline is missed. Failure to complete any course requirement will result in a course grade of B or lower, regardless of the grades received in other components. 11
Course schedule Note: the course schedule is subject to change, that is, it is a plan rather than a contract. Specific assignment due dates are listed in the table above and will be posted on WebCT. Week Dates Readings Topic Assignment due 1 15 21 Jan Ch 1 3 Course introduction Discussion Systems analysis, design and development 2 22 28 Jan Ch 4 Project management Project proposal 3 29 Jan 4 Feb Ch 5 Systems analysis Project timeline Discussion 4 5 11 Feb Ch 6 Fact-finding techniques for requirements discovery Use case pair and share 5 12 18 Feb Ch 7, 9 Modelling system requirements with use cases and process models Project requirements DFD pair and share 6 19 25 Feb Ch 9 Process modelling Use case, individual 7 26 Feb 4 Mar Ch 8, 14 Data modelling and analysis and database design Project use case ERD pair and share 8 5 11 Mar Ch 10 Object-oriented analysis and modelling DFD, individual 12 18 Mar Spring break No class 9 19 25 Mar Ch 18 Object-oriented design and modelling Project DFD UML pair and share 10 26 Mar Ch 11 Feasibility analysis and the system proposal ERD, individual 1 Apr 11 2 8 Apr Ch 12 13 Systems design Application architecture and modelling Project ERD Discussion 12 9 15 Apr Ch 15 16 Output and input design and prototyping UML, individual 13 16 22 Apr Ch 17 User interface design Project architecture 14 23 29 Apr Ch 19 20 Systems construction, implementation, Project interface operation and support 30 Apr Project implementation plan 9 May Final Project 12
Course objectives by week Week 1. Framework for systems analysis and design and information system development 1.1 Introduction 1.1.1 Types of information systems Define information system Name different types of information system applications. Differentiate between front- and back-office information systems. Describe different enterprise applications Describe the role of information systems architecture in systems development. 1.1.2 Stakeholders Identify different types of stakeholders who use or develop information systems, and give examples of each. 1.1.3 Drivers of information systems Describe current business drivers that influence information systems development. Describe current technology drivers that influence information systems development. 1.2 Building blocks of information systems Identify three high-level goals that provide system owners and system users with a perspective of an information system. Identify three technologies that provide system designers and builders with a perspective of an information system. Identify three areas of focus for an information system Describe four building blocks of the KNOWLEDGE goal for an information system. Describe four building blocks of the PROCESS goal for an information system. Describe four building blocks of the COMMUNICATIONS goal for an information system. Describe the role of network technologies as it relates to Knowledge, Processes, and Communications building blocks. 1.3 Systems development process 1.3.1 Overview of systems development Describe the motivation for a system development process in terms of the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for quality management. Differentiate between the system life cycle and a system development methodology. Briefly describe a simple process for developing information systems. Describe 10 basic principles of system development. Define problems, opportunities, and directives the triggers for systems development projects. Describe the PIECES framework for categorizing problems, opportunities, and directives. 1.3.2 Phases of systems development Describe the essential phases of system development. For each phase, describe its purpose, inputs, and outputs. Describe cross life cycle activities that overlap multiple system development phases. 1.3.3 Alternative strategies Describe typical alternative routes through the basic phases of system development. Describe how routes may be combined or customized for different projects. 1.4 Systems analysts Define the unique role of systems analysts in the development of information systems. Identify those skills needed to successfully function as an information system analyst. 13
Week 2. Project management 2.1 Overview Define the terms project and project management Differentiate between project and process management. Describe causes of failed information systems and technology projects. Describe basic competencies required of project managers. Describe basic functions of project management. 2.2 Project management tools Differentiate between PERT and Gantt as project management tools. Describe role of project management software. 2.3 Project management lifecycle Describe eight activities in project management. Define joint project planning and its role in project management. Define scope and a write a statement of work to document scope. Use a work breakdown structure to decompose a project into tasks. Estimate tasks durations and specify intertask dependencies. Assign resources and produce a project schedule with a Gantt chart. Assign people to tasks and direct the team effort. Use critical path analysis to adjust schedule and resource allocations in response to schedule and budget deviations. Manage user expectations of a project and adjust project scope. Week 3. Systems analysis 3.1 Overview Define systems analysis Relate systems analysis to the scope definition, problem analysis, requirements analysis, logical design, and decision analysis phases. 3.2 Approaches to systems analysis Describe a number of systems analysis approaches for solving business system problems. Describe scope definition, problem analysis, requirements analysis, logical design, and decision analysis phases in terms of information system building blocks. Describe scope definition, problem analysis, requirements analysis, logical design, and decision analysis phases in terms of purpose, participants, inputs, outputs, techniques, and steps. 3.3 Introduction to CASE tools Describe and use various automated tools for system development. Week 4. Fact-finding techniques for requirements discovery 4.1 Overview Define system requirements Differentiate between functional and nonfunctional requirements. Understand the concept of requirements management. 4.2 Problem analysis Understand the activity of problem analysis Be able to create an Ishikawa (fishbone) diagram. 14
4.3 Fact-finding techniques Identify and characterize seven fact-finding techniques. Understand six guidelines for effective listening. Understand body language and proxemics. Characterize the typical participants in a JRP session. Complete the planning process for a JRP session. Describe benefits of JRP as fact-finding technique. Describe a fact-finding strategy that will make the most of your time with end-users. Week 5. Modelling system requirements with use cases and process models 5.1 Use cases Describe the benefits of use-case modelling. Define actors and use cases Be able to identify actors and use cases from context diagrams and other sources. Be able to construct a use-case model diagram. Describe the steps for preparing a use-case model. Identify use cases, external and temporal business events. Describe the relationships that can appear on a use-case model diagram. Describe the various sections of a use-case narrative Be able to prepare a use-case narrative. Define the purpose of the use-case ranking and priority matrix and the use-case dependency diagram. 5.2 Process models Define systems modelling Differentiate logical and physical models. Define process modelling Explain the benefits of process modelling. Recognize and understand basic concepts and constructs of a process model. 5.3 DFD context diagrams Explain when to construct process models and where to store them. Construct a context diagram to illustrate a system s interfaces with its environment. Week 6. Process modelling 6.1 Data flow diagrams Read and interpret a data flow diagram. Draw primitive data flow diagrams and describe the elementary data flows in terms of data structures and procedural logic. Perform event partitioning and organize events in a functional decomposition diagram. Draw event diagrams and merge them into a system diagram. Document the distribution of processes to locations. Synchronize data and process models using a CRUD matrix. Week 7. Data modelling and analysis and database design 7.1 Overview Define data modelling Explain the benefits of data modelling. Recognize and understand the basic concepts and constructs of a data model. 15
Explain when data models are constructed during a project and where the models are stored. 7.2 Entity relationship diagrams Read and interpret an entity relationship data model. Discover entities and relationships. Construct an entity-relationship context diagram. Discover or invent keys for entities and construct a key-based diagram. Construct a fully attributed entity relationship diagram Describe data structures and attributes for a repository. Describe a useful tool for mapping data requirements to business operating locations. Week 8. Object-oriented analysis and modelling 8.1 Overview Define object modelling Explain the benefits of object modelling. Recognize and understand the basic concepts and constructs of object modelling. 8.2 UML Define the UML and its various types of diagrams. Construct a class diagram. Discover objects and classes, and their relationships. Evolve a business requirements use-case model into a system analysis use-case model. Construct an activity diagram. Week 9. Object-oriented design and modelling 9.1 Object-oriented design technology Understand entity, interface, control, persistence, and system classes. Understand the concepts of dependency and navigability. Define visibility and explain its three levels. Understand the concept object responsibility and how it is related to message sending between object types. Differentiate between a design use-case narrative and an analysis use-case narrative. 9.2 Object-oriented design process Describe the activities involved in object-oriented design. Describe CRC card modelling. Model class interactions with sequence diagrams. Construct a class diagram that reflects design specifics. Model object states with state machine diagrams. Understand the role of coupling and cohesion in object reuse. Describe the use of design patterns and two common design patterns. Differentiate between design patterns, object frameworks, and components. Understand the use of communication diagrams, component diagrams, and deployment diagrams. Week 10. Feasibility analysis and the system proposal 10.1 Overview Identify feasibility checkpoints in the systems life cycle. Identify alternative system solutions. Define and describe six types of feasibility and their respective criteria. 16
Perform various cost-benefit analyses using time-adjusted costs and benefits. 10.2 System proposal reports Write suitable system proposal reports for different audiences. Plan for a formal presentation to system owners and users. Week 11. Systems design, application architecture and modelling 11.1 Systems design Describe the design phase in terms of your information building blocks. Identify and differentiate between several systems design strategies. Describe the design phase tasks in terms of a computer-based solution for an in-house development project. Describe the design phase in terms of a computer-based solution involving procurement of a commercial systems software solution. 11.2 Application architecture and modelling Define an information system s architecture in terms of the KNOWLEDGE, PROCESSES, and COMMUNICATION building blocks. Differentiate between logical and physical data flow diagrams, and explain how physical data flow diagrams are used to model an information system s architecture. Describe centralized and distributed computing alternatives, including client/server and Internet-based computing options. Describe database and data distribution alternatives for system design. Describe user and system interface alternatives for system design. Describe various software development environments for information system design. Describe strategies for developing or determining architecture of an information system. Draw physical data flow diagrams for an information system s architecture and processes. Week 12. Output and input design and prototyping 12.1 Output design Distinguish between internal, external, and turnaround outputs. Differentiate between detailed, summary, and exception reports. Identify several output implementation methods. Differentiate among tabular, zoned, and graphic formats for presenting information. Distinguish among area, bar, column, pie, line, radar, donut, and scatter charts and their uses. Describe several general principles that are important to output design. 12.2 Input design Define the appropriate format and media for a computer input. Explain the difference between data capture, data entry, and data input. Identify and describe several automatic data collection technologies. Apply human factors to the design of computer inputs. Design internal controls for computer inputs. Select proper screen-based controls for input attributes that are to appear on a GUI input screen. Design a web-based input interface. 17
12.3 Prototyping Describe how prototyping can be used to design a user interface. Design and prototype computer outputs and inputs. Week 13. User interface design Distinguish between different types of computer users and design considerations for each. Identify several important human engineering factors and guidelines and incorporate them into a design of a user interface. Integrate output and input design into an overall user interface that establishes the dialogue between users and computer. Understand role of operating systems, web browsers, and other technologies for user interface design. Apply appropriate user interface strategies to an information system. Use a state transition diagram to plan and coordinate a user interface. Week 14. Systems construction, implementation, operation and support 14.1 Systems construction Explain the purpose of the construction phases of the systems life cycle. Describe the systems construction phases in terms of your information building blocks. Describe the systems construction phases in terms of major tasks, roles, inputs and outputs. Explain several application program and system tests. 14.2 Systems implementation Explain the purpose of the implementation phases of the systems life cycle. Describe the systems implementation phases in terms of your information building blocks. Describe the systems implementation phases in terms of major tasks, roles, inputs and outputs. Identify several system conversion strategies. 14.3 Systems operation and support Define systems operations and support. Describe relative roles of a repository, program library, and database in systems operations and support. Differentiate between maintenance, recovery, technical support, and enhancement as system support activities. Describe tasks required to maintain programs in response to bugs. Describe role of benchmarking in system maintenance. Describe the systems analyst s role in system recovery. Describe forms of technical support provided by a systems analyst for the user community. 14.4 Systems enhancement Describe tasks that should/may be performed in system enhancement. Describe relationship between enhancement and original systems development process. Describe the role of reengineering in systems enhancement. Describe three types of reengineering. 18