IMS9001 System analysis and design - Semester 2 , 2007

Unit leader :

Kerry Tanner

Lecturer(s) :

Caulfield

  • Kerry Tanner

Tutors(s) :

Caulfield

  • Malini Jayaganesh

Introduction

Welcome to IMS9001 Systems Analysis and Design for Semester 2, 2007. The unit has been designed to provide you with an understanding of the key principles which underlie the analysis and design of computer-based information systems to support business and other organisational undertakings. It explores the development life cycle of an information system and provides you with knowledge of the process of information systems development (ISD) and with skills in applying ISD techniques.

Unit synopsis

The unit introduces students to the key principles which underlie the analysis and design of computer-based information systems to support business and other organisational undertakings. It describes the development life cycle of an information system and provides students with an introductory knowledge of the process of information systems development and the techniques used.

Learning outcomes

Knowledge and Understanding

At the completion of this unit, students will have knowledge and an understanding of:

C1. The role of information systems in organisations

C2. Some of the techniques used to analyse and design information systems

C3. The framework used to structure information systems development projects

C4. When the use of a particular technique is appropriate

C5. Which style of information system is appropriate to a particular type of business situation

Attitudes, Values and Beliefs

A1. Appreciate the capabilities and limitations of an information system

A2. Appreciate some of the major issues and problems commonly encountered in information systems development projects and how these may be addressed.

Practical Skills

P1. Be able to apply some of the analysis and design techniques in a systems development situation

P2. Be able to communicate requirements for business functionality of an information system in terms of data required, data storage and processing

Relationships, Communication and TeamWork

S1. Participate effectively in an information systems development project conducted within the context of the classroom situation

Workload

This is a 6-point unit which, according to University guidelines, requires you to spend 12 hours per week (a total of at least 156 hours per semester).

The anticipated typical workload per week is:

  • 2 hours lecture
  • 1 hour tutorial/laboratory
  • 4 hours of practical work and assignment preparation
  • 5 hours of assigned reading and reviewing weekly class materials.

Unit relationships

Prerequisites

There are no prerequisites for this unit.

Relationships

Until 2006, IMS9001 was a core Foundation unit in the MIMS and MIMS Professional degrees. It is now an elective unit for graduate degrees within the Faculty of Information Technology. 

Continuous improvement

Monash is committed to ‘Excellence in education' and strives for the highest possible quality in teaching and learning. To monitor how successful we are in providing quality teaching and learning Monash regularly seeks feedback from students, employers and staff. Two of the formal ways that you are invited to provide feedback are through Unit Evaluations and through Monquest Teaching Evaluations.

One of the key formal ways students have to provide feedback is through Unit Evaluation Surveys. It is Monash policy for every unit offered to be evaluated each year. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the surveys as they are an important avenue for students to "have their say". The feedback is anonymous and provides the Faculty with evidence of aspects that students are satisfied and areas for improvement.

Student Evaluations

The Faculty of IT administers the Unit Evaluation surveys online through the my.monash portal, although for some smaller classes there may be alternative evaluations conducted in class.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to http://www.monash.edu.au/unit-evaluation-reports/

Over the past few years the Faculty of Information Technology has made a number of improvements to its courses as a result of unit evaluation feedback. Some of these include systematic analysis and planning of unit improvements, and consistent assignment return guidelines.

Monquest Teaching Evaluation surveys may be used by some of your academic staff this semester. They are administered by the Centre for Higher Education Quality (CHEQ) and may be completed in class with a facilitator or on-line through the my.monash portal. The data provided to lecturers is completely anonymous. Monquest surveys provide academic staff with evidence of the effectiveness of their teaching and identify areas for improvement. Individual Monquest reports are confidential, however, you can see the summary results of Monquest evaluations for 2006 at http://www.adm.monash.edu.au/cheq/evaluations/monquest/profiles/index.html

Unit staff - contact details

Unit leader

Dr Kerry Tanner
Senior Lecturer
Phone +61 3 990 32626

Lecturer(s) :

Dr Kerry Tanner
Senior Lecturer
Phone +61 3 990 32626

Tutor(s) :

Mrs Malini Jayaganesh
PhD Student
Phone +61 3 990 55457

Teaching and learning method

The unit requires your attendance at a two-hour weekly lecture and a one-hour tutorial. Lectures will present the conceptual base of the unit, and tutorials will focus on  developing practical skills in applying concepts and ISD techniques. Besides the three hours of class attendance each week, you will need to devote an additional nine hours a week to readings from the set text and other recommended sources, and in preparation of tutorial exercises, assignments and revision activities.

Communication, participation and feedback

Monash aims to provide a learning environment in which students receive a range of ongoing feedback throughout their studies. You will receive feedback on your work and progress in this unit. This may take the form of group feedback, individual feedback, peer feedback, self-comparison, verbal and written feedback, discussions (on line and in class) as well as more formal feedback related to assignment marks and grades. You are encouraged to draw on a variety of feedback to enhance your learning.

It is essential that you take action immediately if you realise that you have a problem that is affecting your study. Semesters are short, so we can help you best if you let us know as soon as problems arise. Regardless of whether the problem is related directly to your progress in the unit, if it is likely to interfere with your progress you should discuss it with your lecturer or a Community Service counsellor as soon as possible.

Unit Schedule

Week Topic Study guide References/Readings Key dates
1 Overview of Information Systems Development No tutorials for this week—use the time for the set reading Hoffer et al. Chs 1-3, Appendix 1 Tutorials commence in Week 2
2 Systems planning and project management Systems concepts exercise; Planning for the team case study assignment Hoffer et al. Chs 3, 4 & 5  
3 Systems Analysis 1: Analysis phase, data gathering and use of models Systems requirements data gathering exercise; Planning for the team case study assignment Hoffer et al. Chs 6 & 7 Students allocated to project teams for the case study assignment project
4 Systems Analysis 2: Process modelling/ DFDs, Automated tools, MS Visio DFDs exercises, MS Visio Hoffer et al. Chs 7 & Appendix 2 Teams start work on preparing process models for the case study assignment
5 Systems Analysis 3: Process modelling/ DFDs; Logic modelling DFDs exercises Hoffer et al. Chs 7 & 8 Continue team work on case study assignment
6 Systems Analysis 4: Data modelling/ E-R models Logic modelling exercise Hoffer et al. Ch 9 Continue team work on case study assignment
7 Systems Analysis 5: Data modelling/ E-R models E-R modelling exercises Hoffer et al. Ch 9 Continue team work on case study assignment
8 Systems Analysis 6: Overview of Object-Oriented Approaches E-R modelling exercises Hoffer et al. Appendix 3 Team assignment: Systems requirements specification report due in tutorials on 6 Sept, 2007
9 Systems Design 1: Overview of design phase, design alternative, database design E-R modelling and database design Hoffer et al. Ch 10  
10 Systems Design 2: Designing forms & reports; user interface design Design exercises Hoffer et al. Chs 11 & 12 and an interface design text Individual assignment Part A: E-R modelling due in tutorials on 20 Sept, 2007
Mid semester break
11 Systems Design 3: Designing system architecture; finalising design specifications Design exercises Hoffer et al. Chs 13 & 14 and interface design text  
12 Systems Implementation & Maintenance Implementation phase activities and documentation Hoffer et al. Chs 15 & 16 Individual assignment Part B: Interface design due in tutorials on 11 Oct., 2007
13 Review of issues and trends in systems analysis and design; Revision; Unit evaluation Examination preparation   Semester 1 ends: Friday 19 Oct., 2007

Unit Resources

Prescribed text(s) and readings

Hoffer, Jeffrey A., George, Joey F.  & Valacich, Joseph S. (2005). Modern systems analysis and design. (4th  ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education International/Prentice-Hall.  ISBN 0-13-127391-4

Text books are available from the Monash University Book Shops. Availability from other suppliers cannot be assured. The Bookshop orders texts in specifically for this unit. You are advised to purchase your text book early.

Recommended text(s) and readings

Whitten, Jeffrey L., Bentley Lonnie D. & Dittman, Kevin C. (2004). Systems analysis and design methods. (6th ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.  [Or other edition]

Various other texts such as the following will be referred to at times throughout the semester:

  • Checkland, Peter & and Holwell, Sue. (1998). Information, systems, and information systems: Making sense of the field. Chichester; New York: Wiley.
  • Cooper, Alan (2003). About face 2.0: The essentials of interaction design. New York ; Chichester : Wiley.    
  • Dennis, Alan & Wixom, Barbara. (2003). Systems analysis and design. New York: Wiley.
  • Hawryszkiewycz, Igor. (2001). Introduction to systems analysis and design. (5th ed.). Frenchs Forest, NSW: Prentice Hall.
  • Schneiderman, Ben & Plaisant, Catherine. (2005). Designing the user interface: Strategies for effective human-computer interaction. (4th ed.). Boston, MA: Pearson Addison Wesley. 

Required software and/or hardware

To access weekly lecture and tutorial materials, students will need access to an Adobe Acrobat reader, and Microsoft Office software (PowerPoint, Word, Excel).

Microsoft Visio will be used in class for preparing charts and diagrams for tutorials and assignments. Optionally, students may also use other relevant drawing or other software they have access to, eg SmartDraw.

Software may be:

  • purchased at academic price at good software retailers

Equipment and consumables required or provided

On-campus students may use the facilities available in the computing labs. Information about computer use for students is available from the ITS Student Resource Guide in the Monash University Handbook.

Study resources

Study resources we will provide for your study are:

This Unit Information outlining the administrative information for the unit.

The IMS9001 web site on MUSO, where lecture slides, weekly tutorial requirements, assignment specifications, sample solutions and supplementary material will be posted.

Announcement and discussion group that can be linked to from the Unit Homepage.

Library access

The Monash University Library site contains details about borrowing rights and catalogue searching. To learn more about the library and the various resources available, please go to http://www.lib.monash.edu.au.  Be sure to obtain a copy of the Library Guide, and if necessary, the instructions for remote access from the library website.

Monash University Studies Online (MUSO)

All unit and lecture materials are available through the MUSO (Monash University Studies Online) site. You can access this site by going to:

  1. a) https://muso.monash.edu.au or
  2. b) via the portal (http://my.monash.edu.au).

Click on the Study and enrolment tab, then the MUSO hyperlink.

In order for your MUSO unit(s) to function correctly, your computer needs to be correctly configured.

For example :

  • MUSO supported browser
  • Supported Java runtime environment

For more information, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/downloadables-student.html

You can contact the MUSO Support by: Phone: (+61 3) 9903 1268

For further contact information including operational hours, please visit

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/students/contact.html

Further information can be obtained from the MUSO support site:

http://www.monash.edu.au/muso/support/index.html

Assessment

Unit assessment policy

You must achieve:

  • at least 40% of the marks available for the examination component
  • at least 40% of the marks available for the assignment component: i.e. the three assignments taken as a whole
  • at least 50% of the total marks for the unit

Where a student gains less than 40% for either the examination or assignment component, the final result for the unit will be no greater than ‘44-N’.

Assignment tasks

  • Assignment Task
    Title :
    Assignment 1: System Requirements Specification Report (Group Assignment)
    Description :
    Weighting :
    20%
    Criteria for assessment :
    Due date :
    6 Sept. 2007
  • Assignment Task
    Title :
    Assignment 2 Part A: E-R Modelling (Individual Assignment)
    Description :
    Weighting :
    15%
    Criteria for assessment :
    Due date :
    20 Sept. 2007
  • Assignment Task
    Title :
    Assignment 2 Part B: Interface Design (Individual Assignment)
    Description :
    Weighting :
    15%
    Criteria for assessment :
    Due date :
    11 Oct. 2007

Examinations

  • Examination
    Weighting :
    50%
    Length :
    Type ( open/closed book ) :
    Closed book

Assignment submission

Assignments will be submitted by hard copy/ paper submission to your tutor on the designated dates, with the appropriate cover sheet correctly filled out.

Assignment coversheets

All assignments must be submitted with a completed assignment cover sheet.  These are available for download from:  http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/assignments/

University and Faculty policy on assessment

Due dates and extensions

The due dates for the submission of assignments are given in the previous section. Please make every effort to submit work by the due dates. It is your responsibility to structure your study program around assignment deadlines, family, work and other commitments. Factors such as normal work pressures, vacations, etc. are seldom regarded as appropriate reasons for granting extensions. Students are advised to NOT assume that granting of an extension is a matter of course.

Requests for extensions must be made by email to the Lecturer at least two days before the due date. You will be asked to forward original medical certificates in cases of illness, and may be asked to provide other forms of documentation where necessary. Students are required to complete an 'Application for extension of time for submission of an assessment task' form which is located at: http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/

Late assignment

Assignments received after the due date will be subject to a penalty of 5% of the assignment mark per day overdue. Assignments received later than one week after the due date will not normally be accepted.

Return dates

Students can expect assignments to be returned within two weeks of the submission date or after receipt, whichever is later.

Assessment for the unit as a whole is in accordance with the provisions of the Monash University Education Policy at:

http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/assessment/

We will aim to have assignment results made available to you within two weeks after assignment receipt.

Plagiarism, cheating and collusion

Plagiarism and cheating are regarded as very serious offences. In cases where cheating  has been confirmed, students have been severely penalised, from losing all marks for an assignment, to facing disciplinary action at the Faculty level. While we would wish that all our students adhere to sound ethical conduct and honesty, I will ask you to acquaint yourself with Student Rights and Responsibilities (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/about/committees-groups/facboard/policies/studrights.html) and the Faculty regulations that apply to students detected cheating as these will be applied in all detected cases.

In this University, cheating means seeking to obtain an unfair advantage in any examination or any other written or practical work to be submitted or completed by a student for assessment. It includes the use, or attempted use, of any means to gain an unfair advantage for any assessable work in the unit, where the means is contrary to the instructions for such work. 

When you submit an individual assessment item, such as a program, a report, an essay, assignment or other piece of work, under your name you are understood to be stating that this is your own work. If a submission is identical with, or similar to, someone else's work, an assumption of cheating may arise. If you are planning on working with another student, it is acceptable to undertake research together, and discuss problems, but it is not acceptable to jointly develop or share solutions unless this is specified by your lecturer. 

Intentionally providing students with your solutions to assignments is classified as "assisting to cheat" and students who do this may be subject to disciplinary action. You should take reasonable care that your solution is not accidentally or deliberately obtained by other students. For example, do not leave copies of your work in progress on the hard drives of shared computers, and do not show your work to other students. If you believe this may have happened, please be sure to contact your lecturer as soon as possible.

Cheating also includes taking into an examination any material contrary to the regulations, including any bilingual dictionary, whether or not with the intention of using it to obtain an advantage.

Plagiarism involves the false representation of another person's ideas, or findings, as your own by either copying material or paraphrasing without citing sources. It is both professional and ethical to reference clearly the ideas and information that you have used from another writer. If the source is not identified, then you have plagiarised work of the other author. Plagiarism is a form of dishonesty that is insulting to the reader and grossly unfair to your student colleagues.

Register of counselling about plagiarism

The university requires faculties to keep a simple and confidential register to record counselling to students about plagiarism (e.g. warnings). The register is accessible to Associate Deans Teaching (or nominees) and, where requested, students concerned have access to their own details in the register. The register is to serve as a record of counselling about the nature of plagiarism, not as a record of allegations; and no provision of appeals in relation to the register is necessary or applicable.

Non-discriminatory language

The Faculty of Information Technology is committed to the use of non-discriminatory language in all forms of communication. Discriminatory language is that which refers in abusive terms to gender, race, age, sexual orientation, citizenship or nationality, ethnic or language background, physical or mental ability, or political or religious views, or which stereotypes groups in an adverse manner. This is not meant to preclude or inhibit legitimate academic debate on any issue; however, the language used in such debate should be non-discriminatory and sensitive to these matters. It is important to avoid the use of discriminatory language in your communications and written work. The most common form of discriminatory language in academic work tends to be in the area of gender inclusiveness. You are, therefore, requested to check for this and to ensure your work and communications are non-discriminatory in all respects.

Students with disabilities

Students with disabilities that may disadvantage them in assessment should seek advice from one of the following before completing assessment tasks and examinations:

Deferred assessment and special consideration

Deferred assessment (not to be confused with an extension for submission of an assignment) may be granted in cases of extenuating personal circumstances such as serious personal illness or bereavement. Special consideration in the awarding of grades is also possible in some circumstances. Information and forms for Special Consideration and deferred assessment applications are available at http://www.monash.edu.au/exams/special-consideration.html. Contact the Faculty's Student Services staff at your campus for further information and advice.