Year
2024Credit points
10Campus offering
No unit offerings are currently available for this unit.Prerequisites
Nil
Incompatible
ISYS225 Systems Analysis and Design
Teaching organisation
4 hours per week for twelve weeks or equivalent.Unit rationale, description and aim
Businesses and organisations world-wide are constantly in need of developing new systems to meet evolving business requirements. This unit is a response to this global demand. It focuses on computer-based technologies and the methods, techniques and tools that organisations use to document and model their business requirements and design an information system to respond to those requirements. The unit is also concerned with familiarising students with the types of business situations in which a technology-based solution can be useful. Students will acquire knowledge of the principles of problem solving with modelling and effective design, and basic understandings of different methodologies. A systematic methodology will be used for students to have a concrete, practical experience of analysing particular situations and determining the role of information technologies in addressing business needs and articulating those needs into formal requirements. Students will also gain practical experience in using a contemporary UML modelling tool.
The primary aim of this unit is to assist in the development of the analytical skills required to be able to define and articulate information systems requirements to meet business needs and be able to propose principled design solutions. The analytical skills gained in this unit are essential for information systems professionals and will be used extensively by subsequent units. Students will also learn ethical principles in developing information systems and its implications in considering human dignity and the common good (such as privacy, professionalism, and honesty). Students from other areas can also benefit from undertaking the unit to develop their analytical skills.
Learning outcomes
To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.
Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.
Explore the graduate capabilities.
| Learning Outcome Number | Learning Outcome Description |
|---|---|
| LO1 | Critically discuss the purpose of modelling and its application in information systems design and development |
| LO2 | Apply the principles of object-oriented approach to analyse and model a real-life business problem, according to the requirements and data elicited from stakeholders |
| LO3 | Develop UML models for analysis and design of an information system (including detailed use cases, functionalities, and processes) using OO approach, appropriate tools and technologies |
| LO4 | Develop design models of user interface data and other requirements that incorporates ACS code of ethics in association with the role of a systems analyst |
| LO5 | Demonstrate effective oral communication skills with different stakeholder groups in an organisation in the context of providing an information systems solution |
Content
Topics will include:
- introduction to systems analysis and design
- system analysis activities and system requirements
- requirements elicitation
- models and modelling
- use cases
- domain modelling
- extending the requirements model
- systems design and technical specifications
- data design
- designing user and system interfaces
- other technical design specifications and documentation required for systems implementation
- structuring of IT-based opportunities into projects, project specification and prioritisation
- communication in the systems analysis context
- ethical, cultural and legal issues in systems analysis
Learning and teaching strategy and rationale
The standard mode of delivery for this unit is multi-mode. However, the unit may also be offered in online and intensive modes according to University and student requirements. In multi-mode or online the unit will be delivered over a twelve-week semester or equivalent study period.
Students will have access to all primary learning materials online through Canvas, along with formative and summative assessments, all of which will be available online, so as to provide a learning experience beyond the classroom. While there are no formal classroom lectures for this unit, students taking the unit in multi-mode will be required to attend weekly two-hour workshops, which will include a seminar and specific tasks related to achievement of the unit learning outcomes.
Students should anticipate undertaking 150 hours of study for this unit, including class attendance, readings, online forum participation and assessment preparation.
Assessment strategy and rationale
The assessment strategy for this unit is based on the need to determine authentic student achievement of the learning outcomes. The first assessment tests students’ knowledge and understanding of the basic concepts of system analysis and design as well as their ability to present their understanding about a business problem. The second assessment provides students with an opportunity to engage in a simulated professional activity through a system analysis and design project. The third assessment evaluates students’ level of achievement in relation to understanding the concepts and their ability to synthesis those concepts when they apply them to business problems.
The following assessment overview in indicative and may vary over time according to industry requirements, University policy and regulatory requirements.
Overview of assessments
| Brief Description of Kind and Purpose of Assessment Tasks | Weighting | Learning Outcomes |
|---|---|---|
Assessment Task 1: System Requirements Documentation This assessment task consists of 2 components: Group and Individual. The Group task consists of the submission of the System Requirements Documentation (following a given template) . The Individual task requires students to write a 150-word individual reflective report or make a 2 minutes video reflecting on the process of completing the task. The Group task requires students to apply fundamental concepts and methods of systems analysis to analyse and model user requirements of a real-life business problem, utilising relevant sources of information. (Each Group should be given a different problem.) The Group submission must be companied by a Coversheet detailing the contribution of each member of the group and signed by every member. Submission Type: Group and Individual Assessment Method: Documentation Artefact: Documentation | 20% | LO2 |
Assessment Task 2: System Analysis and Design Documentation This assessment task consists of 2 components: Group and Individual. The Group task consists of the submission of the System Analysis and Design Documentation (following a given template). The Individual task requires students to write a 250-word individual reflective report or make a 3 minutes video reflecting on the process of completing the task. The Group task requires students to deliver detailed analysis and high-level design models as solutions to the business problem in Assessment Task 1 using UML models and appropriate tools. The Group submission must be companied by a Coversheet detailing the contribution of each member of the group and signed by every member. Using the feedback received as part of Task 1 and evaluating other sources of appropriate learning materials, students have the chance to revise their work and present a document covering both “what is required to be solved” and “how is the problem solved”. Submission Type: Group and Individual Assessment Method: Documentation Artefact: Written documentation | 40% | LO2, LO3 |
Assessment Task 3: Final Design Documentation and Presentation This assessment task consists of 2 components: Group and Individual. The Group task consists of the Final Design Documentation (following a given template) and a 8- to 15- minute Final Group Presentation of the whole solution that students have been working on from the beginning. The Individual task consists of a 250-word individual reflective report or make a 3 minutes video reflecting on the process of completing the task. The Group task requires students to deliver a document of high level design models of user interface and data as solution to the business problem given in Assessment Task 1, and a presentation of their entire solution to this problem, paying attention to ethical considerations. The Group submission must be companied by a Coversheet detailing the contribution of each member of the group and signed by every member. Using the feedback received from Assessment Task 2, students have the chance to improve their work for the Final Design Documentation and Group Presentation. Students are also required to communicate orally in an organised, clear and persuasive manner. The Individual task requires student to critically reflect on the whole system analysis and design process, their role and contribution in the team, and how ethical considerations have been incorporated in their solution. Submission Type: Group and Individual Assessment Method: Documentation and Presentation Artefact: Documentation and Presentation slides / notes | 40% | LO1, LO4, LO5 |
Representative texts and references
Rosenblatt, HJ & Tilley, S 2019, Systems analysis and Design, 12th edn, Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.
Satzinger, J, Jackson, R & Burd, S 2016, Systems analysis & design in a changing world, 7th edn, Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.
Dennis, A, Wixom, BH & Roth, RM 2016, Systems analysis and design, 6th edn, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ
Gibson, JE, Scherer, WF, Gibson, WF & Smith, MC 2017, How to do systems analysis: primer and casebook, John Wiley & Sons, Hoboken, NJ
Gulati, M 2016, Systems analysis and design, Silicon Media Press, New Delhi, India.
Keeling, M 2017, Design it! From programmer to software architect, Pragmatic, New York.
Patterson, DA & Hennesey, JL 2014, Computer organization and design, 5th edn, Morgan Kaufmann, New York.
Phillips, CL, Nagle, T & Chakrabortly, A 2015, Digital control systems analysis and design, 4th edn, Pearson Education, upper Saddle River, NJ.
Shneiderman, B, Plaisant, C, Cohen, M, Jacobs, S, Elmqvist, N & Diakopoulos, N 2017, Designing the user interface: strategies for effective human-computer interaction, 6th edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.
Tilley, S & Rosenblatt, HJ 2017, Systems analysis and design, 11th edn, Cengage Learning, Boston, MA.
Valacich, J & George, J 2017, Modern systems analysis and design, 8th edn, Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ.