School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Business Systems Analysis
  • Unit Code

    MAN5902
  • Year

    2017
  • Enrolment Period

    1
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Richard Glenn FULFORD

Description

Many of the problems associated with business information systems projects are due to a poor definition of requirements in any of the following areas: business, stakeholder, solution and transition. This unit examines the core concepts and practical techniques necessary to ensure accurate and complete requirement specifications in today's rapidly changing cross-cultural business environment. Emphasis is placed on identifying the need for information systems within the business and ensuring that the resulting systems provide benefit to the business in meeting defined goals and objectives while satisfying the requirements of stakeholders. Students learn to model system requirements using a "traditional" approach, which includes process and data modelling, and an "object-oriented" approach, which includes modelling with the universal modelling language (UML). Students will demonstrate how to communicate to specialist and non-specialist audiences these business and technology issues, information and strategies. The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has adopted the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) and have created a Core Body of Knowledge (CBOK) to identify IT capabilities and knowledge. These frameworks have been used to inform the learning outcomes of this unit. The unit meets SFIA learning outcomes in the following: Requirements Definition and Management, Business Analysis. The unit is aligned with the ACS CBOK in the following. Assessed in assignment: Problem Solving (Abstraction, Design); Technology Building (System Development), Outcomes Management (IT Project Management). Assessed in exam: Problem Solving (Abstraction, Design); Technology Resources (Data and Information Management); Technology Building (System Development). Not assessed: Professional Knowledge (Ethics, Professionalism); Technology Building (HCI, Systems Acquisition).

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast the major alternative methodologies used in developing information systems and the considerations involved in choosing which methodology to use.
  2. Evaluate the implications of future trends in business analysis.
  3. Assess business requirements, stakeholder requirements, solution requirements and transition requirements.
  4. Compare the effects of different national and organisational cultures on requirements.
  5. Develop an appropriate strategy to use information systems to meet requirements.
  6. Apply stakeholder and communication theories to manage stakeholders and their communications needs.
  7. Produce the requisite systems documentation at each point in the analysis of the lifecycle of an information system, and to do so with clarity and completeness.
  8. Assess business processes and be able to effectively model them.
  9. Construct and interpret a variety of system description documents, including physical and logical data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, structured english, and decision tables/decision trees.
  10. Clarify effectively systems specifications and to be persuasive in these presentations.

Unit Content

  1. The systems development environment.
  2. Stakeholder theory, analysis and management.
  3. Identifying and selecting systems development projects.
  4. Initiating and planning development projects.
  5. Determining business, stakeholder, solution or system and transition requirements.
  6. Structuring system process, logic and data requirements.
  7. Object-oriented modelling using the universal modelling language (UML).
  8. Future trends in business analysis.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On campus students attend a weekly two hour lecture/seminar and one hour tutorial/lab. The unit will be taught through an interactive lecture process, whereby students will be asked to answer questions, and the ensuing discussion will lead the learning and teaching. The use of cases, study aids, and quizzes will enhance student learning. The tutorial/lab sessions will allow students to apply theory learned in the lectures, as well as encouraging students to make oral and written presentations. The Internet will be a key resource for students, and they will use BlackBoard to access updates, articles, and other unit-related material. Students studying in off campus mode will access the program via Blackboard and regular on line access is required. Students need to be actively engaged in the unit by reading the required readings and participating in the postings on the discussion boards on Blackboard. Regular on line access is required. Students will be expected to create systems requirements models.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentCase Business Analysis Learning Outcomes (1,2,4-6,8-10)30%
ExaminationExamination Learning Outcomes (3,7-9)70%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentCase Business Analysis Learning Outcomes (1,2,4-6,8-10)30%
ExaminationExamination Learning Outcomes (3,7-9)70%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MAN5902|2|1

School: Business and Law

This unit information may be updated and amended immediately prior to semester. To ensure you have the correct outline, please check it again at the beginning of semester.

  • Unit Title

    Business Systems Analysis
  • Unit Code

    MAN5902
  • Year

    2017
  • Enrolment Period

    2
  • Version

    2
  • Credit Points

    20
  • Full Year Unit

    N
  • Mode of Delivery

    On Campus
    Online
  • Unit Coordinator

    Dr Richard Glenn FULFORD

Description

Many of the problems associated with business information systems projects are due to a poor definition of requirements in any of the following areas: business, stakeholder, solution and transition. This unit examines the core concepts and practical techniques necessary to ensure accurate and complete requirement specifications in today's rapidly changing cross-cultural business environment. Emphasis is placed on identifying the need for information systems within the business and ensuring that the resulting systems provide benefit to the business in meeting defined goals and objectives while satisfying the requirements of stakeholders. Students learn to model system requirements using a "traditional" approach, which includes process and data modelling, and an "object-oriented" approach, which includes modelling with the universal modelling language (UML). Students will demonstrate how to communicate to specialist and non-specialist audiences these business and technology issues, information and strategies. The Australian Computer Society (ACS) has adopted the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA) and have created a Core Body of Knowledge (CBOK) to identify IT capabilities and knowledge. These frameworks have been used to inform the learning outcomes of this unit. The unit meets SFIA learning outcomes in the following: Requirements Definition and Management, Business Analysis. The unit is aligned with the ACS CBOK in the following. Assessed in assignment: Problem Solving (Abstraction, Design); Technology Building (System Development), Outcomes Management (IT Project Management). Assessed in exam: Problem Solving (Abstraction, Design); Technology Resources (Data and Information Management); Technology Building (System Development). Not assessed: Professional Knowledge (Ethics, Professionalism); Technology Building (HCI, Systems Acquisition).

Learning Outcomes

On completion of this unit students should be able to:

  1. Compare and contrast the major alternative methodologies used in developing information systems and the considerations involved in choosing which methodology to use.
  2. Evaluate the implications of future trends in business analysis.
  3. Assess business requirements, stakeholder requirements, solution requirements and transition requirements.
  4. Compare the effects of different national and organisational cultures on requirements.
  5. Develop an appropriate strategy to use information systems to meet requirements.
  6. Apply stakeholder and communication theories to manage stakeholders and their communications needs.
  7. Produce the requisite systems documentation at each point in the analysis of the lifecycle of an information system, and to do so with clarity and completeness.
  8. Assess business processes and be able to effectively model them.
  9. Construct and interpret a variety of system description documents, including physical and logical data flow diagrams, entity-relationship diagrams, structured english, and decision tables/decision trees.
  10. Clarify effectively systems specifications and to be persuasive in these presentations.

Unit Content

  1. The systems development environment.
  2. Stakeholder theory, analysis and management.
  3. Identifying and selecting systems development projects.
  4. Initiating and planning development projects.
  5. Determining business, stakeholder, solution or system and transition requirements.
  6. Structuring system process, logic and data requirements.
  7. Object-oriented modelling using the universal modelling language (UML).
  8. Future trends in business analysis.

Additional Learning Experience Information

On campus students attend a weekly two hour lecture/seminar and one hour tutorial/lab. The unit will be taught through an interactive lecture process, whereby students will be asked to answer questions, and the ensuing discussion will lead the learning and teaching. The use of cases, study aids, and quizzes will enhance student learning. The tutorial/lab sessions will allow students to apply theory learned in the lectures, as well as encouraging students to make oral and written presentations. The Internet will be a key resource for students, and they will use BlackBoard to access updates, articles, and other unit-related material. Students studying in off campus mode will access the program via Blackboard and regular on line access is required. Students need to be actively engaged in the unit by reading the required readings and participating in the postings on the discussion boards on Blackboard. Regular on line access is required. Students will be expected to create systems requirements models.

Assessment

GS1 GRADING SCHEMA 1 Used for standard coursework units

Students please note: The marks and grades received by students on assessments may be subject to further moderation. All marks and grades are to be considered provisional until endorsed by the relevant Board of Examiners.

ON CAMPUS
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentCase Business Analysis Learning Outcomes (1,2,4-6,8-10)30%
ExaminationExamination Learning Outcomes (3,7-9)70%
ONLINE
TypeDescriptionValue
AssignmentCase Business Analysis Learning Outcomes (1,2,4-6,8-10)30%
ExaminationExamination Learning Outcomes (3,7-9)70%

Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005)

For the purposes of considering a request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Commonwealth 2005), inherent requirements for this subject are articulated in the Unit Description, Learning Outcomes and Assessment Requirements of this entry. The University is dedicated to provide support to those with special requirements. Further details on the support for students with disabilities or medical conditions can be found at the Access and Inclusion website.

Academic Misconduct

Edith Cowan University has firm rules governing academic misconduct and there are substantial penalties that can be applied to students who are found in breach of these rules. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:

  • plagiarism;
  • unauthorised collaboration;
  • cheating in examinations;
  • theft of other students' work;

Additionally, any material submitted for assessment purposes must be work that has not been submitted previously, by any person, for any other unit at ECU or elsewhere.

The ECU rules and policies governing all academic activities, including misconduct, can be accessed through the ECU website.

MAN5902|2|2