Applications development ll
P Steele and R Dorling
6 points * 4 hours per week * Second semester * Peninsula * Prerequisites: CFR1120 * Prohibitions: BUS2071, BUS4071, SYS1151, SYS1161, SYS1252
The system development process and the role of systems analysis. Major concepts of interest - data, processes, time, locations, users and motivations. Object-oriented versus non object-oriented approaches. Modelling the static aspects of applications: extended entity relationship models; the relational model of data; the normalisation process; functional dependencies and normal forms; anomalies; transforming entity relationship models to relational models. Data structure models. Modelling the dynamic aspects of applications: activity hierarchy models; process dependency models; process triggers - events, pre-conditions and post-conditions; state transition models; entity life history models, data flow models. Modelling elementary process logic with action diagrams and mini specs. Methods for defining requirements. Quality provision through the use of walk throughs, reviews, consistency checks, prototyping, joint requirements planning (JRP) and joint application design (JAD) techniques. Scoping the application and integration with existing systems, function point analysis and estimation. The deliverables produced by the systems analysis activity.
Assessment
Examination (3 hours): 60% * Practical work: 40%
Prescribed texts
Beynon-Davies P Information systems development 2nd edn, Macmillan, 1993
Whitten J and others Systems analysis and design methods 3rd edn, Irwin, 1994
Recommended texts
Avison D E and Wood-Harper A T Multiview, an exploration in information systems development, Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1990
Avison D E and Fitzgerald G Information systems development, methodologies, techniques and tools Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1992
Barker R and Longman C CASE*method, entity relationship modelling Addison-Wesley, 1990
Barker R and Longman C CASE*method, function and process modelling Addison-Wesley, 1992
McDermid D C Software engineering for information systems Blackwell Scientific Publications, 1990