Monash University Handbook 2011 Undergraduate - Unit

Refer to the specific census and withdrawal dates for the semester(s) in which this unit is offered.

Synopsis

This unit is the first core unit in the BITS Applications development major, which aims to teach students the technical and development process skills required for the development of IT-based application systems. The unit aims to provide a broad introduction to the process and tasks of applications development by giving students practical experience in the development of a small application system. The unit uses the world-wide web as a development platform for this application.

The unit will introduce students to the key web technologies, and examine the way in which their features and characteristics affect the development processes required to build application systems. It will introduce students to a number of key techniques required in systems development, and the knowledge and skills required to apply them effectively. This examination of the specific features of the web as a development environment will be used to highlight the broader needs and issues in the systems development process which will be addressed in subsequent units in the major.

The emphasis throughout the unit will be on providing a broad overview of a range of topics, rather than examining specific topics in great depth. There will be a strong emphasis on practical demonstration of the concepts being studied, and their use to highlight key aspects of development theory.

Objectives

On completion of this unit, students will:

• know the technological capabilities and limitations of the world-wide web and understand their impact on the development process for web-based application systems;
• know the main processes and tasks required in the development of IT-based systems;
• recognise and understand the need for formalisation of development processes and techniques to address the issues arising during the development of an IT-based application;
• be able to specify an appropriate development process to meet the needs of a given application development problem;
• understand the principles of good practice with respect to the management of information systems development projects;
• recognise the range of skills and competencies required in the development of web-based application systems;
• be able to identify the range of technical and systems expertise needed in the development of a web-based system for a given set of circumstances;
• be able to perform the basic information analysis and design tasks required during development of a web-based application system;
• be able to interact with system users and with other members of a team in the tasks involved in the development of an application system.

Assessment

Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%

Chief examiner(s)

Mr Peter O'Donnell

Contact hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hrs lab/tutorials/wk

Prohibitions

FIT1011, FIT2053

Additional information on this unit is available from the faculty at:

http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/units/fit1039.html