SYS2002

Information systems 4

B Hodgson

6 points
* 4 hours per week
* First, second semester
* Caulfield, Clayton
* Prerequisites: SYS2001

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students will know about soft systems and socio-technical systems analysis and design techniques and their role in information systems development. They will have an understanding of the social, cultural and political dimensions of an organisation that can affect the development of an information system and the ways in which an information system may affect an organisation. They will have developed skills in soft systems, socio-technical, evolutionary, and rapid analysis and design techniques for information systems development, and have developed attitudes which will allow them to participate confidently as a team member in the analysis and design of an information systems development project.

Synopsis This subject aims to enhance students' knowledge, understanding, skills, and attitudes in the development of information systems that are more socially and technically complex than those they have encountered in previous study. The subject will explore the social, cultural and political influences within an organisation that can affect the nature of an information system. Advanced analysis and design techniques will be introduced which can address some of these issues. The limitations of these techniques, tools, and the analyst, will be investigated. The following topics will be addressed: soft systems methodology, socio-technical methodologies, CASE, workflow analysis, information systems measurement techniques (metrics), rapid and evolutionary development approaches, object-oriented analysis.

Assessment Examination: 60%
* Practical assignments: 40%

Recommended texts

Checkland P Systems thinking, systems practice 1981
Checkland P and Scholes J Soft systems methodology In action Wiley, 1990
Jacobson I Object-oriented software engineering: A use case driven approach ACM, 1993
Khoshafian S and Buckiewicz M Introduction to groupware, workflow, and workgroup computing Wiley, 1995
White E and Fischer L (eds) New tools for new times: The workflow paradigm: The impact of information technology on business process reengineering Future Strategies, 1994