SYS5400

Data warehousing

G Shanks

6 points
* 2 hours per week
* Second semester
* Caulfield

Objectives At the completion of this subject, students should know the theories and principles of data warehousing; understand the benefits of data warehousing and suitable techniques and tools for designing and implementing a data warehouse; be able to apply the theories and principles of data warehousing to the practice of decision support; and appreciate how to interact effectively with managers, consultants and vendors in the development of a data warehouse.

Synopsis Systems analysts are increasingly required to provide managers with information which is not readily available from operational information systems. The data warehouse is designed to provide managers with high quality data from a number of sources both inside and outside the organisation and is an example of a large-scale decision system. The data warehouse must be suitable for flexible and multi-dimensional retrieval and analysis of data. This subject presents students with a coverage of several important aspects of data warehousing. These include definitions of terminology and purpose of a data warehouse, designing the data warehouse, data sourcing, implementing the data warehouse, delivery of data from the warehouse to the manager, organisational issues involved with designing and implementing a data warehouse and case studies of data warehousing practice. This subject will include weekly seminars and a group assignment in which students will gain experience in planning and designing a data warehouse.

Assessment Research paper: 60%
* Practical assignment: 40%

Prescribed texts

Kimball R The data warehouse toolkit Wiley, 1996

Recommended texts

Inmon W Building a data warehouse QED, 1992
Inmon W and Hackathorn R Using a data warehouse Wiley, 1994
The Data Warehouse Institute, Web Site, URL: http://wwwtekptnrcom/tpi/tdwi/