INF2011S :: Systems Development B

Course Introduction

INF2011S is a half course intended for students majoring in Information Systems for the BCom or BBusSci degrees. Students pursuing other computing degrees may be accepted, space permitting.

This course is intended to follow on from the first semester INF2009F course which covered systems analysis. INF2011S will provide students with an in-depth understanding of the design, development, implementation and testing stages of the systems development life cycle. The course has a strong practical component where students will be taught to use the common tools of systems design (interaction, class, state machine, package, deployment and component diagrams, wire frame diagrams and story boards, screen and report layouts, test cases and control techniques). Students will also build and implement part of the system in VB.Net.

The course follows the same three stage approach used in INF2009F to developing the required proficiency:

• Stage 1 (Knowing) : is to understand the theory and body of knowledge underpining the systems development process. This will be done in lectures.
• Stage 2 (Understanding) : This will be done in the workshop sessions where students step through the problem solving process with the support of tutors where required. The same case study will be used in the second semester and student will continue to work in their teams, or apply to change partners for the second semester.
• Stage 3 (Applying) : is to work together in teams to complete the two final deliverables for the course – a working system developed in Visual Basic .Net and the supporting documentation.

INF2009F is closely linked to INF2011S and by implementing an information system based on the user requirements derived in the first semester, students will have completed the whole systems development life cycle (SDLC) using the traditional waterfall approach.

There is, of course, substantial theoretical content in the course, but in exams, workshops and class exercises, students will be expected to apply the theory to solve real-world problems.

Objectives

On completion of this module the student should be able to:

1. Understand what an architectural approach to design and implementation is.
2. Understand the various methods, artifacts, and procedures of an architectural approach to design, implementation and testing.
3. Understand how models developed in the analysis phase of the project can be enhanced and refined to arrive at the detailed design.
   1. Develop design sequence diagrams to model the collaboration of objects which interact to realize each use case defined in analysis.
   2. Develop a design class diagram and package diagram.
   3. Develop state-machine diagrams to understand the state transitions of core business classes.
   4. Design a relational schema to implement a hybrid relational database
4. Model user-computer interaction scenarios as dialog tables and story boards
5. Design screen and printed output, to user specifications
6. Apply the eight golden rules of dialog design to designing the user interface
7. Identify appropriate application controls to ensure the integrity of inputs, outputs, processing and storage
8. Discuss issues related to security that affect the design and operation of information systems
9. Describe the various types of software testing, and show how test cases developed in the analysis stage of the project can be used to improve systems quality
10. Identify the activities found in the implementation and support phases of the SDLC
11. List the various approaches to data conversion and systems implementation giving the advantages and disadvantages of each.
12. Describe and compare rapid application development (RAD), prototyping and extreme programming (XP) development approaches
13. Acquire competency to implement designs in Visual Basic.net following n-tier development principles.
14. Implement a small project - Use the acquired skills to evolve the requirements that have been formulated into a design, build the system components, test at the various levels and implement the application in Visual Basic .Net.

Getting Through INF2011S

Some students approach a course believing that they can get through just by working very hard for the final exams. INF2011S covers too much work for this to be a sensible approach, and such students will usually fail. The emphasis in workshops and exams is on applying theoretical knowledge, not regurgitating it! So swotting at the end of the course without having applied the various tools and techniques doesn’t really help. If you have not worked steadily through the workshops and project during the semester, you will find the examinations incomprehensible.

On the other hand, students who work hard throughout the course should approach the final exam with a good year mark, and a comfortable feeling that they are already on top of the subject! Revising for the final exam is still necessary, but it becomes more of a process of refreshing your memory rather than grappling with new and difficult techniques.

Key success factors to making INF2011S one of the most worthwhile and enjoyable courses you will do in your degree are:

• Attend lectures, even if you have had a late night, or don’t find all the lectures stimulating.
• Attend workshops and practicals. They are the best way to move from theory to practice and ensure you can apply the required techniques. If you find them easy, then this is an indicator that the exams will not be difficult for you.
• Do your project assignment as well as you can. A good year mark takes lots of pressure off you.
• DONT PROCRASTINATE. Start working on your assignments as soon as you receive them. Remember that there are no extensions. Also, remember that there is strong demand for computer laboratory resources towards deadlines.
• Speak to your lecturer or tutor EARLY if you are having problems with the material. Don’t wait until the last minute when it is too late to remedy the situation.
• Form a study group with fellow students so that you can support each other and help each other with difficult parts of the course.
• We encourage group discussion and support but it is important that each student works with and understands every aspect of the course. Students will be using the tools and techniques introduced in INF2009F/INF2011S in delivering a major project in third year and honours. Your expertise in systems development is probably the most critical skill set you will take out of university into the IT profession. It is therefore important that both members of a team work on all deliverables – don’t split the work between you so that each member can see half the total picture. Obviously one team member might complete the final drawing of a particular model but both should be involved in the rough drafts where the real thinking and understanding is required.
• Beware PLAGARISM. Each team must submit its own documentation. It is very easy to see where students are copying rather than doing their own work as each marker evaluates the same section across all the deliverables. . Where groups are found to have copied from other students, both groups will be penalised. This is likely to result in a mark of zero being given to both groups with the potential for further action where appropriate. You will be required to submit a declaration saying the deliverable is all your own work and details of the format of this statement will follow later.

We believe that our IS majors and our IS Honours students produce work that is on a par with the best in the world. Certainly this belief is borne out generally by the demand for our students in the marketplace (including overseas), and by the interest of many organisations in supporting and contributing to our courses.

WELCOME TO THE COURSE – LETS GET EDUCATED!