IOM433 Creative Information Systems Analysis and
Design
Fall 2011 M/W 2-3:50
HOH304
Faculty: Jeremiah Johnson
Phone: 213-740-0289
Email: jeremiaj@usc.edu
Office: Bridge B6 (Basement office by the stairs)
Office Hours: Wednesdays 4-5:30 or by appointment
Course Description & Goal
Requirements for an Information System (IS) describe in precise terms what the IS
will and won’t do for an organization and system users. Requirements are needed
whether the IS is being developed in-house, purchased, or outsourced. It is never easy to
figure out what’s the best set of requirements that will be of the most help to the
organization and system users. There are many factors to consider in identifying these
requirements: competitive business pressures, technology opportunities, business process
improvement opportunities, risks in existing systems, and user suggestions. No single
information source knows about all of these factors. Moreover, information may change
over the time during which the requirements were collected, or since the IS was installed.
Finally, the information rarely points to one specific solution; there are always many
possible solutions.
What is needed is a Systems Analyst who coordinates, facilitates, communicates,
translates, searches, does detective work, encourages, engages, and most importantly
creatively iterates with stakeholders and information sources to help craft a solution that
seems to fit best with all the information gathered. A Systems Analyst is a broker
between business managers, system users, and software developers. An Analyst is the
spokesperson for the user, the voice of reason for the business manager, the customer
liaison for the software developer. Systems Analysts are not a single job title. They may
also be called Business Process Analyst, Risk Management Analyst, Change
Management Professional, Project Coordinator, or Jr. Project Manager. Learning to be a
translator and broker between business and technology will also serve you well as an
entrepreneur, or in a financial, marketing, or consulting career as these careers become
increasingly dependent on well-designed and executed information systems.
The course will teach you the modeling tools to integrate information on these
various requirements drivers into a coherent business case or blue print of a future
software application, and a specifications package that frames the use of software in the
organization. The course will also help you manage the development and deployment of
information systems by identifying and managing risks early through the use of:
 agile and iterative development techniques, and
 Unified Modeling Language (UML).
There are no prerequisites
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
-
Communicate in precise modeling language business-relevant Information
Systems requirements to both business managers and software developers
Develop business cases for convincing managers of the need for information
systems
Identify who to include in the Requirements Gathering process and how to keep
them involved to ensure their initial and continued buy-in
Avoid scope creep and other classic IS development risks
Text:
Readings posted on Blackboard plus
Dennis, Wixom, Tegarden (authors). Systems Analysis and Design with UML
Version 2.0: An Object Oriented Approach, Third Edition. Wiley. 2009
Assessment
5 Reading Comprehension Assessments (RC) (drop lowest) 5% each
9 Homework Assignments (drop lowest) 5% each
Final (integrative and cumulative, open book)
Participation and Preparation:
20%
40%
30%
10%
Outline
# Date
Topic
Turn-in HW
due
Reading due by class date
1 M 8/22 Overview of class
2 W 8/24 Context of Systems
Post profiles on Ch 1, p. 1-17. Bring in one article
Development (diff users, Blackboard
from Business Week, Wall Street
diff pressures)
Journal, CIO, Info Week, Wired, etc.
about a system that was developed.
Describe an aspect of the system
development process
3 M
The Process (SDLC,
Know answers to Ch 1 Qs 1-17. Be
8/29
CMM) & alt
able to discuss Exercise A & H &
methodologies
Minicase 1
4 W 8/31 UML & Role of
Ch 1, p17-35. Know answers to Qs
Business/Systems
18-29. Be able to discuss Exercise D
Analyst
& F & Minicase 3
M 9/5
Labor Day - No Classes
5 W 9/7 Identifying hi-level
Ch 2: p41-46, 61-62. Know answers
business opportunities &
to Qs 1-4, 11. Be able to discuss
problems (PIECES
Concept-inAction on p50, Your Turn
framework; effectiveness
2-2, Exercise A, & Minicase #1
vs efficiency, tangible vs
intangible value).
Completing Systems
Request Form
6 M
Identifying Technical
HW#1 Due:
Ch 2: p46-48, p62-66. Know answer
9/12
Feasibility Risks
Technical
to Q #9.
2
Feasibility
Report
7 W 9/14 Organizational Feasibility
Analysis Part 1:
Understanding current
process to know how IS
could change it: BPM
8 M 9/19 Org Feasibility Part 1
HW#2 Due:
cont. Business Impact
Voice
Analysis, Duration
Biometrics
Analysis
Case BPM
9 W 9/21 Using CASE tools to help
with BPM analysis.
Location: TBA
10 M 9/26 Org Feasibility Part 2:
Stakeholder Analysis.
Identify risks and
Stakeholder concerns
11 W 9/28 Summarizing feasibilities HW #3Due:
into Risk Table and
Hard Rock
Context Diagram
Café Risk
Table
12 M 10/3 Requirements Definition:
Functional vs
nonfunctional; Reqs docs
13 W 10/5 Reqs Discovery Methods HW 4 Due:
Part A: Interviewing.
Interview Qs
14 M 10/ Reqs Discovery Methods
10
Part B: JAD
15 W
10/
12
16 M 10/
17
Reqs Discovery Methods
Part C: Observation of
people and docs
Refining Functional
Requirements Part A:
Specifying Use Cases:
Primary use cases
Pp117-124 (what is BPM) & Ch 5 p
157-166 (how to do it). Be able to
discuss in class Exercise C, D, E
Voice Biometrics Case on Blackboard
Bring Advanced Goal Analysis from
Blackboard. Read: Modeling
Capabilities of Websphere Business
Modeler
Ch 2: p56-58. Know answer to Q15.
Be able to discuss Exercise F. Reread
Voice Biometrics Case. Be able to
identify stakeholders, whether each
stakeholder was positive or negative
to change, & what company did to
turn negative to positive.
Read Hard Rock café on Blackboard
p110-115, 144-151; p480-496.
Know answers to Q1 & Q3
Be prepared to discuss YourTurn 4-1,
Exercise A.
What additional reqs are needed for
CD Selections Case?
Ch 4, p.125-131. Know answers to Qs
10-13
Ch 4, p132-136. Know answers to Qs
14, 16-19. Be prepared to discuss
Minicase #1 on which a JAD could be
done.
Ch 4: p138-144. Know answers to Qs
22-24. Complete & be prepared to
discuss YourTurn 4-7 & Minicase #2
Read Home Realty Problem
Statement from Blackboard (under
Rational Rose Folder) + Ch 5 p166182. Know answers to Qs 810,17,18,21,23.. Identify only
primary (no “includes” or “extends”
relationships) use cases for Realty
Problem Statement. Be prepared to
3
discuss YourTurn 5-6
HW5 Due: Use Ch 5, p188-203. Be prepared to
Case Diagram discuss CD Selections Case Use Case
for Reality
Diagram and Exercise N
Case
18 M 10/ Refining Functional
Read Home Realty Case Use Case
24
Reqs: Specifying Use
Description: Maintain Personal
Case Descriptions
Planner in Rational Rose Folder on
Blackboard & complete the Use Case
Description. Read Ch 5, p168-173 &
complete Your Turn 5-5 & 5-6.
Prepare at least one use case
description for YourTurn 5-8 &
identify at least one change to
Requires Doc on p. 147 as a result of
your use case description.
19 W
Specifying the Data
HW#6:YourTu Ch 6. Know answers to Qs 2,9,11.
10/
Layer: Structural
rn 6-2
Be prepared to discuss YourTurn 6-1
26
Modeling
& 6-3 & Minicase 1
20 M 10/31 Specifying the User
Ch 7. Prepare Sequence Diagram for
Interface Layer:
Maintain Personal Planner. Prepare
Behavioral Modeling
Sequence Diagram for Maintain CD
Info in CD Selections Case. Do
YourTurn 7-1
Know answers to Qs.1,2,5
21 W 11/2 Moving on to Design : HW #7:
Ch 8  p. 299. Know answers to Qs
Partitioning
YourTurn 8-2 1,3,4,5,6,8,9,10,12 + Minicase 2
22 M 11/ CASE Tools to support
Bring your Reality Use Case and
7
UML: Rational Rose Lab
Maintain Personal Planner
MEET IN HOH401
descriptions and notes
23 W 11/ Design Strategies
HW #8:
Ch 8 p. 299-317. Be prepared to
9
YourTurn 8-4 discuss YourTurn 8-3. Know answers
to Qs 14-21 + Minicase 1
24 M 11/ UML in real world
Prepare at least one insightful
14
question about the class example
25 W
Testing
Ch 13. Know answers to Qs .6-21.
11/
Prepare a use case test plan for Place
16
Order Use Case in CD Selections
Case.
26 M
Change Management
Ch 14 p. 543-552. Know answers to
11/
Qs1,2,8-14. Be prepared to discuss
21
Minicase 2
W 11/
Thanksgiving Holiday - No Classes
23
17 W 10/
19
Refining Functional
Reqs: Specifying
Abstract Use Cases
27 M 11/
28
28 W
11/30
Conversion Strategies
HW #9 due: Ch Ch 14 p533-543, 552-559. Know
14A/B/C
answers to Qs 3-7
Review for final
4
Fri Dec Final
9 2-4pm
Homework:
Homework is intended to focus your preparation for the class. The homework is due at the
beginning of class on the due date in hard copy. It is assumed that the reading is sufficient
preparation to complete the homework; if not, it is your responsibility to contact me to ask
questions sufficiently in advance of the assignment. Grades will be marked down if homework
turned in late: If late 5-60 mins: ½ grade down (An “A” receives an A-). If late 61-120 minutes:
another ½ grade down. If late: 121-180 minutes: another ½ grade down, etc. Each homework
assignment is worth 5% of your final grade. There are 9 assignments. You may drop your
lowest assignment. Any of these homework assignments can be done with a single partner (in
which you both receive the same grade) although the final exam is based on your individualized
work.
1) Technical Feasibility Report. Go to an IT Trade publication (e.g., Computerworld,
Wired, CIO, Info Week, Communications of the ACM) and identify an IS project with
technical feasibility risks associated with it. Write a report with 1 paragraph describing
the system and business process, 1 paragraph on technical risks, and a table indicating
what they did to manage each risk. Should be 1 page (or less) single space. Be prepared
to share in class. An “A” paper will have specific technical risks described specifically
for that case (not generic ones like “new technology”) and specific actions taken for each
risk. At least 3 risks will be identified. Post to Blackboard BEFORE class.
2) Voice Biometrics BPM Exercise. Read the Voice Biometrics case. Draw the as-is
business process flow before the VeSecure System. Indicate on the as-is flow how it
changed as a result of the VeSecure System. Include swimlanes indicating who did what
tasks, and control and object flows. Can be hand-drawn. Add 1 sentence indicating if you
think this change from as-is to to-be represented a BPA, BPI, or BPR with a justification
for your answer. Should be 1 page or less single space. Add another sentence indicating
how the case handled the risks of the BPM approach they took. An A assignment will
have notation correct, all relevant people shown, all relevant changes shown, excellent
justification and insightful recognition of the risks involved.
3) Hard Rock Café Risk Table. Prepare Risk Table of the risks (categorized into
Organizational and Technical) & what they did about each one. 1 page or less. Table
only. An A assignment will have specifics about each. At least 4 risks of each will be
identified.
4) Interview Qs. Prepare a set of structured interview questions to develop a new course
registration system for USC. An “A” grade will be specific enough to unearth
nonobvious functional and non-functional requirements.
5) Realty Use Case Diagram. Prepare a use case diagram for the Realty Problem Statement
with includes and extends relationship. No text required.
6) Your Turn 6-2. Complete and turn-in
7) Your Turn 8-2
8) Your Turn 8-4
9) Ch 14 Exercises A/B/C (p. 561). Prepare a table with the elements of a conversion
strategy as rows (e.g., pilot vs simultaneous is one row) and the three scenarios of A, B &
C as columns. Indicate the conversion strategy for each scenario in the table. Less than 1
page. An “A” will have correct answers.
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Reading Comprehensions Assessments are based exclusively on the reading and questions asked.
They will administered the first 5 minutes of the class at my discretion, with no advance
warning.
Class Participation:
Attendance does not constitute participation. A “C” grade participation is achieved by
just saying something. Only comments that demonstrate ALL of the following constitute
exceptional participation worthy of an A: understanding of the reading material, having done the
homework, pose new questions/issues/ideas to consider, non-repetitive, contributes to others’
learning, bringing new, relevant, and interesting material to the class on the topic of discussion,
distinguishes between opinions and facts, and demonstrates ability to apply, analyze, and
synthesize course material. You must be in attendance the whole class to receive a participation
point; tardiness to class forfeits the participation grade for that class. You must be able to have
done the preparation for that class to receive ANY participation points for that class.
Marshall School of Business
Standards of Professional Behavior
The Marshall School of Business is preparing students for professional behavior in
business contexts. Therefore, in addition to abiding by the principles of academic
honesty contained in SCampus, the following behaviors are not permitted during
academic sessions
- Laptops and internet usage (unless stated by professor)
- Cell phones, iPods, and any electronic device
- Videotaping faculty lectures due to copyright infringement
- Any activities that harm a participative sharing environment including:
o Lack of attendance
o Arriving late (late arrivals with a 3-min grace period will be marked as
absent)
o Leaving early
o Lack of preparedness
o Entering/exiting room while the class is in session
o Sleeping in class
o Inattentive behavior (such as reading)
o Classroom verbalizations that discourage others from contributing
(including excessive complaining, talking for too long, simply offering
your own view without building on others’ views, using language that
others in the class are likely to not understand without explaining it)
o Lack of presence when the class is engaged in group activities
If ONE OR MORE of any of these behaviors are observed in 4 sessions, the final grade
will be lowered by a ½ grade (an A will become an A-).
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