Business Information Systems
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
This course will cover the following topics:
 characteristics of modern information systems for operational and strategic
planning (Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management,
Management Information Systems, Product Lifecycle Management, Electronic
Markets etc.)
 connection between operational data (i.e. order fulfillment, product development)
and controlling information
 different methods of controlling
By the end of this course students should:
 have an holistic view of an enterprise
 see the dependencies of operational data and management information
 know the relations between different divisions of an organisation
 know basics on different kinds of business information systems
 know basics on modern methods of controlling
 know the connection between controlling-systems and operational IT-systems
This course will be mainly taught in lecture style. Theoretical contents presented during
the course have to be applied working on the case studies. Students will be given
individual feedback on their assignments and have the possibility to correct them in order
to improve their grades.
Written discussions take place at most once in a lecture. They last for 20 to 25 minutes and
will be related to the topics of the lecture (i.e. last 2-3 slides presented). There is no need
for any special preparation to answer the discussions. The grades will be granted for the
presentation of the point view and the pro´s and con´s related to it. Typical discussions
may be on giving practical examples, personal appraisements of methods/technologies
presented etc
1
Assessment is based on
1. assignments on case studies based on given questions (group work, 2-3 persons;
60%)
2. final presentation of the assignments (group work, 2-3 persons; 20%)
3. written discussions based on the contents that are actually presented in the lecture
(individual work; 20%)
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
peter.cilek@wu.ac.at, manuela.hirsch@wu.ac.at
2
Business Process Management
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Business Process Management
Process Identification
Process Modeling
Process Discovery
Process Analysis
Process Redesign
Process Automation
Process Intelligence
The course is designed to set the participants in the state of understanding and applying
techniques and methods of:
process identification
process modeling
process discovery
process analysis
process redesign
process automation
process intelligence
Group assignment
Presentation
Exam
1
1
Author: Dumas, La Rosa, Mendling, Reijers
Title: Fundamentals of Business Process Management
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Edition: 1st Edition
Remarks:
http://www.springer.com/computer/information+systems+and+applications/book
/978-3-642-33142-8
Year: 2013
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
jan.mendling@wu.ac.at
2
Business Information Systems
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
This course will cover the following topics:
 characteristics of modern information systems for operational and strategic
planning (Enterprise Resource Planning, Customer Relationship Management,
Management Information Systems, Product Lifecycle Management, Electronic
Markets etc.)
 connection between operational data (i.e. order fulfillment, product development)
and controlling information
 different methods of controlling
By the end of this course students should:
 have an holistic view of an enterprise
 see the dependencies of operational data and management information
 know the relations between different divisions of an organisation
 know basics on different kinds of business information systems
 know basics on modern methods of controlling
 know the connection between controlling-systems and operational IT-systems
This course will be mainly taught in lecture style. Theoretical contents presented during
the course have to be applied working on the case studies. Students will be given
individual feedback on their assignments and have the possibility to correct them in order
to improve their grades.
Written discussions take place at most once in a lecture. They last for 20 to 25 minutes and
will be related to the topics of the lecture (i.e. last 2-3 slides presented). There is no need
for any special preparation to answer the discussions. The grades will be granted for the
presentation of the point view and the pro´s and con´s related to it. Typical discussions
may be on giving practical examples, personal appraisements of methods/technologies
presented etc
1
Assessment is based on
1. assignments on case studies based on given questions (group work, 2-3 persons;
60%)
2. final presentation of the assignments (group work, 2-3 persons; 20%)
3. written discussions based on the contents that are actually presented in the lecture
(individual work; 20%)
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
peter.cilek@wu.ac.at, manuela.hirsch@wu.ac.at
2
Business Process Management
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Business Process Management
Process Identification
Process Modeling
Process Discovery
Process Analysis
Process Redesign
Process Automation
Process Intelligence
The course is designed to set the participants in the state of understanding and applying
techniques and methods of:
process identification
process modeling
process discovery
process analysis
process redesign
process automation
process intelligence
Group assignment
Presentation
Exam
1
1
Author: Dumas, La Rosa, Mendling, Reijers
Title: Fundamentals of Business Process Management
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Edition: 1st Edition
Remarks:
http://www.springer.com/computer/information+systems+and+applications/book
/978-3-642-33142-8
Year: 2013
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
jan.mendling@wu.ac.at
2
Database Systems –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Entity-Relationship Model
Relational Model
SQL Structured Query Language
More info at mitloehner.net/lehre/dbsys
-
Understand concepts of DBMS and apply in practical problems
understand Entity-Relationship Model and apply in practical problems
understand Relational Model and execute transition from ERM to RM
understand SQL Structured Query Language and formulate queries to solve
practical problems in a programmatic environment
Lecture and practical exercises on the PC using MySQL on Linux server
Active participation by solving problems using DBMS
Ongoing evaluation of participation during lecture
Several short written examinations
Presentation of DBSM application developed by participant
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
http://xmdimrill.ai.wu-wien.ac.at/~mitloehn/lehre/dbsys/
Consultation hours Tue 10-12 am; Email: mitloehn (at) wu.ac.at, Phone: +43/1/31336-5233
1
Distributed Systems
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
In this course we will discuss:
 the basic characteristics of distributed systems;
 architectures of distributed systems;
 problems related to the communication in distributed systems;
 methods and techniques to address such problems;
 different types of middleware;
 software patterns for distributed systems.
The course focuses on generic concepts, techniques, methods, and open standards for
distributed systems.
We do not (explicitly) discuss the implementation of distributed systems via a particular
programming language or software platform.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
mark.strembeck@wu.ac.at; stefan.sobernig@wu.ac.at
1
Innovation Management –
Master Program in Information Systems
This course aims to provide students with an insight into the factors that drive successful IT
innovation. The first half of the course introduces to innovation management in general,
corporate entrepreneurship and the new phenomenon of companies’ successful leveraging
of open innovation and user innovation. The second half of the course focuses on innovation
diffusion. A detailed look is taken at concrete characteristics of successful digital products
and services. What’s important when engineering digital products for broader market
acceptance? And what does one have to watch out for when judging on the quality of new IT
product- and service proposals? How can false trust in hype-cycles be avoided? To answer
these questions, human-centered technical design processes as well as economic factors
need to be considered.
Human-centred technical design involves not only an understanding of adjusted and more
user-centered system development life-cycles, but also insights into the long history of
research in technology acceptance models. Here, usability issues are playing a role (i.e.
affective, cognitive and physical engineering), but equally important are more general factors
of system acceptability such as trust, social compatibility,culture and personality as well as the
respect of human values in the design of systems (such as the desire for privacy, control or
autonomy). The economic perspective, in contrast, covers a selected number of those market
forces which are particularly relevant for IT acceptance and success regardless of product
appeal: in particular pricing, standardization and network effects.
After attending this course, students will:
 know what innovations are and what challenges accompany their success
 know about how innovations are successfully managed in firms
 know about how open innovation tools and user innovation can be leveraged for
innovation management
 know how innovation diffuses into markets
 have an insight into the factors that drive dominant IT designs and how to cater
for them in the system development-and marketing process
 In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:
 develop critical written arguments
 convincingly present opinions in oral discussion groups
 develop arguments in teams and present the results
 structuring and writing in English language
1
The course is a combination of lectures and in-class student assignments, presentations and
discussions.
Five lectures will give students a theoretical introduction to innovation management:
1. Innovation Management and Corporate Entrepreneurship
2. Open Innovation and User Innovation
3. Innovation Diffusion
4. Creating Dominant IT Designs
5. Economic determinants of successful IT innovation
Each class gives ample room for discussion of practical cases. A mix of materials is used,
including videos and case studies.
Teams of two students are required to prepare a presentation that covers a case-study
related to the course’s theory (accompanied by a 5-page text exposé).
A final exam will be held on the material presented.
Grades depend on:
1. Class attendance and participation - 10%
2. Presentation case study - 30%
3. Final Exam - 60%
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Qualified exchange students are explicitly invited to this course, which benefits from a diverse
and international atmosphere.
Prof. Spiekermann can be reached at wi-sek@wu.ac.at.
2
Introduction to IT Law –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Driven by technologies like computers, wireless communications and the internet, the so
called „information society“ leads to a fast-growing field of law dealing with the legal
aspects of these technologies.
This lecture shall provide an overview of and introduction to IT-Law and primarily deals
with the following topics:
-
Legal protection of computer software and databases
Privacy and Media Law
Distant Selling and Consumer Protection Regulations
E-Commerce Law
Having successfully passed this course, students will be able to understand the legal
contexts of information technologies and obtain skills to deal with the corresponding legal
matters and issues.
The course combines elements of a lecture with active participation from the students. The
relevant literature will be provided in class and on the E-Learning Platform (Learn@WU).
Attendance is compulsory.
The assessment of the course consists of 3 parts:
-
Participation in the lecture: 10%
Written exam about public law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
Written exam about private law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Students must be able to read legal materials and express themselves in English.
1
martin.winner@wu.ac.at clemens.appl@wu.ac.at; matthias.traimer@bka.gv.at
2
IT Governance and Controlling –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
The course will cover the following topics:
 Overview of IT Governance and Controlling
 IT investment appraisal methods and frameworks
 Enterprise IT programme management
 IT Performance measurement and reporting
 IT project controlling (scope and change management)
 Project network controls
 Support tools and frameworks
 An introduction to CobiT and internal control systems
By the end of this course students should be able to:
 Assess and evaluate the factors that lay behind ITC techniques.
 Appreciate and be able to discuss a range of ITC approaches.
 Conduct IT investment appraisals by acknowledging IT evaluation methods and
frameworks.
 Apply theoretical insights to managing and control effective IT programmes and
projects.
 Be able to design and conduct IT performance measurement and management.
 Ensure control structure is in place to support IT strategies and goals.
 Acknowledge globally recognized theoretical and practical support frameworks to
safeguard IT control objectives.
 Apply a range of transferable skills such as literature search, analytical skills,
application of theory to real life situations, teamwork, motivation and interpersonal
skills.
This course will be taught by in a combined lecture and workshop style involving case
studies and seminar papers. This course involves private study including guided reading
associated with focus topics, independent small group work, and preparation for and
production of coursework assignment.
1
Formative assessment will take place during each session when students will work on
questions, case studies or seminar papers in groups or alone for class discussion. Formal
grading of work and learning outcome will include level and quality of active participation,
one exam, group work assignment and presentation.
Individual contributions to the formative process of group work will be assessed through
participants appraising and submitting a ‘Group Work: Peer & Self Assessment Form’ prior
to their presentations.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
1
Author: Teale, Dispenza, Flynn and Currie
Title: Management Decision Making - Towards an Integrated Approach
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
Year: 2003
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
2
Author: Andreas Gadatsch and Elmar Mayer
Title: Masterkurs IT-Controlling
Publisher: Vieweg/Wiesbaden
Remarks: This book is in German.
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
3
Author: Kenneth A. Merchant and Wim A. Van der Stede
Title: Management Control Systems - Performance Measurement, Evaluation and
Incentives
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
Edition: 2
Year: 2007
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
4
Author: ISACA/ITGI
Title: COBIT
Publisher: ISACA/ROLLING MEADOWS
Edition: Version 4.1
Remarks: Online Resource - www.itgi.org/cobit
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
2
5
Author: Leslie Turner and Andrea Weickgenannt
Title: Accounting Information Systems - Controls and Processes
Publisher: Wiley/New York
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Students are welcome to discuss course-related issues during weekly surgery hours or by
appointment (email: edward.bernroider@wu.ac.at).
3
IT Strategy
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4




Assessment of current literature
Alignment with practioners´ experience
Relevant experts´ contribution from International Consulting Firms alike Longterm
Executives
Intrinsic differentiation between Academic and Executives´ agenda
Having succeeded, students are capable to
 plan / execute / control an according mid-term action plan
 understand the impact of general Change Management issues
 request a respective framework concerning Governance and Responsibility
 balance how to deliver short-term cost measures w/o missing mid-/long term
Investments
 apply risk-related considerations
 ultimately becoming integral part of the overall Organization’s Strategy Building
process




Single and group presentations
Class room lecturing
Offline Homework exercise
Open and interactive discourse
Initial Group-homework & Presentation in front of students:
60 Minutes – Final Test:
Interactive class room contribution:
1
40 %
40 %
20 %
Informationsmanagement, H. Krcmar
Business Engineering, H. Osterle, R. Winter, (Hrsg.)
Strategisches IT-Management, Buchta, Eul, Schulte-Croonenberg
Führen von IT-Service-Unternehmen, Hradilak
Datenqualität und individualisierte Kommunikation, Treiblmaier
Information Systems Strategy, Teubner
Wirtschaftsinformatik I/II, Hansen, Neumann
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
t-huber@aon.at
2
Theory of Computation
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
This course gives a short introduction into fundamental mathematical properties of
computer hardware and software. In studying this subject we seek to determine what can
be and what cannot be computed, how quickly, with how much memory, and of which
type of computational model. Computational problems are strongly related to the
recognition of particular languages, that is, sets of strings over same given alphabet. Thus
we will study various types of automata and characterize the kind of languages that can be
recognized by there spective type of machine.

Deterministic Finite Automata
have a finite number of states but no memory. They recognize regular languages
which can be described by regular expressions.

Nondeterministic Finite Automata
are similar to deterministic automata except that they allow to run all possible
branches of an algorithm in parallel. Interestingly, nondeterministic automata often
are not more powerful than their deterministic counterpart.

PushDown Automata
are finite automata with a stack added. They recognize languages which are
generated by some context free grammar.

Turing Machines
are the most powerful machines. They have a finite number of states with an
infinite tape added that can be both read and written at arbitrary positions. By the
Church-Turing thesis our intuitive notion of algorithm is equivalent to Turing
machine algorithms. An important difference to the above machines is, that Turing
machines may loop forever. If a Turing machine never loops it is called a decider.
Surprisingly there are languages that are not Turing-recognizable, that is, there are
computational problems that cannot be solved by any computer. There also are
languages that are Turing-recognizable but not decidable, e.g., the halting
problem.
At last we will look at the runtime of algorithms and discuss the P vs. NP problem which is
one of the most prominent open problem in computer science.
1
Students who have mastered this course understand the concepts behind various types of
automata and languages and their relations to each other.
- They are able to give formal definitions of particular machines and their
corresponding languages.
- They can create an automaton to solve a particular computational problem.
- Conversely, they can describe a language that is recognized by a given automaton
and provide a regular expression and context free grammar, respectively, that
generates a given language.
- They also understand why the halting problem is not decidable why there exist
languages that are not Turing-recognizable.
- Finally they can estimate running times of algorithms.
In each unit of this course new material is presented and discussed. Ideally students have
read the corresponding chapter of the book in advance.
Students prepare solutions to corresponding exercises and problems for homework which
are presented in the next unit. Short quizzes at the end of each unit give feedback about
the learning progress.
Grading is based on the following two items:
 Presentation of homework (50%):
Students present their solutions of homework problems. Depending on the level of
difficulty they get 1 ("Exercise"), 2 ("Problem"), or 3 ("Advanced Problem") credit
points for a satisfactory presentation. For partial solutions or incorrect arguments
students get fewer points.
It is expected that each students presents at least 3 of his or her solutions.
However, the required number of presentations (and thus credit points) depends
on the actual number of students and time that is spend on discussions.
 Quizzes (short tests) at the end of each unit (50%):
Students answer short questions related to given lesson.
1
Author: Michael Sipser
Title: Introduction to the Theory of Computation
Publisher: Course Technology
Edition: 2nd edition
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
2
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Available by email: josef.leydold@wu.ac.at
3
User-Centered IS Design, Strategy & Technology
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
All class content will be posted on the class Web site.
After attending this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the importance of designing systems that fit well with user practices,
needs, and expectations.
- Use design methods that lead to user-friendly, and usable systems.
- Evaluate existing systems to identify how their usability can be improved.
In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:
- Working in a team
- Making informed written and oral arguments in presentations and discussions
- Giving presentations and writing reports in English.
This course will enable students to learn the theoretical underpinnings of User-Driven
System Design. Students will be introduced to practical guidelines and principles for
designing and evaluating systems with the user's needs as the primary focus.
Topics covered include:
Fundamental concepts and theories of Human-Computer Interaction, Methods for
studying user interactions with systems, Techniques for evaluating usability of systems,
and Approaches for implementing design ideas. The course will follow the principles of
active learning. Each week, students will be assigned reading material for analysis and
presentation during class.
Via various class activities, students will also experience the practical application of the
concepts learned in the readings. Participation in class discussions and activities is an
essential component of taking the course. At approximately the mid-point of the course,
students will turn in a term paper report on an assigned, course-relevant topic.
Additionally, students will work on an assigned course-relevant team project in groups of
2 or 3. At the end of the course, the teams will present their project to class and turn in a
written report.
1
The final grade for the course is comprised of:
Class participation: 20%
Weekly presentation of readings: 20%
Weekly analysis of readings: 20%
Term paper: 20%
Team project: 20% (Class presentation: 33% + Written report: 67%)
Grades will be assigned as follows:
90+: Very good (1)
80-89: Good (2)
70-79: Satisfactory (3)
60-69: Adequate (4)
< 60: Fail (5)
To do well in the course, students will need to:
- read the assigned material prior to each class,
- turn in an analysis of the assigned readings prior to each class,
- present the assigned reading during class,
- participate actively in class activities,
- write a thoughtful term paper on the assigned topic,
- deliver an insteresting presentation and report on the assigned team project, and
- apply the concepts from the assigned readings in all writing and class discussions.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Available by email: tijana.gonja@gmail.com
2
Business Information Systems
Instructors: Dr. Peter Cilek, Dr. Manuela Hirsch
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
 characteristics of modern information systems for operational and strategic planning (Enterprise Ressource
Planning, Customer Relationship Management, Management Information Systems, Product Lifecycle
Management, Electronic Markets etc.)
 connection beetween operational data (i.e. order fulfillment, product development) and controlling information
 different methods of controlling
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students should:
 have an holistic view of an enterprise
 see the dependencies of operational data and management information
 know the relations beetween different divisions of an organisation
 know basics on different kinds of business information systems
 know basics on modern methods of controlling
 know the connection beetween controlling-systems and operational IT-systems
Teaching/learning method(s)
This course will be mainly taught in lecture style. Theoretical contents presented during the course have to be applied
working on the case studies. Students will be given individual feedback on their assignments and have the possibility to
correct them in order to improve their grades.
Written discussions take place at most once in a lecture. They last for 20 to 25 minutes and will be related to the topics
of the lecture (i.e. last 2-3 slides presented). There is no need for any special preparation to answer the discussions.
The grades will be granted for the presentation of the point view and the pro´s and con´s related to it. Typical
discussions may be on giving practival examples, personal appraisments of methods/technologies presented etc.
Assessment
Assessment is based on
1. Assignments on case studies based on given questions (group work, 2-3 persons; 60%)
2. Final presentation of the assignments (group work, 2-3 persons; 20%)
3. Written discussions based on the contents that are actually presented in the lecture (individual work; 20%)
1/10
Business Process Management
Instructors: Univ.Prof. Dr. Jan Mendling
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
Business Process Management
Process Identification
Process Modeling
Process Discovery
Process Analysis
Process Redesign
Process Automation
Process Intelligence
Learning outcomes
The course is designed to set the participants in the state of understanding and applying techniques and methods of:
Process identification
Process modeling
Process discovery
Process analysis
Process redesign
Process automation
Process intelligence
Teaching/learning method(s)
Lecturing
Group discussion
Assignments
Assessment
Group assignment
Presentation
Exam
Readings
Author: Dumas, La Rosa, Mendling, Reijers
Title: Fundamentals of Business Process Management
Publisher: Springer-Verlag
Edition: 1st Edition
Remarks: http://www.springer.com/computer/information+systems+and+applications/book/978-3-64233142-8
Year: 2013
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
2/10
Database Systems
Instructors: ao. Univ. Prof. Dr. Johann Mitlöhner
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
Entity-Relationship Model
Relational Model
SQL Structured Query Language
more info at mitloehner.net
Learning outcomes
- understand concepts of DBMS and apply in practical problems
- understand Entity-Relationship Model and apply in practical problems
- understand Relational Model and execute transition from ERM to RM
- understand SQL Structured Query Language and formulate queries to solve practical problems in a programmatic
environment
Teaching/learning method(s)
Lecture and practical exercises on the PC using mysql on Linux server
Active participation by solving problems using DBMS
Assessment
Ongoing evaluation of participation during lecture
Several short written examinations
Presentation of DBSM application developed by participant
Other
More information:
http://xmdimrill.ai.wu-wien.ac.at/~mitloehn/lehre/dbsys/
3/10
Innovation Management
Instructors: Dr. Peter Keinz/Prof. Sarah Spiekermann (SS/WS)
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
This course is positioned at the interface of corporate entrepreneurship and open innovation. More and more start-ups,
research organizations and/or internationally-acting companies face the challenge of ongoing innovation and openness
to multiple stakeholders, including customers and users of their products and services. They struggle with identifying
the right opportunities and developing new business ideas. This is partly due to the fast changing environment and
multiple challenges resulting in information overload. It is also due to organizational components, structures and
motivation systems that are not always appropriate for the current dynamics and technological settings.
This course aims at providing participants with a) a theoretical foundation with regard to innovation management and b)
the opportunity to apply state-to-the art innovation management methods and instruments in a real-life context.
It is organized as follows:
The course starts with an introduction on important topics and literature in corporate entrepreneurship and open
innovation (class one and two).
In classes three to five, students are asked to present their solutions to problems related to corporate entrepreneurship
and open innovation topics. Participants will be provided with articles and project questions upfront. They will then have
to build groups of four to five people, select a "real-life" case company and prepare answers to the project questions for
each class, using data from a self-selected "real life" case company. The focus of these classes will be on the handson application of theoretical constructs, instruments and methods based on the self-selected "real-life" case. After their
presentations, students will get feedback from peers, the lecturer and experts from the practical realm. The topics
covered in classes 3 to 5 will include: Innovation and industry development, creativity theory, absorptive capacity of the
firm and organizing for entrepreneurial behavior within the firm, user innovation, lead users, user communities and
business ecosystems. In the final class, students develop and present an innovation management strategy for the
company/organization they had chosen previously as their "real-life" case company.
The ultimate goal of the course is to prepare students for a management role in a leading international company and/or
start-up, dealing with innovation, corporate entrepreneurship, strategy and management issues, and open innovation
projects.
Learning outcomes
After having attended this class, students will have
- a comprehensive overview about innovation management methods and strategies,
- the capability to apply these instruments and methods, and
- the capability to come up with an integrated innovation strategy that fits with the organizational setting.
Furthermore, students will be able to
- collect, analyze and interpret business-relevant data from primary and secondary sources,
- present and document their findings, and
- organize and manage small project teams.
Teaching/learning method(s)
Teaching methods in this class comprise lectures, team work, presentations, oral and written peer reviews, and group
discussions.
Assessment
Grading will be based on:
- Group presentations (in class): 30%
- Individual contribution and peer review (feedback to groups): 20%
- Seminar paper (group work, 4 people): 40%
4/10
IT-Governance and Controlling
Instructors: Univ.Prof. Dr. Edward Bernroider [weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
The course will cover the following topics:
 Overview of IT Governance and Controlling
 IT investment appraisal methods and frameworks
 Enterprise IT programme management
 IT Performance measurement and reporting
 IT project controlling (scope and change management)
 Project network controls
 Support tools and frameworks
 An introduction to CobiT and internal control systems
Learning outcomes
By the end of this course students should be able to:
 Assess and evaluate the factors that lay behind ITC techniques.
 Appreciate and be able to discuss a range of ITC approaches.
 Conduct IT investment appraisals by acknowledging IT evaluation methods and frameworks.
 Apply theoretical insights to managing and control effective IT programmes and projects.
 Be able to design and conduct IT performance measurement and management.
 Ensure control structure is in place to support IT strategies and goals.
 Acknowledge globally recognized theoretical and practical support frameworks to safeguard IT control
objectives.
 Apply a range of transferable skills such as literature search, analytical skills, application of theory to real life
situations, teamwork, motivation and interpersonal skills.
Teaching/learning method(s)
This course will be taught by in a combined lecture and workshop style involving case studies and seminar papers.
This course involves private study including guided reading associated with focus topics, independent small group
work, and preparation for and production of coursework assignment.
Assessment
Formative assessment will take place during each session when students will work on questions, case studies or
seminar papers in groups or alone for class discussion. Formal grading of work and learning outcome will include level
and quality of active participation, one exam, group work assignment and presentation. Individual contributions to the
formative process of group work will be assessed through participants appraising and submitting a ‘Group Work: Peer
& Self Assessment Form’ prior to their presentations.
Readings
Author: Teale, Dispenza, Flynn and Currie
Title: Management Decision Making - Towards an Integrated Approach
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
1
Year: 2003
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Author: Andreas Gadatsch and Elmar Mayer
Title: Masterkurs IT-Controlling
2
Publisher: Vieweg/Wiesbaden
Remarks: This book is in German.
5/10
3
4
5
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Author: Kenneth A. Merchant and Wim A. Van der Stede
Title: Management Control Systems - Performance Measurement, Evaluation and Incentives
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
Edition: 2
Year: 2007
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Author: ISACA/ITGI
Title: COBIT
Publisher: ISACA/ROLLING MEADOWS
Edition: Version 4.1
Remarks: Online Resource - www.itgi.org/cobit
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Author: Leslie Turner and Andrea Weickgenannt
Title: Accounting Information Systems - Controls and Processes
Publisher: Wiley/New York
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Availability of lecturer(s)
Students are welcome to discuss course-related issues during weekly surgery hours or by appointment (email:
edward.bernroider@wu.ac.at).
6/10
Introduction to IT Law
Instructors: Dr. Matthias Traimer; Dr. Clemes Appl, Univ. Prof. Mag. Dr. Martin Winner
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
Driven by technologies like computers, wireless communications and the internet, the so called „information society“
leads to a fast-growing field of law dealing with the legal aspects of these technologies.
This lecture shall provide an overview of an introduction to IT-Law and primarily deals with the following topics:
-
Legal protection of computer software and databases
Privacy and Media Law
Distant Selling and Consumer Protection Regulations
E-Commerce Law
Learning outcomes
Having successfully passed this course, students will be able to understand the legal contexts of information
technologies and obtain skills to deal with the corresponding legal matters and issues.
Teaching/learning method(s)
The course combines elements of a lecture with active participation from the students. The relevant literature will be
provided in class and on the E-Learning Platform (Learn@WU).
Attendance is compulsory.
Assessment
The assessment of the course consists of 3 parts:
- Participation in the lecture: 10%
- Written exam about public law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
- Written exam about private law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
Prerequisites
Students must be able to read legal materials and express themselves in English.
7/10
Theory of Computation
Instructors: Prof. Dr. Josef Leydold
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
This course gives a short introduction into fundamental mathematical properties of computer hardware and software. In
studying this subject we seek to determine what can and cannot be computed, how quickly, with how much memory,
and of which type of computational model. Computational problems are strongly related to the recognition of particular
languages, that is, sets of strings over same given alphabet. Thus we will study various types of automata and
characterize the kind of languages that can be recognized by the respective type of machine.




Deterministic Finite Automata
have a finite number of states but no memory. They recognize regular languages which can be described by
regular expressions.
Nondeterministic Finite Automata
are similar to deterministic automata except that they allow to run all possible branches of an algorithm in
parallel. Interestingly, nondeterministic automata often are not more powerful than their deterministic
counterpart.
Push Down Automata
are finite automata with a stack added. They recognize languages which are generated by some context free
grammar.
Turing Machines
are the most powerful machines. They have a finite number of states with an infinite tape added that can be
both read and written at arbitrary positions. By the Church-Turing thesis our intuitive notion of algorithm is
equivalent to Turing machine algorithms. An important difference to the above machines is, that Turing
machines may loop forever. If a Turing machine never loops it is called a decider.
Surprisingly there are languages that are not Turing-recognizable, that is, there are computational problems
that cannot be solved by any computer. There also are languages that are Turing-recognizable but not
decidable, e.g., the halting problem.
At last we will look at the runtime of algorithms and discuss the P vs. NP problem which is one of the most important
open problem in computer science.
Learning outcomes
Students who have mastered this course understand the concepts behind various types of automata and languages
and their relations. They are able to give formal definitions of particular machines and their corresponding languages.
They can create such an automaton to solve a particular computational problem. Conversely they can describe a
language that is recognized by a given automaton and provide a regular expression and context free grammar,
respectively, that generates a given language. They also understand why the halting problem is not decidable why
there exist languages that are not Turing-recognizable. Finally they can estimate runtimes of algorithms.
Teaching/learning method(s)
In each unit of this course new material is presented and discussed. Ideally students have read the corresponding
chapter of the book in advance. Students prepare solutions to corresponding exercises and problems for homework
which are presented in the next unit.
Assessment
Successful students must present a couple of solutions at the blackboard. The required number of presentations
depends on the level of difficulty of the problem and on the number of students that attend the course.
8/10
Readings
Author: Michael Sipser
Title: Introduction to the Theory of Computation
Publisher: Course Technology
Edition: 2nd international edition
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
Availability of lecturer(s)
josef.leydold@wu.ac.at
9/10
User-Centered Information Systems Design, Strategy
and Technology
Instructors: Mag. Tijana Gonja, BSc; Univ. Prof. Dr. Sarah Spiekermann
[weekly hours: 2|ECTS: 4|PI]
Contents
All class content will be posted on the class Web site.
Learning outcomes
After attending this course, students will be able to:- Describe the importance of designing systems that fit well with
user practices, needs, and expectations. - Use design methods that lead to user-friendly and usable systems. Evaluate existing systems to identify how their usability can be improved. In addition, this course fosters the following
soft skills:
- Working in a team
- Making informed written and oral arguments in presentations and discussions
- Giving presentations and writing reports in English
Teaching/learning method(s)
This course will enable students to learn the theoretical underpinnings of User-Driven System Design. Students will be
introduced to practical guidelines and principles for designing and evaluating systems with the user's needs as the
primary focus. Topics covered include: Fundamental concepts and theories of Human-Computer Interaction, Methods
for studying user interactions with systems, Techniques for evaluating usability of systems, and Approaches for
implementing design ideas. The course will follow the principles of active learning. Each week, students will be
assigned reading material for analysis and presentation during class. Via various class activities, students will also
experience the practical application of the concepts learned in the readings. Participation in class discussions and
activities is an essential component of taking the course. At approximately the mid-point of the course, students will
turn in a term paper report on an assigned, course-relevant topic. Additionally, students will work on an assigned
course-relevant team project in groups of 2 or 3. At the end of the course, the teams will present their project to class
and turn in a written report.
Assessment
The final grade for the course is comprised of: Class participation: 20% Weekly presentation of readings: 20% Weekly
analysis of readings: 20%Term paper: 20% Team project: 20% (Class presentation: 33% + Written report: 67%)Grades
will be assigned as follows: 90+: Very good (1)80-89: Good (2)70-79: Satisfactory (3) 60-69: Adequate (4) < 60: Fail
(5)To do well in the course, students will need to: - read the assigned material prior to each class, - turn in an analysis
of the assigned readings prior to each class, - present the assigned reading during class, - participate actively in class
activities, - write a thoughtful term paper on the assigned topic, - deliver an interesting presentation and report on the
assigned team project, and - apply the concepts from the assigned readings in all writing and class discussions.
Availability of lecturer(s)
Available by email: tijana.gonja@gmail.com
10/10
Database Systems –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Entity-Relationship Model
Relational Model
SQL Structured Query Language
More info at mitloehner.net/lehre/dbsys
-
Understand concepts of DBMS and apply in practical problems
understand Entity-Relationship Model and apply in practical problems
understand Relational Model and execute transition from ERM to RM
understand SQL Structured Query Language and formulate queries to solve
practical problems in a programmatic environment
Lecture and practical exercises on the PC using MySQL on Linux server
Active participation by solving problems using DBMS
Ongoing evaluation of participation during lecture
Several short written examinations
Presentation of DBSM application developed by participant
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
http://xmdimrill.ai.wu-wien.ac.at/~mitloehn/lehre/dbsys/
Consultation hours Tue 10-12 am; Email: mitloehn (at) wu.ac.at, Phone: +43/1/31336-5233
1
Distributed Systems
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
In this course we will discuss:
 the basic characteristics of distributed systems;
 architectures of distributed systems;
 problems related to the communication in distributed systems;
 methods and techniques to address such problems;
 different types of middleware;
 software patterns for distributed systems.
The course focuses on generic concepts, techniques, methods, and open standards for
distributed systems.
We do not (explicitly) discuss the implementation of distributed systems via a particular
programming language or software platform.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
mark.strembeck@wu.ac.at; stefan.sobernig@wu.ac.at
1
Data Mining and Decision Support Systems –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 6
The basic methods of Data Mining will be discussed, i.e. supervised classification, association
rules, and unsupervised classification/clustering. A special focus is laid on the practical
applicability of the presented methods.
After successfully passing the lecture students are able to solve a wide range of real-world
Data Science problems. Thereby they are able to choose an appropriate solution method and
are able to implement this with the programming language R.
At the beginning of each unit, there is a theory block. At the end of each unit, numerical
examples will be shown on the blackboard and/or appropriate implementations using the
programming language R will be presented. At the end of the term, the progress of group
projects will be discussed.




Mid-Term exam (20%)
Group Project (20%)
Presentation of Group Project (20%)
Data Science Problem Solution (Final exam, 40%)
See the homepage of the Master’s program "Information Systems”.
1
1
Author: Drew Conway and john Myles White
Title: Machine Learning for Hackers
Publisher: O´Reilly Media
Year: 2012
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Content relevant for diploma examination: No
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
2
Author: Toby Segaran
Title: Programming Collective Intelligence
Publisher: O´Reilly Media
Year: 2007
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Content relevant for diploma examination: No
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
3
Author: Anand Rajaraman, Jeffrey David Ullman
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Year: 2011
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Content relevant for diploma examination: No
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
4
Author: Robert I. Kabacoff
Title: R in Action:Data Analysis and Graphics with R.
Publisher: Manning
Year: 2011
Content relevant for class examination: Yes
Content relevant for diploma examination: No
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Prof. Polleres: axel.polleres@wu.ac.at
2
Innovation Management –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
This course aims to provide students with an insight into the factors that drive successful IT
innovation. The first half of the course introduces to innovation management in general,
corporate entrepreneurship and the new phenomenon of companies’ successful leveraging
of open innovation and user innovation. The second half of the course focuses on innovation
diffusion. A detailed look is taken at concrete characteristics of successful digital products
and services. What’s important when engineering digital products for broader market
acceptance? And what does one have to watch out for when judging on the quality of new IT
product- and service proposals? How can false trust in hype-cycles be avoided? To answer
these questions, human-centered technical design processes as well as economic factors
need to be considered.
Human-centred technical design involves not only an understanding of adjusted and more
user-centered system development life-cycles, but also insights into the long history of
research in technology acceptance models. Here, usability issues are playing a role (i.e.
affective, cognitive and physical engineering), but equally important are more general factors
of system acceptability such as trust, social compatibility,culture and personality as well as the
respect of human values in the design of systems (such as the desire for privacy, control or
autonomy). The economic perspective, in contrast, covers a selected number of those market
forces which are particularly relevant for IT acceptance and success regardless of product
appeal: in particular pricing, standardization and network effects.
After attending this course, students will:
 know what innovations are and what challenges accompany their success
 know about how innovations are successfully managed in firms
 know about how open innovation tools and user innovation can be leveraged for
innovation management
 know how innovation diffuses into markets
 have an insight into the factors that drive dominant IT designs and how to cater
for them in the system development-and marketing process
 In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:
 develop critical written arguments
 convincingly present opinions in oral discussion groups
 develop arguments in teams and present the results
 structuring and writing in English language
1
The course is a combination of lectures and in-class student assignments, presentations and
discussions.
Five lectures will give students a theoretical introduction to innovation management:
1. Innovation Management and Corporate Entrepreneurship
2. Open Innovation and User Innovation
3. Innovation Diffusion
4. Creating Dominant IT Designs
5. Economic determinants of successful IT innovation
Each class gives ample room for discussion of practical cases. A mix of materials is used,
including videos and case studies.
Teams of two students are required to prepare a presentation that covers a case-study
related to the course’s theory (accompanied by a 5-page text exposé).
A final exam will be held on the material presented.
Grades depend on:
1. Class attendance and participation - 10%
2. Presentation case study - 30%
3. Final Exam - 60%
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Qualified exchange students are explicitly invited to this course, which benefits from a diverse
and international atmosphere.
Prof. Spiekermann can be reached at wi-sek@wu.ac.at.
2
Introduction to IT Law –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
Driven by technologies like computers, wireless communications and the internet, the so
called „information society“ leads to a fast-growing field of law dealing with the legal
aspects of these technologies.
This lecture shall provide an overview of and introduction to IT-Law and primarily deals
with the following topics:
-
Legal protection of computer software and databases
Privacy and Media Law
Distant Selling and Consumer Protection Regulations
E-Commerce Law
Having successfully passed this course, students will be able to understand the legal
contexts of information technologies and obtain skills to deal with the corresponding legal
matters and issues.
The course combines elements of a lecture with active participation from the students. The
relevant literature will be provided in class and on the E-Learning Platform (Learn@WU).
Attendance is compulsory.
The assessment of the course consists of 3 parts:
-
Participation in the lecture: 10%
Written exam about public law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
Written exam about private law aspects of IT-Law: 45%
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Students must be able to read legal materials and express themselves in English.
1
martin.winner@wu.ac.at clemens.appl@wu.ac.at; matthias.traimer@bka.gv.at
2
Information Systems Development –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
The focus of this course is model-driven (software) development.
We will discuss established concepts, techniques, and methods for:
• the specification of graphical and textual software languages;
• the specification of domain-specific (modeling) languages;
• the mapping between models on different abstraction layers;
• the verification of software artifacts;
• the application of software patterns.
In addition, we will give an overview for the process aspects of software development.
Other (equally important) topics, such as project management or configuration management
are not part of this course.
•
•
•
4 in-class exams counting for 5 points each;
1 final exam counting for 60 points;
A positive grade is awarded if at least 50% of all points (i.e. 40/80) are earned.
This course requires knowledge of the following topics:
• Good knowledge of the Unified Modeling Language (UML), esp.: activity models, class
models, component models, interaction models (esp. sequence and collaboration
models), state machines, use case models.
• Good knowledge of at least one object-oriented programming language.
• Basic knowledge of the Object Constraint Language (OCL), esp.: operations on
collections, invariants, navigation, objects and properties, pre- and postconditions.
• Basic knowledge of the software development process (phases and activities,
development cycle, evolutionary development, traceability).
None of the above topics will be taught or repeated in this course. In case you are not (or not
anymore) familiar with one or more of the above topics, it is your responsibility to catch up
asap !
stefan.sobernig@wu.ac.at/mark.strembeck@wu.ac.at
1
IT Governance and Controlling –
Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
The course will cover the following topics:
 Overview of IT Governance and Controlling
 IT investment appraisal methods and frameworks
 Enterprise IT programme management
 IT Performance measurement and reporting
 IT project controlling (scope and change management)
 Project network controls
 Support tools and frameworks
 An introduction to CobiT and internal control systems
By the end of this course students should be able to:
 Assess and evaluate the factors that lay behind ITC techniques.
 Appreciate and be able to discuss a range of ITC approaches.
 Conduct IT investment appraisals by acknowledging IT evaluation methods and
frameworks.
 Apply theoretical insights to managing and control effective IT programmes and
projects.
 Be able to design and conduct IT performance measurement and management.
 Ensure control structure is in place to support IT strategies and goals.
 Acknowledge globally recognized theoretical and practical support frameworks to
safeguard IT control objectives.
 Apply a range of transferable skills such as literature search, analytical skills,
application of theory to real life situations, teamwork, motivation and interpersonal
skills.
This course will be taught by in a combined lecture and workshop style involving case
studies and seminar papers. This course involves private study including guided reading
associated with focus topics, independent small group work, and preparation for and
production of coursework assignment.
1
Formative assessment will take place during each session when students will work on
questions, case studies or seminar papers in groups or alone for class discussion. Formal
grading of work and learning outcome will include level and quality of active participation,
one exam, group work assignment and presentation.
Individual contributions to the formative process of group work will be assessed through
participants appraising and submitting a ‘Group Work: Peer & Self Assessment Form’ prior
to their presentations.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
1
Author: Teale, Dispenza, Flynn and Currie
Title: Management Decision Making - Towards an Integrated Approach
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
Year: 2003
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
2
Author: Andreas Gadatsch and Elmar Mayer
Title: Masterkurs IT-Controlling
Publisher: Vieweg/Wiesbaden
Remarks: This book is in German.
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
3
Author: Kenneth A. Merchant and Wim A. Van der Stede
Title: Management Control Systems - Performance Measurement, Evaluation and
Incentives
Publisher: Prentice Hall/London
Edition: 2
Year: 2007
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
4
Author: ISACA/ITGI
Title: COBIT
Publisher: ISACA/ROLLING MEADOWS
Edition: Version 4.1
Remarks: Online Resource - www.itgi.org/cobit
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
2
5
Author: Leslie Turner and Andrea Weickgenannt
Title: Accounting Information Systems - Controls and Processes
Publisher: Wiley/New York
Year: 2009
Recommendation: Reference literature
Type: Book
Students are welcome to discuss course-related issues during weekly surgery hours or by
appointment (email: edward.bernroider@wu.ac.at).
3
IT Strategy
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4




Assessment of current literature
Alignment with practioners´ experience
Relevant experts´ contribution from International Consulting Firms alike Longterm
Executives
Intrinsic differentiation between Academic and Executives´ agenda
Having succeeded, students are capable to
 plan / execute / control an according mid-term action plan
 understand the impact of general Change Management issues
 request a respective framework concerning Governance and Responsibility
 balance how to deliver short-term cost measures w/o missing mid-/long term
Investments
 apply risk-related considerations
 ultimately becoming integral part of the overall Organization’s Strategy Building
process




Single and group presentations
Class room lecturing
Offline Homework exercise
Open and interactive discourse
Initial Group-homework & Presentation in front of students:
60 Minutes – Final Test:
Interactive class room contribution:
1
40 %
40 %
20 %
Informationsmanagement, H. Krcmar
Business Engineering, H. Osterle, R. Winter, (Hrsg.)
Strategisches IT-Management, Buchta, Eul, Schulte-Croonenberg
Führen von IT-Service-Unternehmen, Hradilak
Datenqualität und individualisierte Kommunikation, Treiblmaier
Information Systems Strategy, Teubner
Wirtschaftsinformatik I/II, Hansen, Neumann
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
t-huber@aon.at
2
Theory of Computation
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
This course gives a short introduction into fundamental mathematical properties of
computer hardware and software. In studying this subject we seek to determine what can
be and what cannot be computed, how quickly, with how much memory, and of which
type of computational model. Computational problems are strongly related to the
recognition of particular languages, that is, sets of strings over same given alphabet. Thus
we will study various types of automata and characterize the kind of languages that can be
recognized by there spective type of machine.

Deterministic Finite Automata
have a finite number of states but no memory. They recognize regular languages
which can be described by regular expressions.

Nondeterministic Finite Automata
are similar to deterministic automata except that they allow to run all possible
branches of an algorithm in parallel. Interestingly, nondeterministic automata often
are not more powerful than their deterministic counterpart.

PushDown Automata
are finite automata with a stack added. They recognize languages which are
generated by some context free grammar.

Turing Machines
are the most powerful machines. They have a finite number of states with an
infinite tape added that can be both read and written at arbitrary positions. By the
Church-Turing thesis our intuitive notion of algorithm is equivalent to Turing
machine algorithms. An important difference to the above machines is, that Turing
machines may loop forever. If a Turing machine never loops it is called a decider.
Surprisingly there are languages that are not Turing-recognizable, that is, there are
computational problems that cannot be solved by any computer. There also are
languages that are Turing-recognizable but not decidable, e.g., the halting
problem.
At last we will look at the runtime of algorithms and discuss the P vs. NP problem which is
one of the most prominent open problem in computer science.
1
Students who have mastered this course understand the concepts behind various types of
automata and languages and their relations to each other.
- They are able to give formal definitions of particular machines and their
corresponding languages.
- They can create an automaton to solve a particular computational problem.
- Conversely, they can describe a language that is recognized by a given automaton
and provide a regular expression and context free grammar, respectively, that
generates a given language.
- They also understand why the halting problem is not decidable why there exist
languages that are not Turing-recognizable.
- Finally they can estimate running times of algorithms.
In each unit of this course new material is presented and discussed. Ideally students have
read the corresponding chapter of the book in advance.
Students prepare solutions to corresponding exercises and problems for homework which
are presented in the next unit. Short quizzes at the end of each unit give feedback about
the learning progress.
Grading is based on the following two items:
 Presentation of homework (50%):
Students present their solutions of homework problems. Depending on the level of
difficulty they get 1 ("Exercise"), 2 ("Problem"), or 3 ("Advanced Problem") credit
points for a satisfactory presentation. For partial solutions or incorrect arguments
students get fewer points.
It is expected that each students presents at least 3 of his or her solutions.
However, the required number of presentations (and thus credit points) depends
on the actual number of students and time that is spend on discussions.
 Quizzes (short tests) at the end of each unit (50%):
Students answer short questions related to given lesson.
1
Author: Michael Sipser
Title: Introduction to the Theory of Computation
Publisher: Course Technology
Edition: 2nd edition
Year: 2006
Recommendation: Essential reading for all students
Type: Book
2
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Available by email: josef.leydold@wu.ac.at
3
User-Centered IS Design, Strategy & Technology
– Master Program in Information Systems
Type: PI | ECTS: 4
All class content will be posted on the class Web site.
After attending this course, students will be able to:
- Describe the importance of designing systems that fit well with user practices,
needs, and expectations.
- Use design methods that lead to user-friendly, and usable systems.
- Evaluate existing systems to identify how their usability can be improved.
In addition, this course fosters the following soft skills:
- Working in a team
- Making informed written and oral arguments in presentations and discussions
- Giving presentations and writing reports in English.
This course will enable students to learn the theoretical underpinnings of User-Driven
System Design. Students will be introduced to practical guidelines and principles for
designing and evaluating systems with the user's needs as the primary focus.
Topics covered include:
Fundamental concepts and theories of Human-Computer Interaction, Methods for
studying user interactions with systems, Techniques for evaluating usability of systems,
and Approaches for implementing design ideas. The course will follow the principles of
active learning. Each week, students will be assigned reading material for analysis and
presentation during class.
Via various class activities, students will also experience the practical application of the
concepts learned in the readings. Participation in class discussions and activities is an
essential component of taking the course. At approximately the mid-point of the course,
students will turn in a term paper report on an assigned, course-relevant topic.
Additionally, students will work on an assigned course-relevant team project in groups of
2 or 3. At the end of the course, the teams will present their project to class and turn in a
written report.
1
The final grade for the course is comprised of:
Class participation: 20%
Weekly presentation of readings: 20%
Weekly analysis of readings: 20%
Term paper: 20%
Team project: 20% (Class presentation: 33% + Written report: 67%)
Grades will be assigned as follows:
90+: Very good (1)
80-89: Good (2)
70-79: Satisfactory (3)
60-69: Adequate (4)
< 60: Fail (5)
To do well in the course, students will need to:
- read the assigned material prior to each class,
- turn in an analysis of the assigned readings prior to each class,
- present the assigned reading during class,
- participate actively in class activities,
- write a thoughtful term paper on the assigned topic,
- deliver an insteresting presentation and report on the assigned team project, and
- apply the concepts from the assigned readings in all writing and class discussions.
Admission to the master’s program in Information Systems is required.
Available by email: tijana.gonja@gmail.com
2