Course Objectives and Targeted Learning Outcomes:

In this course we study aspects of information system analysis, design and implementation:

• Design: What is design? Why design? How can it be done?

  • Needs or requirements analysis / Requirements design.

  • Architectural design.

  • User interface design.

  • Software design (UML).

  • Design documentation and reporting.

  • Counter or inverse design.

  • System/Impact evaluation design.
  
  
• Development: VB.NET.
  

• Prototyping and testing.

• VB.NET:

• VB.NET as a compiled language.

• Basic language components: from C (CS 151) to VB.NET (or a refresher for BA 272).

• Classes, objects and OOP.

• Events, Graphic User Interfaces (GUIs) and 'visual' programming.

• Programmatic database interaction.

• Basic exception and error handling.

• Interfacing with third-party programs.
  

• Upon completion of this course you should be able to:

• Understand and explain the full, classic systems development life cycle (ex deployment and maintenance) and apply it to a small, real-world, externally sponsored case study.

• Understand and participate in task-centered needs/use-case analysis.

• Document, read and understand the results of task-centered use-case analysis.

• Conceptualize use-cases in terms of work flows, data flows, event sequences, and objects.

• To translate design decisions into basic UML (class diagrams, sequence diagrams and state diagrams).

• Use the above concepts to design a small set of applications to run against the database designed in BA 370.

• Understand system architectural choices (1,n tier) and learn how to research and select these choices.

• Understand some of the advantages and disadvantages of the various choices made during the design effort.

• Judge the quality of work inherent in the various designs submitted by the various design teams.

• Review and judge the design and coding work of fellow students.

• Communicate design decisions and design motivations within and across teams of designers.

• Implement your application designs in VB.NET.

• Understand and communicate the differences between the object-oriented and non-object oriented views.

• Use the 'visual programming' facilities in VB.NET.

• Have software objects communicate with a relational database through embedded SQL.

• Use some of the higher-level .NET database/visual primitives; e.g., data grids.

• Be able to design a plan for long term evaluation of information system investments.
  

Course components:

• Lectures.

• VB.NET labs (most Wednesdays in BXL 112A): self-guided exercises and two (2) coding assignments (homework). For assignments and deadlines, see the schedule below.

• Since code reviews are a normal part of software development, you will each be asked to review and grade the coding assignments of two of your colleagues.
  

• Team design and prototype project: teams of three (3) people will each design and document an application to run against the database developed in BA 370. The application must be prototyped in VB.NET and demonstrated for the entire class and project sponsors by the end of the term.

• Form a design team and email the names of your team members by Friday Jan. 20, 2006 5:00 PM. Only one email per team!!

• Needs Analysis, Architectural design, User Interface design and Evaluation plan reports due at Feb. 20, 2005 5:00 PM.

• Final reports due at Friday Mar. 17, 2006 5:00 PM.

• Project presentations/demos: in class Mar. 13-17, 2006.

• Exams:

  • Midterm exam: Monday Feb. 13 (in class).

  • No Final Exam.

Text:

Excerpts from Satzinger, J., Jackson, R.B., Burd, S.D. (2002) Systems Analysis and Design in a Changing World; Course Technology Thomson Learning. Available from the OSU Bookstore.

Schedule (presentations, deadlines, mandatory presence, deliveries and exams in italics):

Grading Scheme

BA 371 Grading Scheme

Mid-term Project: Project Design (Report) - Team Grade

Mid-term Project Design (Report) - Peer Evaluation Grade 

Midterm Exam

Term Project: Design (Presentation/Demo & Report (50% each)) - Team Grade

Term Project: Design (Presentation & Report) - Peer Evaluation Grade

Instructor Grade Adjustment (reserved)

The following number-to-letter grade scale will be used for calculating the final letter grade:

F < 55.00
55.00 <= C- < 60.00
60.00 <= C < 65.00
65.00 <= C+ < 70.00
70.00 <= B- < 75.00
75.00 <= B < 80.00
80.00 <= B+ < 85.00
85.00 <= A- < 90.00
A >= 90.00

!!! Deadlines, exam dates, submission dates and presentation dates stated in this syllabus are firm and will not be altered to accomodate the schedules of individual students !!!

Students who have been approved for accommodations through Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD), who have any emergency medical information the instructor should know about, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should contact the instructor as early as possible. Providing accommodations is a collaborative effort between the student, the instructor and SSD. Students not approved for accommodations through SSD but who believe they are eligible for accommodations should contact SSD immediately at 737-4098.

Reitsma classes and office hours