IACIS Fall 2006 Conference Reno, Nevada 1 Development of Project Documentation: Key Ingredient in Teaching Systems Analysis and Design Mohammad A. Rob

IACIS Fall 2006 Conference Reno, Nevada

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Development of Project Documentation: Key Ingredient in Teaching

Systems Analysis and Design

Mohammad A. RobSchool of Business

Houston, Texas 77058


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Systems Analysis and Design

• Is a core course in MIS curriculum• Comparable to “Software Engineering” course• Typically a capstone course• Requires knowledge of programming,

database• More of a theoretical nature: models, activities• Topics are activity-based rather than problem-

based• Requires innovation in teaching


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Teaching Systems Analysis and Design

Instructors use innovative techniques:•Case problem •Group project•Role-playing•Project management methodology•Project documentation•Prototypes•E-mails•Bulletin board•Videotaping


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Most Instructors focus on a particular aspect of learning:

•team building•project management•role-playing •deliverables •end-product development


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Teaching Systems Analysis and Designand Software Engineering

Most instructors of SAD focus on “soft” skills:

•role-playing, communication, and instructor-led team management

Most instructors of Software Engineering focus on “hard” skills:

•real-life projects, active team leading, active project management, project deliverables, and use of tools


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Our teaching methodology focuses on both “soft” and “hard” skills:

•Real-life problem•Semester-long group project•Team building•Communication•Responsibility/charge•Documentation•Use of Tools•Web Technology


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Project-Based Learning

• An instructional method that uses complex, real-life projects

• Provides learning experience through performing actions

• Provides a cross-collaborative learning environment: students learn through interaction with each other

• Helps develop communication, planning and teamwork

• Provides opportunities to take responsibility or charge


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Managing Project-Based Learning

• Planning for the course• Setting Goals and Expectations • Provide students with choices • Sharing of knowledge among teacher

and students• Maintain two-way communication • Monitoring and Control of Tasks


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The Course Organization

The course is organized to provide knowledge through multiple avenues:

•lectures•group projects •group presentations •documentations •research papers •classroom writing•discussion


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The Course Focus

The course focuses on some of the knowledge and skills a systems analyst should have:

•SDLC•data and process modeling techniques•software tools•communication•interpersonal skills•current technology•research


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The Course Plan

The course plan is set through defining:•weekly sequence of SDLC lecture topics•deadline for project group formation•scheduling group presentations •deadlines for submission of research

papers •timeline of submission of documentation

in the web site•deadline of submission of final project

binder•schedule for tests


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The Course Schedule

System RequestPresentation

Research Papers

Systems Analyst Systems Development Methodology

Process Models

Documentation

Test

Research on a SAD topic

Data Model Program Design

Test 1 Test 2

Begin End


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The Group Project

The purpose of the group project is to develop a first-hand knowledge of SDLC through:

•performing each activity prescribed by the SDLC, and

•developing required documentation at the end of each activity


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The Focus of Group Project

Project

Presentation

ToolsTechniques

Documentation


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SDLC Models and Techniques

Working on the group project, students gain substantial knowledge on the SDLC models and techniques:

• Developing system request• Performing feasibility study• Developing project plan• Developing data-flow diagrams• Developing data dictionary• Developing entity-relationship diagram• Developing program design• Developing user interface design


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The Knowledge of Tools

A student analyst is required to use tools such as

•Microsoft Visio•Visible Analyst •Microsoft Project•Other Microsoft Office tools such as

Word, PowerPoint and Access to develop system models, project plans,

presentations, data dictionary, user interfaces, and system prototypes


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The Focus of Presentations

• They are focused on the key models or techniques covered within the SDLC methodology:

• system request • process models • data models, and • program design

• They also serve as milestones to monitor the progress of the project activity

• They are scheduled only after the completion of the SDLC topic in the class


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Other Purposes of Presentations

• The first presentation is meant to initiate the project

• The instructor gets an opportunity to comment on the proposed project

• The groups learn from each other• The class gets an opportunity to

provide comments and suggestions• It improves oral communication skill


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The Sequence of Presentations

STARTProblem

Definition(System Request)

BusinessProcesses(Data-FlowDiagrams)

Redo

DatabaseDesign

(Entity-RelationshipDiagram)

ProgramDesign

(StructuredCharts)

FINISH

• A presentation must be repeated in a later date until the required knowledge is acquired


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Sample Presentation Schedule: Fall 2006

Group Members Presentation 1:Systems Request

Presentation 2:Data Flow Diagrams

Presentation3:Database Modeling &

Program Design

Mike EllisCarl Dolezal

September 5 October 17 November 14

Han LeAmbarish RegmiMiriam Barrera


Richard MeyerJuanita Martinez


Tuan NguyenHeather Ewan


Tina BlissBeverly OrrDarren Baker


Syed AhmedSusan SextonCathleen Titsworth


Manan MehraGerson MoralesMayuri Sriram



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The Project Documentation

• The purpose is that the project group develop all documentation necessary for the project as they go through each of the activities of SDLC in a waterfall methodology:

• system request• Feasibility study report• Project plan – Gantt Chart, PERT diagram• Data-flow diagrams• Data dictionary• Entity-relationship diagram• Program design• User interface

• It also helps to improve written communication skill


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The P

roje

ct B

inder

Project Title

Table of ContentsProject SummarySystems Planning

Identify problems and define proposed solutions (System Request)Feasibility Analysis (hardware/software inventory, cost-benefit analysis, etc.)Project Plan

Size Estimation and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)Work Plan (Gantt chart/Pert diagram)Staffing PlanRisk Assessment

Systems AnalysisRequirements Gathering (interview and questionnaire documents)Data Flow diagram

Context-level diagram0-level diagramNext-level diagrams (some up to level 2)

Data dictionaryData flow with data structure (at least 5)Data storage with data structure (at least 5)Data input and data structure (at least 5)Data output and data structure (at least 5)Data element description (at least 10)Process description (at least 2)

Systems DesignDatabase design (E-R diagram)Input screen design (at least 5) Output reports/screen design (at least 3) Menu system designProgram design (at least 2)Test scenario design (at least 2)

Systems ImplementationSystem architectureDatabase (screen capture of tables and queries)Program codesUser interface (screen capture of forms and reports)Program testing results

Appendix


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The Project Web Site

• Each student group gets a folder in a course web server to organize all documents

• They organize these documents according to the SDLC phases and then according to the activities within each phase

• These documents can be submitted/edited/viewed from anywhere and anytime by the group members

• They are archived for future reference for future students


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Team Assessment

Number Question StronglyAgree

Agree Fairly Disagree StronglyDisagree

Total

1 The group project significantly helped me to understand the course materials 21% 43% 29% 7% 0% 100%

2 The group project helped me to improve my oral communication 7% 43% 36% 14% 0% 100%

3 The group project helped me to improve my written communication 7% 29% 43% 21% 0% 100%

4 The group project helped me to understand teamwork 14% 29% 29% 21% 7% 100%

5 I had fair participation in forming my team at the beginning of the semester 29% 57% 0% 14% 0% 100%

6 In general, members in my team participated fairly equally in all group activities 21% 57% 7% 7% 7% 100%

7 My team members took responsibilities of their task or work 29% 43% 14% 7% 7% 100%

8 My team members showed interest in initiating a task or work 29% 29% 29% 7% 7% 100%

9 My team members completed their portion of the task or work on time 36% 43% 7% 7% 7% 100%

10 My team members responded to my e-mails or telephone calls on time 43% 29% 21% 7% 0% 100%

11 My team members were helpful in resolving differences/conflicts between us 29% 36% 36% 0% 0% 100%


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Research Papers: Purpose

• To cultivate knowledge in the subject area outside of the textbook

• To provide aptitude for higher studies and research

• To get acquainted with formats of writing research papers (IEEE, APA)

• To understand the current job market for a systems analyst

• To further develop written communication skill


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Topics of Research Papers for a Semester

• Go to one or more job Web sites and search jobs with key words such as SDLC, SAD, systems development life cycle, systems analyst, business analyst . . . and write a summary of your findings on specific areas such as salary, technical knowledge, educational background, etc.

• Write a paper on various systems development methodologies by summarizing each model and including figures as appropriate. Do not just use the text – use information from the web, IT magazines, and computing journals.

• Research MIS or computing-related journals and find a topic that is closely connected to the SAD course and summarize your knowledge in a professional format. You must consult at least five different journals.


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Conclusion

• Real-life semester-long group projects are used to get hands-on practices on SDLC concepts and activities

• The presentations are used to monitor and control the progress of group project activities

• Repetitions of some presentations help reinforce knowledge on key models and techniques such as DFD

• The project group also develop documentation as each activity is completed in a waterfall manner

• A web site is used to post all project-related documents as they are completed, as well as presentations

• A project binder of the documents is provided at the end of the semester


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Conclusion

• We do not focus on the development of a prototype, but we focus on the development of documents after each activity

• Our motto: Well-understood requirements and well-designed systems produce better products

• We let the students loose but keep them responsible for end products (presentations, documents, papers)

• Visible Analyst is now available as a network version in our MIS lab

• All course-related materials such as syllabus, detailed lecture notes, presentation schedule, assignments, completed presentations and documents are placed in a course web site


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Documents

IACIS Fall 2006 Conference Reno, Nevada 1 Development of Project Documentation: Key Ingredient in Teaching Systems Analysis and Design Mohammad A. Rob