IST 37000 - Systems Analysis And Design

This course discusses the processes, methods, techniques and tools that organizations use to determine how they should conduct their business, with a particular focus on how computer-based technologies can most effectively contribute to the way business is organized. The course covers a systematic methodology for analyzing a business problem or opportunity, determining what role, if any, computer-based technologies can play in addressing the business need, articulating business requirements for the technology solution, specifying alternative approaches to acquiring the technology capabilities needed to address the business requirements, and specifying the requirements for the information systems solution. The course specifically acknowledges the fact that in many cases technology capabilities are purchased from outside the organization either through the use of packaged systems or consulting resources.

Preparation for Course
P: IST 27000 or CS 36400.

Cr. 3.
Student Learning Outcomes
1.   Understand the types of business needs that can be address using information technology-based solutions.
2.   Learn to initiate, specify, and prioritize information systems projects and to determine various aspects of feasibility of these projects.
3.   Learn to use at least one specific methodology for analyzing a business situation (a problem or opportunity), modeling it using a formal technique, and specifying requirements for a system that enables a productive change in a way the business is conducted. Within the context of this methodology, students will learn to write clear and concise business requirements documents and convert them into technical specifications.
4.   Learn to communicate effectively with various organizational stakeholders to collect information using a variety of techniques and to convey proposed solution characteristics to them.
5.   Learn to manage information systems projects using formal project management methods.
6.   Learn to articulate various systems acquisition alternatives, including the use of packaged systems (such as ERP, CRM, SCM, etc.) and outsourced design and development resources.
7.   Learn to systematically compare the acquisition alternatives.
8.   Learn to incorporate principles leading to high levels of security and user experience from the beginning of the systems development process.
9.   Learn to design high-level logical system characteristics (user interface design, design of data and information requirements).