Module: Systems Analysis

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Systems Analysis
Module Code	CSC1020 (ITS: CA214)
Faculty	Computing	School	Engineering & Computing
NFQ level	8	Credit Rating	5

Description

Module Description: The module will introduce students to the state-of-the-art for research & practice in requirements analysis using the standards and concepts of system and requirement engineering (RE). This will include the stages of gathering requirements by use cases and documenting it by creating a software requirements specification (SRS) document. In addition, this module will examine the role of RE in software and systems engineering current techniques, notations, methods, processes and tools used in RE.

Learning Outcomes

1. To be able to understand the problems at initial stages of software development life cycle
2. To be able to develop insights using the best practices for requirements elicitation
3. Master the object orientation techniques for system management
4. Assess, analyze and specify system & software requirements.
5. Apply use cases to gather requirements of a software project.
6. Manage requirement problems
7. Demonstrate their technical understanding by filling an SRS (Software Requirement Specification) document

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	24	Presentation of tools and techniquesof SSADM
Laboratory	24	Using SSADM CASE tools on project
Independent Study	80	Project and reading
Total Workload: 128

Section Breakdown
CRN	10193	Part of Term	Semester 1
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Hyowon Lee	Module Teacher

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Digital Project	Conduct and record an interview (max 15 minutes) with someone who practice software development. Ask any software practitioner about the development methodology (i.e. traditional versus agile) their team use for software development and why they would prefer this, pros and cons.	20%	Week 3
Project	SRS Assignment	40%	Week 6
Presentation	Presenting the Term Paper	10%	Week 10
Essay	Individual Assignment: Term Paper The goal of term paper is to understand and discuss an industry trend in relation to software & system engineering. Therefore, each student shall write a term paper, discussing one of the selected topics that have been assigned to them.	30%	Week 10

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Students will study tools and techniques rather than the theory of Systems Analysis.
(Tools and Techniques)

Role and problems of Systems Analysis.
Discussion of issues.

Business Activity Modelling
Developing high-level business descriptions

Data Flow Diagrams.
Coverage of core technique and diagrams.

Logical Data Models.
Coverage of core technique and diagrams.

Entity Life History.
Coverage of core technique and diagrams.

Describing Process Logic - Mini-Specifications.
Structured methods.

Relational Data Analysis.
Normalisation.

Transtion from SSADM to UML.
Similarities and differences.

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Philip L. Weaver, Nick Lambrou, and Matthew Walkley: 2002, Practical business systems development using SSADM, Financial Times/Pearson International, Harlow, 9780273655756
Philip L. Weaver, Nick Lambrou and Matthew Walkley: 1998, Practical SSADM version 4+, Financial Times Pitman, London, 0273626752
Mark Lejk, David Deeks: 2002, An introduction to systems analysis techniques, Addison-Wesley, London, 0201797135

Articles:
None

Other Resources

None

Extensive Moodle pages available for course online.