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Module Specifications

Archived Version 2014 - 2015

Module Title Computing B
Module Code CB
School Open Education

Online Module Resources

Module Co-ordinatorMr Seamus FoxOffice NumberD114
NFQ level 8 Credit Rating 20
Pre-requisite C2, CT1, HS1, MS001
Co-requisite None
Compatibles None
Incompatibles None
Description

A module which provides students with an understanding of the theory and practice associated with the development of Information Technology-based applications and solutions.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe systems that exist within a variety of organisations.
2. Demonstrate the stages of the systems development life cycle.
3. Critique a system proposal.
4. Describe how a feasibility study on a proposed system is carried out.
5. Evaluate the techniques used by a Project Manager to schedule activities and resources.
6. Translate data requirements into a database design using a data modelling technique
7. Translate system requirements into a system design using a process modelling technique
8. Contrast the different options for sourcing the development of an information system
9. Describe the features of Extreme Programming, Agile Methods, Scrum



Workload Full-time hours per semester
Type Hours Description
Tutorial15No Description
Online activity16Tutor supported online learning
Independent Study469No Description
Total Workload: 500

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

DEGREE LEVEL B: SYSTEMS PLANNING (CB)
UNIT 1: SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE 1-1 SDLC MODELS 1-1 TRADITIONAL (SEQUENTIAL) SDLC MODEL 1-2 TRADITIONAL SDLC STAGES 1-2 METHODICAL APPROACH TO SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT 1-3 AGILE SDLC MODELS 1-4 AGILE SDLC STAGES (HIGH-LEVEL VIEW) 1-5 CHOOSING THE RIGHT SDLC METHODOLOGY 1-6 WHAT IS A SYSTEM? 1-6 WHO IS INVOLVED IN THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS? 1-8 WHAT IS A SUBSYSTEM? 1-10 SUMMARY 1-12 UNIT 2: TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEMS TRANSACTION PROCESSING SYSTEMS (TPS) 2-1 BATCH & ON-LINE TPS 2-4 MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (MIS) 2-5 DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS (DSS) 2-7 REQUIREMENTS FOR INFORMATION SYSTEMS 2-9 UNIT 3: SYSTEMS PLANNING SYSTEMS PLANNING 3-1 INITIATING DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS 3-3 UNIT 4: FEASIBILITY STUDY FEASIBILITY STUDY 4-1 WHAT BENEFITS WILL THE SYSTEM PROVIDE? 4-6 DECIDING THE FEASIBILITY OF A SYSTEM 4-7 REPORTING BACK TO THE I.T. EXECUTIVE 4-7 TERMS OF REFERENCE 4-8 EXAMPLE TERMS OF REFERENCE FOR A PERSONNEL RECORDS SYSTEM FOR A MULTINATIONAL ORGANISATION 4-10 UNIT 5: COMMUNICATION DIFFERENT TYPES OF COMMUNICATION 5-2 PARTICIPATION OF USERS IN SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT 5-4 INTERVIEWING 5-5 MEETINGS 5-9 MAKING A PRESENTATION 5-11 WRITTEN REPORTS 5-13 MANUALS AND TECHNICAL WRITING 5-15 UNIT 6: PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROJECT MANAGEMENT 6-3 PROJECT PLANNING 6-4 CRITICAL PATH ANALYSIS 6-7 MEASUREMENT OF SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT EFFORT 6-8 PROJECT MONITORING 6-11 COMPUTERISED TOOLS FOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT 6-11 ORGANISATION OF THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES 6-12 RISK MANAGEMENT 6-13 UNIT 7: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS WHAT IS SYSTEMS ANALYSIS? 7-1 WHY IS SYSTEMS ANALYSIS NECESSARY? 7-2 WHAT DOES THE SYSTEMS ANALYST DO? 7-3 FACT-FINDING TECHNIQUES 7-4 SCOPING THE SYSTEM 7-7 UNIT 8: DATA MODELLING ENTITY-RELATIONSHIP MODELLING 8-1 ENTITY 8-2 MORE THAN ONE OCCURRENCE 8-4 UNIQUELY IDENTIFIABLE 8-4 THERE MUST BE DATA 8-4 OF INTEREST TO THE SYSTEM 8-5 THE SYSTEM ITSELF DOES NOT APPEAR AS AN ENTITY 8-5 STUDY THE DOCUMENTS USED IN THE SYSTEM 8-5 ATTRIBUTES 8-6 RELATIONSHIPS 8-8 IDENTIFYING RELATIONSHIP CARDINALITY 8-9 A TECHNIQUE TO IDENTIFY RELATIONSHIPS 8-10 CHECKLIST FOR AN E-R DIAGRAM 8-17 COMPUTERISED TOOLS 8-18 RELATIONAL MAPPING RULES 8-18 INTEGRITY CONSTRAINTS 8-21 DATA DICTIONARY 8-23 OPERATIONS ON TABLES & CONSTRAINT VIOLATIONS 8-24 IS THE DATA ANALYSIS SECTION COMPLETE? 8-26 NORMALISATION 8-26 THREE STAGES OF NORMALISATION 8-27 SUMMARY 8-34 UNIT 9: PROCESS MODELLING DATA FLOW DIAGRAMS 9-2 THREE LEVELS OF DIAGRAM 9-7 EXAMPLE OF A D.F.D. 9-9 SUMMARY OF D.F.D.’S 9-11 COMPUTERISED TOOLS 9-11 OTHER SYSTEM DESCRIPTION TECHNIQUES 9-11 CONTROL STRUCTURES 9-12 LANGUAGE RESTRICTIONS 9-12 SUMMARY OF PROCESS MODELLING 9-16 COMBINING THE DATA AND PROCESS MODELS 9-16 FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATION 9-17 SUMMARY 9-18 UNIT 10: SYSTEMS DESIGN WHAT IS SYSTEMS DESIGN? 10-1 SYSTEMS ARCHITECTURE 10-3 ISSUES SURROUNDING THE CHOICE OF RELATIONAL DATABASE 10-6 SUB-SYSTEMS 10-8 INTERFACES 10-11 USABILITY 10-13 SECURITY 10-14 PROTOTYPING 10-16 SUMMARY 10-17 UNIT 11: BUILDING THE REQUIRED SYSTEM TEAMS INVOLVED 11-1 STRUCTURE OF DEVELOPMENT TEAMS 11-3 DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT 11-5 DEVELOPMENT SCHEDULE 11-5 CONTROLLING CHANGES 11-6 DOCUMENTATION USED 11-6 QUALITY ASSURANCE 11-8 WALKTHROUGHS 11-10 SUMMARY 11-11 UNIT 12: TESTING THE DEVELOPED SYSTEM TYPES OF TESTING TEAMS 12-1 STRUCTURE OF TESTING TEAMS 12-3 ENVIRONMENT REQUIREMENTS 12-4 TESTING SCHEDULE 12-4 DOCUMENTATION USED 12-4 TRACKING SYSTEM 12-6 TESTING PHASES 12-8 MULTI-USER TESTING 12-10 EDUCATION & TRAINING 12-12 SUMMARY 12-13 UNIT 13: IMPLEMENTING THE NEW SYSTEM SETTING UP THE PRODUCTION ENVIRONMENT 13-1 CONVERSION STRATEGIES 13-4 CONVERSION PERIOD 13-5 PEOPLE INVOLVED 13-8 SUMMARY 13-9 UNIT 14: MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING THE NEW SYSTEM POST-IMPLEMENTATION REVIEW 14-1 LIVE ISSUES 14-2 CONTROLLING AND MANAGING CHANGES 14-3 RELEASING THE NEW VERSION OF THE SYSTEM 14-7 SUMMARY 14-8 UNIT 15: OTHER APPROACHES TO SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT OUTSOURCING 15-1 OFFSHORE DEVELOPMENT 15-6 PURCHASING OFF-THE-SHELF SOLUTIONS 15-7 BRING IN EXTERNAL RESOURCES 15-8 SUMMARY 15-9 UNIT 16: DEVELOPING MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS TYPES OF MANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS 16-1 SYSTEMS PLANNING 16-2 FEASIBILITY STUDY 16-3 SYSTEMS ANALYSIS 16-3 SYSTEMS DESIGN 16-4 SYSTEMS BUILD 16-6 TESTING A MIS 16-6 IMPLEMENTING THE NEW MANAGEMENT SYSTEM 16-7 SUMMARY 16-8 UNIT 17: AGILE METHODOLOGIES AGILE METHODOLOGIES 17.2 THE AGILE MANIFESTO 17.2 SCRUM 17.4 ROLES 17.4 THE SPRINT 17.4 BACKLOGS – PRODUCT BACKLOG, SPRINT BACKLOG 17.4 MEETINGS 17.6 OUTCOME – POTENTIALLY SHIPPABLE PRODUCT INCREMENT 17.7 UNIT 18: EXTREME PROGRAMMING WHAT IS XP? 18.1 VALUES OF XP 18.2 PRINCIPLES OF XP 18.3 PRACTICES OF XP 18.5 COROLLARY PRACTICES 18.7 XP AND SCRUM 18.8

Assessment Breakdown
Continuous Assessment50% Examination Weight50%
Course Work Breakdown
TypeDescription% of totalAssessment Date
Reassessment Requirement
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories;
1 = A resit is available for all components of the module
2 = No resit is available for 100% continuous assessment module
3 = No resit is available for the continuous assessment component
Unavailable
Indicative Reading List

    Other Resources

    None
    Programme or List of Programmes
    CSSECert in Software Sys & Entrepreneurship
    ISBSc in Management of Info Tech/Info Syst
    ITBSc in Information Technology
    ITSDiploma/BSc in Information Technology
    Archives: