45-878

Time: Mon 6:30-9:30 pm, Cooper Auditorium

Instructor: Prof. Tridas Mukhopadhyay

Office: GSIA 255B, X2307, tridas@andrew

TA: Anand Gopal, GSIA 26, anandg@andrew

Secretary: Gertude Gibson, GSIA 255, X1337

www.andrew.cmu.edu/course/45-878

Text: "Modern Systems Analysis and Design," Hoffer, George and Valacich, 2^nd Edition, Addison Wesley, 1998 (Required).

Optional: "Student Edition for Use with Systems Architect: A Guided Tour," Dittman, Irwin, 1995.

Systems Analysis and Design is a complex and stimulating process used by a team of business managers and systems professionals to develop and maintain information systems. Systems Analysis and Design should be viewed as an organizational improvement process. Systems are developed and maintained for organizational benefits. While advances in information technology provides new opportunities, the design of information systems is driven from an organizational perspective.

A list of topics to be discussed in this class is given in the Tentative Schedule below. We will use the following pedagogical methods in this course.

• Lectures: The main concepts and methods will be discussed in a lecture format. You are expected to come prepared for the class. Often, I will ask anyone in the class to elaborate or explain certain points in our discussion.
• Case Studies: We will use three long cases to examine some important concepts in the context of real world examples. In Anaquest case, we will consider system feasibility, requirements determination, and systems benefits calculation. In Brooklyn Union Gas case, we will study risk analysis, advantages of the Object Oriented Method, and project management. In the third case, we will study the implementation of a reengineering project at Heatway Corp.
• System Models: We will use a Computer Aided Software Engineering (CASE) package, Systems Architect, to model an order processing system and a computer reservation system. These exercises will allow you to appreciate the nature of systems development work and the role a CASE package plays in that process.
• Exercises: Each week you will get an exercise to work on. Each exercise will have two parts. The first part will review important concepts learned in the class. The second part will focus on a specific problem to be analyzed in the system development process.

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

  Click here for a tutorial on data flow diagrams and System Architect (Word document).

  Click here for a tutorial on object diagrams and System Architect (Word document). 

• Tuesday, Oct 5^th, 9:00 - 11:00 PM
• Wednesday, Oct 6^th, 4:00 - 6:00 PM
• Sunday, Oct 10^th, 7:00 - 9:00 PM

1. Develop a feasibility report for the proposed Professional Services Project (40%)
2. How would you complete systems requirements? (30%)
3. If you were Leazer, would you fund the pilot project? Justify your answer. (30%)

1. What were the risks of building CRIS II using the object oriented paradigm? Were the risks justified or analyzed adequately? (30%)
2. What were the advantages of using the object oriented paradigm? Did it provide competitive advantage for BUG? (40%)
3. What would you do differently if you were the manager of the project? (30%)

1. How radical is the new design for the order management process (PTP) at Heatway? Will Heatway achieve its improvement objectives if it implements this design? (40%)
2. What barriers does Heatway face to implementing its new order management process? (30%)
3. If you were Bob Hemphill, what would be your plan for making PTP implementation a success? (30%)