A Design & Implementation Course Framework:
A Curriculum Proposal for an Experiential Approach to
The Systems Analysis & Design and
Projects in Information Technology Course Sequence
In the Information Systems Major
Submitted to:
Teaching, Pedagogy, and Experiential Learning Track
2004 SEDSI
A. James Wynne
Department of Information SystemsVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity
Box 84-4000
Richmond, VA23284-4000
E-Mail:
Phone: (804) 828-3182 /
Gerald Saunders
Department of Information SystemsVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity
Box 84-4000
Richmond, VA23284-4000
E-Mail:
Phone: (804) 828-0050
Harry L. Reif
Information Technology and Mgmt.Science
JamesMadisonUniversity
Harrisonburg, VA22807
E-Mail:
Phone: 540 568-8122 /
H. Roland Weistroffer
Department of Information SystemsVirginiaCommonwealthUniversity
Box 84-4000
Richmond, VA23284-4000
E-Mail:
Phone: (804) 828-7118
A Design & Implementation Course Framework:
A Curriculum Proposal for an Experiential Approach to
The Systems Analysis & Design and
Projects in Information Technology Course Sequence
In the Information Systems Major
Abstract
Typically, the Systems Analysis and Design course requirements for departments offering a major in information systems have included either a single course that combines systems analysis (logical design), and systems design (physical design), or a two-sequenced course over two semesters. The difficulty with offering the systems analysis and systems design course content has been the limitation of “instructor-friendly” teaching tools and textbook support, coupled with the semester time constraints for completing a project beyond the logical design and partial implementation stage. Students have not experienced the actual building and implementation of a system from the logical specifications realized in the systems analysis phase of the project. This paper proposes a two-semester, two-course sequence that prepares information systems majors for becoming an information systems professional through a more comprehensive experiential learning process.
Introduction:
The Department of Information Systems at VirginiaCommonwealthUniversity requires students majoring in Information Systems to take twenty-seven hours of coursework in the field. Core courses in the major cover information technology and systems topics in hardware and software design, programming languages, systems analysis and systems design, database systems, and data communications. Students concentrate in tracks that allow them to have greater depth in the areas of applications development (e.g., additional programming courses), network administration (e.g., additional communications courses), and information engineering (e.g., additional courses in reengineering). This set of core and elective courses are fundamentally the same for most information systems programs in schools of business, which focus on the more technical perspective of information systems.
The set of courses that introduce students to the concepts of performing systems analysis, systems design, and the development of an application from systems specifications are the responsibility of the INFO 361, Systems Analysis & Design, and INFO 465, Projects in Information Systems courses. The purpose of INFO 361 is to teach students approaches to systems analysis and design through variations of the systems development life cycle. The emphasis is on learning the use of a graphical systems engineering tool such as Rational Rose or TogetherSoft to employ Universal Modeling Language (UML) models that describe the logical design of a system solution to a guided project scenario. These tools allow students to create use-case diagrams; sequence and collaboration diagrams, class diagrams, and state charts as they define what the system will do for the user. The course is one semester in length and requires students to submit approximately ten assignments that require them to use a graphical tool to create a visual representation of the system requirements. Each assignment is graded and a “possible solution” is posted on Blackboard for students to compare their work. Students use this solution to correct any problems in their initial models. A final assignment, weighted as two regular assignments, is used to have students compile the final versions of their previously submitted assignments in a coherent report form. This assignment is graded more rigorously as they have had the opportunity to discuss better design aspects with the instructor. An additional benefit for having the students submit the most correct set of models is to prepare them for the use of these specifications in the INFO 465 projects course. Familiarity with the project’s set of specifications allows continuity and a minimum of lost start-up time from the carry over as they begin the projects course.
A Pedagogical Framework: Rationale and Benefits
Learning how to build information systems requires students to perform those activities that lead to a functioning application. Too often students are taught only the conceptual features and functionality the final product will display. The missing element in this formula for learning is the understanding of the mechanics of incorporating the logical design features/functions into a working prototype. Anecdotal observations from years of teaching systems analysis, design and implementation indicate graduates lack the level of confidence as new hires in their ability to successfully participate and make a real contribution in a real system design project. Our students tend to miss out on the “nuances” that are difficult to teach in a classroom environment. Their creativity and innovation in devising applications are not at a sufficient level for them to take pride in the work they have performed. The classroom projects are not “fun”; learning is piecemeal and disjointed, as only parts of the total picture are seen, and ownership of the project is lacking. In other words, there needs to be involvement by the students in activities at a level that complements the classroom instruction.
An experiential approach is proposed to change the current framework for the analysis, design and implementation of information systems coursework. The change is to incorporate a synthesis of conceptual design and the pragmatics of using CASE tools to facilitate a full project development. This framework is predicated on using a project engine that will provide the core processes that the student project applications can “hook into.” The hooks will allow both student and instructor to focus on making the requirements operational on a more knowledgeable basis. The framework will support an iterative process, which is more real world oriented. Students better visualize the mistakes they make and solutions will become stronger and more accurate, building the students’ confidence in the process. The strength of the framework relies on the core engine that needs to be in place for a multitude of diverse project scenarios.
Current Context for The Framework. Where INFO361 & INFO465 fit:
INFO250 & INFO350 provide students with basic Structured and Object-Oriented programming skills in Java. The assignments are varied and designed to introduce and exercise language and data structures appropriate for the chapter at hand. These courses don’t lead to a ‘complete system’ at the end of the Semester. But they do develop and challenge a talented student’s programming skills.
INFO361-Systems Analysis and Design exposesStudents to concepts and tools for Systems Analysis and Design, focusing on UML Use Case Diagrams and Database Entity Relationship Diagrams. They leave INFO361 able to take Requirements from Case Studies presented in class and use Rational Rose, TogetherControlCenter, Visio, or other tools to make convincingdocumentation. But, they don’t have time in the semester when they are learning these rudiments of system design to actually build anything that works.
INFO464 – Database spends a semester looking at relational databases and how to manipulate them using 4GL tools like Oracle or SQLServer. Here, the assignments are usually to rather tight specifications from a text and don’t result in a complete system. Students leave the course with a good grasp of database concepts and needing an opportunity to apply the skills learned.
INFO465 – Projects in Information Systems allows a semester’s time for students to remediate skills in Accounting and Database, become reacquainted with concepts of Object Oriented & Structured Software, master OO and Structured notation, build anApplication, and use it to account for the startup and a few days’ operation of a small Enterprise. Now, students seldom get to carry thru with the System Designs from INFO361 and use them to build application software since there is no Framework. With the proposed Framework for these two courses, students will have the opportunity and satisfaction of building an Application from their Designs from INFO361 and seeing it work within their class’ EDI Trading Community.
Implementing the Proposed Framework:
We are working to implement the Framework in INF0361-Systems Analysis & Designand INFO465-Projects in Information Systems. It might be considered as a supplement for INFO464-Database.
INFO361– Systems Analysis and Design:
The Framework is presented to students in INFO361 as case studies of fictitious or real enterprises needing information systems. It is revealed as an architecture for an enterprise application. It supplements topics in their Analysis and Design Textbook.
At the core of The Framework is a simple relational database using four ‘main’ tables to capture order and accounting data: Business Entities, Ledger Accounts, Goods & Services, Orders, and Details.The instructor is provided with prototype software built with the Framework’s database design so that the applications may be demonstrated and the objects and scripts examined as design techniques are presented.
In this example of a Project #1 Database ERD, the student has added tables to track Entities’ relationships with the enterprise and provide a custom menu based on an individual’s privilege. Students are welcomed to adapt the prototypes’ tables to meet Requirements stated in the case studies provided in The Framework.
These tables are necessary and sufficient for the simple order entry and accounting required in these enterprises, and something similar is found as the skeleton of many commercial applications. They illustrate features of an object oriented database, and are amenable to the design changes students need to make as they later tailor their applications to suit their chosen Enterprise in INFO465.
Left entirely to their own devices in a course like this, many students create database designs that are overly complex and would be a handicap if applied to the design of ‘actual software’ for their Senior Project. Using this, or an edited and improved, database model in the The Framework gives them a simple, safe starting point from which to launch their design. Students who have been seen and The Framework’s database in INFO361 will have the benefit of familiarity and repetition when they encounter it again in INFO465 and enhance it to meet the requirements of the case study at hand.
Case studies are the ‘published’ part of The Framework. Fictitious andreal case studies of enterprises needing Information Systemswork are used to populate the class’ EDI Trading Community. The requirements of the case studies include exchange via EDI of purchasing, invoicing, and other EDI documents with other students and the instructor.
Fictitious or not, the resulting systems are complex and detailed enough to showcase our Graduates’ System Design skills when the documentation from their Senior Project is included in the Portfolio. Through numerous repetitions of this ‘Enterprise Engine/Ledger Engine’ courseware students with average or better skills are able to build the Enterprise Engine and use it to exchange X12-like EDI documents.
Students have repeatedly related that the Application presented with its OO & Structured Documentation has helped get them their job.
A small Enterprise Engine, designed and built by an individual student, will have 20+ Use Cases and exchange several EDI documents. This one, providing Advertising Materials, provides Menus for Manager & SalesPerson and engages in EDI for automatic fulfillment of Sales Orders and General Ledger reporting Here is a UML diagram showing system interfaces, Use Cases, and EDI Messages in an application developed using prototypes provided in The Framework: (See the full sized document in Appendix B)
The Enterprises chosen for The Framework’s case studies any semester illustrate a variety of Requirements such as drive Real system development efforts.
These Enterprises may range from simple carts or merchants, through consultancies and those with more complex and specialized record keeping requirements such as Publishers or Dentists. Together, their needs describe a small EDI trading community.
Web resources and other course materials provide sample reports and other requirements for particular technologies involved in The Framework’s case studies. For many students this will be the first or second exposure to ‘general business’ concepts like Purchase Orders, Sales Orders, Invoices, & Equity so we need to supplement the text with material about them:
- Integrated Order Entry, Accounting, & Ledger Reports
- Human Resources issues such as Commissions for Salespersons and Payroll Gross to Net processes & Reporting
- Automated Supply Chain Management to support Fulfillment via EDI
- Web Services for Customers & Employees including Price & Availability lists and on-line Sales Order Entry.
- EDITrading Documents for: Catalog, Purchase, Invoice, Journal Reporting, Funds Transfer,&c
Prototype applications that satisfy the stated requirementsfor the enterprises in the case studies aredemonstrated and presented in class as system database design issues are considered for the Case Study at hand.
Prototypes for the Framework are provided for the Instructor in VisualBasic.NET, PowerBuilder, and PHP along with a ‘solution set’ that includes detailed OO & Structured Design to be used in the classroom.
This way, students can start their systems design experience with their eye on software that meets requirements and get a better understanding of this component of the cost of the applications they will bedesigning.
Students’ projects in INFO361exercise skills with UML Use Case and Context diagrams and other documentation for a requirements definition for the case study that has been assigned to them.
What’s learned in the projects is reinforced when their Designs are used as a starting point to build an application in INFO465 in a following semester.
INFO465– Projects in Information Systems:
The Framework is presented to students in Projects in the form of rough prototype databases and software components that may be used as a starting point to build an application to meet the needs of the enterprise in the case study assigned for the individual student or team of students.
Here are screenshots of a student’s project done using PowerBuilder:
This application is handles Order Entry for a small shop, reports business activity via psX12 Journal Vouchers, and uses psX12 Purchase Orders to automatically fulfill its Customer’s Sales Orders.
For instructors, The Framework provides case studies for enterprises in the class’ EDI Trading community. It also provides instructors with application software and Object-Oriented and Structured designs in each of the application development environments for ‘Enterprise Engines’ and ‘Ledger Engines’.
The Ledger Engine keeps a Ledger for each of the Class’ Enterprises and its Trial Balance report is posted on the Class’s website. One of the requirements for Project #2 is that the Enterprise Engine transmit valid Journals to the Ledger Engine to make a reasonable Trial Balance. See Appendix A for an example Enterprise Trial Balance report for a class showing unreasonable Trial Balances painted red.
Here is an example from the INFO465 Class Website’s ‘Enterprises Page’showing one appropriately populated Trial Balance and one that has problems:
3333 PsychTek:
1000 Cash 8588.00
1040 Equipment 2000.00
3000 Owner's Equity (10000.00)
4000 Sales of Goods (2520.00)
4010 Sales of Services (890.00)
5000 Cost of Goods Sold 200.00
5010 Cost of Services Sol 320.00
5030 Wages 252.00
5040 Administrative Costs 1000.00
5050 Rent 1000.00
5062 Internet Access 50.00
Net: 0.00
5869 Action Auto Tint:
1000 Cash (5340.00)
1040 Equipment 45.00
3000 Owner's Equity 5000.00
4000 Sales of Goods 125.00
4010 Sales of Services 75.00
5000 Cost of Goods Sold 55.00
5010 Cost of Services Sol 40.00
Net: 0.00
The ‘flavor’ of business-to-business ecommerce currently supported in The Framework is ANSI X.12. The ‘standard’ used in the class’ EDI Trading Community is psX12 (pseudoX12) rather than the full-blown ANSI standard. This offers the instructor the option of changing the standards as needed to keep the requirements fresh and make it more difficult for students to copy work from a prior semester. A full semester could easily be devoted to all the issues in a complete ANSI X12 document, and psX12 is a much simpler standard to implement.
Here is a copy of the email a student’s enterprise has received from the Ledger Engine following receipt of a valid psX12 JV (Journal Voucher) reflecting a day’s accounting activity. It shows the simple ‘psX12’EDI document using ANSI X12-like segment identifiers and asterisk-delimited records:
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ledger Engine" <
To: <>; <
Sent: Monday, April 14, 20033:53 AM
Subject: !*!*JV response from Ledger Engine
> Received from Enterprise #0000 Brand Now
> Dated 20030414 Time 035248
> JV*0000*20030414
> NET*3000*-2500000
> NET*1040*11000
> NET*5050*50000
> NET*4000*-394100
> NET*1000*2489700
> NET*5000*263400
> NET*5030*80000
> JVE*9
> Previous Journal for this date has been backed out of the Ledger
> Ledger Trial Balance as of this JV Transaction:
> 1000 Cash 24897.00
> 1040 Equipment 110.00
> 3000 Owner's Equity (25000.00)
> 4000 Sales of Goods (3941.00)
> 5000 Cost of Goods Sold 2634.00
> 5010 Cost of Services Sold 0.00
> 5030 Wages 800.00
> 5050 Rent 500.00
> ------
> 0.00
One of the course’s requirements is that the Student’s Enterprise should produce local Financial Reports that agree with what is stored on the Ledger Engine under its Enterprise Id#.
The Instructor’s Ledger Engine also provides other services for the EDI Trading Community: Catalog; Bank; Tax Authority; and any other which may apply for future courses. It also provides an objective measure that can be used for evaluation of Student’s performance in the course.