COMMISSION ON HIGHER EDUCATION

SAMPLE SYLLABUS TEMPLATE

COURSE NUMBER: IM213

TITLE: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND

DESIGN
(Hard pre-requisite: Programming,
Databases, and HCI)

DEPARTMENT / PROGRAM: INFORMATION MANAGEMENT

SCHOOL:

SEMESTER AND SCHOOL YEAR:

INSTRUCTOR:

• COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this course, students with introductory information technology skills

will learn to analyze and design information systems. The course
introduces students to the structured and object oriented - analysis and
design, use of modeling tools, adherence to methodological life cycle
and project management standards.

This course examines the system development and modification

process. It emphasizes the factors for effective communication and
integration with users and user systems. It encourages interpersonal
skill development with clients, users, team members, and others
associated with development, operation, and maintenance of the
system.

Students with the basic skills of information technology will learn to

gather information in order to identify problems to be solved. They will
determine system requirements and a logical design for an information
system. A project of limited scope will be designed during this course.

Students will investigate alternative solutions, and will determine

feasibility of solutions. They will identify value added by the completion
of the system. Students will be exposed to methods to support each
stage of the development process.

Introductory project management will be taught and used to control

the team project. Team concepts including personal and interpersonal
skills will be discussed and monitored. Empowerment concepts will be
used and measured. Scheduling and completing individual and group
actions will be used to ensure project milestone completion.

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 The course also serves as a venue for students to practice project
management during team oriented analysis and design of a
departmental level system.

• COURSE OBJECTIVES (DESIRABLE OBJECTIVES)

This course intends:

1. To present necessary concepts to provide the skills necessary to do
the analysis, modeling, and definition of information systems
problems;
2. To give students exposure to using commercial program products to
implement information systems;
3. To show how to collect and structure information in the
development of requirements and specifications;
4. To show how to develop a logical design, and develop and analyze
alternatives involving implementation using packages, tailoring of
packages, constructing software, or case tools;
5. To develop a functional understanding of rapid prototyping and
other similar alternative mechanisms for rapid development of
information systems;
6. To show how to assess risks and feasibility;
7. To show students how to analyze organizational systems to
determine how the systems might be improved;
8. To develop skills for effective interpersonal communication to
develop consensus using classical techniques as well as computer
facilitated groupware to demonstrate and analyze small group
dynamics as related to working with users; and
9. To develop quality criteria for assessment of customer satisfaction
at all phases of the life cycle

• COURSE OUTLINE AND TIMEFRAME

TOPICS AND READINGS DATE

1. Introduction to Systems
a. Definition of a System
b. Characteristics of a System
c. The Modern Systems Analyst
2. Information Systems
a. Types of Information Systems
b. Integrating Technologies for Information
Systems
3. Information Systems Development Life Cycle and
Methodologies
a. Description and Phases
b. Spiral Life Cycle
c. Prototyping

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 d. Joint Application Design
e. Rapid Application Development
f. Other Alternatives
4. Systems Development Project Fundamentals
a. Project Initiation
b. Determining Project Feasibility
c. Activity Planning and Control
d. Project Scheduling
e. Managing Systems Analysis Team Members
5. Requirements Gathering and Analysis
a. Sampling and Investigating Hard Data
b. Interviewing
c. Using Questionnaires
d. Observing Decision-Maker Behavior and the
Office Environment
e. Cause and Effect Analysis
f. Tools for Analysis and Requirements
Documentation
g. Considering Alternative Tools
6. Logical Design
(Review and application of concepts from
previous courses on HCI and Databases)
a. Designing Effective Output (Reports)
b. Designing Effective Input (Forms)
c. Designing Databases
d. Designing the User Interfaces
e. Designing Accurate Data-Entry Procedures
7. Physical Design
a. Designing Databases
b. Designing the Internal Program
c. Designing the Processes
8. Systems Implementation
a. Coding
b. Testing
c. Installation and Configuration
d. Documenting the System, Training, and
Supporting Users
e. Strategies aimed at making computer
installation more profitable (Outsourcing,
Insourcing, Downsizing)
f. Strategies when deciding what to do with
inefficient old systems
9. Maintaining Information Systems
10. Cost-Benefit Analysis

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 • REQUIRED READINGS

1. Kendall, K., Kendall J. Systems Analysis and Design, 5th edition.

Prentice Hall, 2002.
2. Hoffer, J., George, J., Valacich, J. Modern Systems Analysis and
Design, 3rd edition. Prentice Hall, 2002

• SUGGESTED READINGS

1. Satzinger, J.W., Jackson, R.B., Burd, S.D. Systems Analysis and

Design in a Changing World, 2nd edition. Thomson Learning, 2002.
2. Shelly, G.B., Cashman, T.J., Rosenblatt, H.J. Systems Analysis and
Design, 4th edition. Thomson Learning, 2001.

• COURSE REQUIREMENTS

1. Attendance in lecture sessions

2. Active participation in class discussions and workshops
3. On-time submission of quality case analyses, partial deliverables,
and final project
4. Departmental exams
5. Project presentation and defense

• CONSULTATION HOURS

Depends on the faculty member assigned to the course

Faculty Members teaching SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN is
recommended to give each group consultation sessions for their
project at least three times during the trimester.

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