Information Systems

Rationale:
This module covers the following topics: systems analysis and design, database systems, data analysis and management, systems and organisations.

Aims: 

•  To develop an awareness of the nature and use of information and information systems in an organisational context
• To introduce the various techniques used within systems analysis and design
• To foster an appreciation of the different types of methodologies used in the system development process
• To provide an introduction to database management systems

Objectives:

• Show an understanding of the flow of information within organisations
• Understand the differing types of information
• Propose practical solutions to given analytical problems
• Demonstrate the effective use of a chosen methodology through requirements analysis and fact finding techniques
• Display an awareness of systems development tools and techniques
• Become conversant with system design issues
• Develop awareness of the basic ideas behind using a computer to store and manipulate data
• Display knowledge of data analysis and modelling techniques
• Discuss various database management architectures
• Demonstrate an awareness of Human Computer Interaction and the use of multimedia and hypermedia
• Suggest suitable testing strategies and implementation techniques

Prior Knowledge Expected:

None

Content:

1 DATA MANAGEMENT

• The nature of information; its acquisition, presentation, storage and management
• Characteristics of data; data capture and collection Data processing and data modelling
• Simple statistical measures; mean, mode, median, standard deviation
• Tabular representation of data; Histograms, interpolation
• Requirements analysis and prototyping
• Fact finding methods
• Security, integrity and control
• File management; organisation and access methods
• Database design issues; entity modelling, normalisation, logical/physical mapping
• Database architectures and types of database management systems
• Functions of database management systems and database administration
• Introduction to multimedia and hypermedia

2 SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

• The systems development life-cycle and its implications for software design, coding, testing, implementation and support
• Prototyping and systems development tools Structured systems analysis and design techniques Hard and soft system methodologies
• Rapid application development and prototyping techniques
• Object-oriented modelling
• Human computer interface (HCI) design aspects

3 ORGANISATIONS

• The flow of information in an organisation
• Basic idea of management functions and structure of business and other organisations
• Personnel and social considerations in the consideration of new systems
• Management of computer systems, staffing, maintenance, project management and scheduling
• Quality assurance aspects and methods