INFS 622 - Information Systems Analysis/Design

Class Meetings: Thursdays, 4:30-7:10 PM in Arts and Design Building, Room 2026.

Instructor: Dr. Larry Kerschberg

Office Hours: Wednesdays 5:00-6:30 PM, Thursdays 2:00-4:00 PM, or by email appointment. Skype chats are also welcome by appointment.
Office: 4412 in the Nguyen Engineering Building.
Email: kersch@gmu.edu
Skype: kersch

We will use Blackboard System for all postings of reading assignments, slides, homework assignments, class discussions, group projects, and email communication. Please send email from your Mason account only.

The GMU Honor Code is in effect at all times. The Computer Science Department also has an Honor Code Policy.

Course Description (official)

Integration of computing technologies, systems analysis, system design practices, and management criteria in the design of large-scale information management and decision-support systems. Includes cases, computing lab.

Course Objectives

INFS622 is a core-course for the MS in Information Systems program. Students will be introduced to concepts related to software project lifecycle activities, which include project inception, planning, analysis and design, along with current methods and tools. The students will learn how to apply critical thinking skills to system analysis and design. These concepts and skills will be reinforced with in-class activities and a group term project. Each group will select a case study for the term project.

Prerequisites:

INFS 501, 515 and 590 or equivalent, or permission of instructor.

Textbooks:

Required: Software Modeling and Design, by Hassan Gomaa, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK, 2011; ISBN 978-0-521-76414-8

Required: Systems Analysis and Design, 5th Edition by A. Dennis, B. H. Wixom, and R. M. Roth; John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2012; ISBN 978-1-118-05762-9

Optional: UML Distilled: A Brief Guide to the Standard Object Modeling Language, 3rd Edition, ISBN-10: 0321193687

Grading Policy

Your final grade will be determined by your performance as follows:

Grade Components and Percentages
Home Work Assignments and Quizes
20
Class Participation & Blackboard Participation
15
Group Term Project
25
Individual Term Project Presentation
15
Final Exam
25

Homework assignments are to be submitted on time via Blackboard.
The assignments are to be done individually, and the honor code is in effect.

The term project is a meant to be a group research and learning experience. There will be a grade for the group's performance as well as a grade for each person's performance in presenting their portion of the research.