Topic: Systems Analysis & Design
Project Portfolio Details
This semester we will use the SCR Case Simulation on the publisher's website as a Project Portfolio which will take the place of the Term Paper.
The name Project Portfolio means that, although there will be graded "milestone checks" along the way, all case simulation deliverables (tasks) will be graded toward the end of the semester based upon the "Quality" of the entire piece of work produced (all tasks).
Here is the breakdown for the project (submission links will be provided and due dates will be specified in the Lessons area):
Milestone 1 - SCR Chapters 1 through 4 Tasks (1 resubmission allowed based upon instructor feedback)
Milestone 2 - SCR Chapter 5 Tasks (1 resubmission allowed based upon instructor feedback)
Milestone 3 - SCR Chapter 6 through 8 Tasks (NO resubmission allowed)
Milestone 4 - SCR Chapter 9 through 12 Tasks (NO resubmission allowed)
Final Portfolio Submission - Craft a 2 to 3 page narative (MLA format) of the "Lessons Learned" while completing the SCR Simulation Case Study.
Include final versions of any modifed Milestone 1 through 4.
Session 1: Introduction
Tasks - Jesse wants me to learn as much as possible about SCR, and she gave me a checklist with four tasks:
1. Investigate SCR's Web site and learn about the company's history, purpose, and values. Is the site user-friendly? Why or why not? Provide at least four improvements you would suggest to Jesse.
2. Visit the data, forms, and resources libraries and review a sample of the information in each library. What other libraries might be created? Suggest at least two to Jesse.
3. Using the SCR functions and organization listed in the data library; create an organization chart using Microsoft Word, Visio, or a drawing program. Be sure to show your own position on the chart.
4. Jesse says that SCR has plenty of competition in the IT consulting field. Get on the Internet and find four other IT consulting firms. She wants a brief description of each firm and the services it offers. Also tell her which firm impressed you most, and why.
Session 2: Analyzing the Business Case
Tasks -
1. Jesse wants to see a new corporate goal that refers to our proposed training activity. She also wants to know whether the change will require a change in SCR's mission statement.
2. Jesse wants my opinion on whether or not SCR needs a system review committee. She wants a list of pros and cons, and my own recommendation - with reasons.
3. I have to draft a project scope statement for the TIMS system and describe the constraints. She said to identify each one by its type, timing, and urgency.
4. I need to identify the people I want to interview to learn more about the new training activity, and prepare a list of the questions I will ask. I will include open-ended, closed-ended, and range-of-response questions during each interview.
Session 3: Managing Systems Projects
Tasks -
1. Jesse wants me to investigate GanttProject software to determine whether it would be suitable for SCR. She asked me to prepare a summary of pros and cons, and a sample of screen shots and information.
2. Jesse likes the idea of using task completion estimates with best-case, probable-case, and worst-case estimates. She said that I should use typical formulas and weight values to create a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet that would make it easier to calculate expected task durations.
3. To practice my skills, Jesse asked me to create an imaginary project with at least 12 tasks, which include dependent, multiple predecessor, and multiple successor tasks. She wants me to create a list showing the tasks and dependencies, and patterns. She also needs to know the duration, start, and finish for each task. She said to use my best guess regarding duration, and we could adjust it later.
4. Jesse wants me to prepare a brief handout for the other team members with some do's and don'ts regarding project management. She wants me to include at least one image. She suggested either a screenshot or a drawing that would show some aspect of project planning.
Simply get a screen shot of your work, add a few words about what it is and if you learned anything. Let me know if the critical path changed as a result of modifying the durations.
Session 4: Requirements Modeling
Tasks -
1. Group managers said it was OK for their people to attend a three-day JAD session next week. Send a message to the JAD team members, with a brief explanation of JAD methods and a proposed agenda.
JAD Session Planning - write a brief explanation of JAD methods and why you've chosen to use this methodology for this project. Identify the key participants by role.
2. Design a questionnaire for former and potential students in SCR's training classes. Also, reply to Jesse's message about sampling. Give her a recommendation and reasons.
Training Questionnaire and Sampling
- help us decide what courses to offer
- what former students liked
- what former students think can be improved
The questionnaires should contain one or more examples of open-ended, closed-ended, and range-of-response questions.
Recommend a Sampling Technique and reasons. Assume it's easy to identify former students, so how will you reach potential students?
3. Read the JAD session summary in the Data Library and put together a list of system requirements, including outputs, inputs, processes, performance, and controls.
4. Draw an FDD of the main functions for TIMS and send it to Jesse. Be sure to show at least one or two levels of detail.
Session 5: Data and Process Modeling
Tasks -
1. Jesse wants to see a context diagram and a diagram 0 DFD for TIMS. She said to include notes to identify any assumptions or other issues.
From email: Now we're ready to build a logical model of TIMS. Based on the JAD summary, the entities probably should include:
- instructor
- student
- corporate clients
- course listings
- training administrator
- SCR accounting system
After you review the JAD summary, create a context diagram and DFD diagram 0.
I think at least four processes are involved:
- manage course scheduling (Data Store: Schedule Data)
- register students (Data Store: Student Data)
- maintain training records (Data Store: Training Data)
- produce reports
I'd also like to see a lower-level diagram for one or more (i.e. ALL) of the processes that you identify in diagram 0. You can label the data flows in a general manner on the context diagram, then go into more detail in the lower-level diagrams.
2. Need to review the JAD session summary again! I need to identify the four main TIMS functions. Jesse wants to see a lower-level DFD for each process.
From lotter: Manage Course Scheduling:
- Analyze Schedule Demand (Data Store: Course History)
- Analyze Instructor Availability (Data Store: Instructor Data)
- Create Schedule
Register Students:
- Process Course Requests
- Handle Invoices and Payments (Data Store: Accounting Data)
- Prepare Accounting Data (Data Store: Accounting Data)
- Create Course Rosters (Data Store: Course Rosters)
- Update Registration Data (Data Store: Accounting Data)
Maintain training records:
- Update Training Data (Data Store: Training Data)
- Update Student Data (Data Store: Training Data)
Produce reports:
- Produce Training Summary (Data Store: Report Data File)
- Produce Training Reports (Data Store: Report Data File)
3. Reply to Jesse's message about CASE tools. Search the Internet to find three more alternatives.
From email: I know we use the Visible Analyst CASE tool, but I want you to suggest at least two additional CASE tools that we might want to examine. I'm not sure whether our files are up-to-date, so you might have to perform some research on the Internet. Be sure to find out what the latest versions are and whether demo versions are available.
- Visible Analyst
- Option 2
- Option 3
4. Prepare a decision table and a decision tree that show the logical rules described in Jesse's message about fees and discounts. Include an explanation of how you created the decision table and decision tree.
From email:
- All students will be eligible for a discount when they enroll for a second course. Let's call that discount rate A.
- Whether or not they register for multiple courses, any student who currently is employed by one of SCR's corporate clients will be eligible for a discount. Let's call that discount rate B.
- From time to time, Amy Hawkins, as client service representative, will waive the employment requirement for discount B. Amy plans to use that discount as a marketing tool.
Conditions:
Multiple Courses?
Employed by SCR Client?
Client Service Rep Waiver?
Actions:
Eligible for Discount A
Eligible for Discount B
Not eligible for discounts
I'd like to see both an initial decision table that shows all possibilities and a simplified version. Also, please include a decision tree.
Session 6: Object Modeling
Tasks -
1. I need to review Jesse's e-mail message regarding object modeling and the JAD session summary. I need to identify possible use cases and actors, and create a use case diagram for the TIMS system.
2. She wants me to create a model of the use case that shows how students register. She also wants to see a class diagram.
3. I need to create a sample registration sequence diagram that shows the steps in the registration process.
4. Jesse asked me to create a state transition diagram that describes typical student states and how they change based on certain actions and events. She said to include a brief cover memo.
Session 7: Development Strategies
Tasks -
1. Determine whether vertical software packages exist for training operations management. Search the Internet and draft a message describing the results.
2. Investigate the possibility of outsourcing the TIMS system. List the options, together with advantages and disadvantages of each.
3. Follow Jesse's e-mail instructions about calculating payback, ROI, and NPV for the TIMS system.
The SCR e-mail instructions [SCR_Inbox_7-2] will assign the following tasks regarding the in-house development option for TIMS:
(a) Visit the SCR Data Library and review the questionnaire summary and cost-benefit summary;
(b) Organize this data into a spreadsheet with columns for years 0, 1, 2, and 3, and rows for the items. Be sure to group developmental costs, operational costs, and revenues separately;
(c) Use the spreadsheet data to calculate payback, ROI, and NPV for the TIMS project.
For tasks (a) and (b), students can use the questionnaire results (SCR_DataLibrary_4) and the information in the cost-benefit summary (SCR_DataLibrary_5), to create a three-year worksheet.
See Project Portfolio > SCR Simulation Artifacts > TIMS Financials Starter Spreadsheet
4. Jesse wants my thoughts on how we can use prototyping for TIMS. She also wants me to prepare a system requirements document and a management presentation.
We won't actually be discussing prototyping in any detail until Chapter 8. You may want to look ahead to that material to complete this now, or wait until we cover it in class next week.
Session 8: User Interface Design
(PLEASE NOTE: this file was updated since we reviewed it in class. It is now more precise as to what is required. Also note that this file is included in the Project Portfolio Artifacts folder and there it includes photos of the prototyping/storyboarding efforts we made in class, along with some brief commentary from the instructor)
Tasks
1. Create a detail report that will display all SCR courses in alphabetical order, with the course name and the instructor name in a group header; the Social Security number, name, and telephone number of each current student in the detail section; and the student count in group footer.
2. Three parts:
2.1 Create a switchboard design for the main entry screen with control buttons that lead to students, instructors, courses, course schedules, and course rosters. Also include a Help, Helpdesk and System Exit control button.
2.2 Develop a storyboard for one of the 'student' functions. Assume the user is the Training Administrator. Allow CRUD operations on the records in each area. Clearly state any assumptions you are making.
2.3 Develop a storyboard for one of the 'instructor' functions. Assume the user is the Training Administrator. Allow CRUD operations on the records in each area. Clearly state any assumptions you are making.
3. Suggest data validation checks for both data entry screens in 2.2 and 2.3.
4. Two parts:
4.1 Create a source document for an SCR mail-in registration form.
4.2 Also need a design for a Web-based course registration form.
Attachment:- Assignment Files.rar