MIS 330: Systems Analysis and Design Master Syllabus
Instructor Reserves the Right to Change the Syllabus without Notice.
Course Instructor:
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Course Website: Canvas
Course Description & Objectives
Understanding systems analysis and design methods is a necessary skill for contemporary business analysts, managers, software engineers and system users. This course provides students with the foundations for effectively using modern systems analysis and design methodologies for developing modern software and applications. Topics include the Systems Development Life Cycle, Requirements Determination, Process Modeling and Improvement, Quantification of Process Issues and Improvements, Proposing Technical Solutions, Architecture and User Interface Design, Implementation Planning, Solution Implementation Risks and Risk Responses, Scheduling, as well as a Career Seminar with some of Professor Ngac’s peers.
This course is also a Writing-Intensive designated course by the University, and the semester-long sevendeliverable Project Proposal fulfils this designation. Beyond its primary objective of giving students Project Proposal Development experience (and better understanding of the course’s lecture material), the Writing-Intensive assignment is designed to have three writing-focused outcomes:
- Writing-to-Learn: students will use informal or formal writing in ways that deepen their awareness of the field of study and its subject matter.
- Writing-to-Communicate: students will compose one or more written genres specific to the field of study in order to communicate key ideas tailored to specific audiences and purposes; genres may be academic, public, or professional.
- Writing-as-a-process: students will draft and revise written works based on feedback they receive from instructors and peers, using strategies appropriate to the genre, audience, and purpose.
Textbook for the Class
NONE
Required Materials/Software/Hardware
- Access to Canvas
- Word Processing Software (Microsoft Office / Google Docs)
- Lockdown Browser
- Computer with Webcam (for Exams)
Course Grading, Examinations, & Grade Composition
Students must be officially registered in this course to receive a grade. It is the sole responsibility of the student to verify their own registration status. Specifically, you will not receive a grade if your name does not appear on the official class list. Registration related questions should be directed to either the Office of Student Services at School of Business or the Registrar’s Office. Grading for the course will be based on total points earned by the end of the course. Final course letter grade assignments will be as follows:
| Grading Scale | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A+ | >97 | B+ | 87-89 | C+ | 77-79 | D | 60-69 |
| A | 93-97 | B | 83-86 | C | 70-76 | F | <60 |
| A- | 90-92 | B- | 80-82 | ||||
| Grade Breakdown | Percent |
|---|---|
| Lecture Quizzes (10) | 25% |
| Paper Project Proposal (7) | 50% |
| Final Exam | 25% |
| Total: | 100% |
Project Proposal (PP) (50%)
The project proposal serves two purposes for this course – being the writing intensive assignment as well as serving as the semester-long project for students to apply the course’s weekly contents learned to an organization’s business process improvement effort. This Project Proposal will be divided into seven deliverables as follows, and then brought together into one Full Project Proposal at the end.
- PP Deliverable 1: Chosen Organization, Business Challenge(s), & Solutioning Requirements (5%)
- PP Deliverable 2: AS-IS Process & Quantification (8%)
- PP Deliverable 3: TO-BE Process & Quantification, Proposed Technical Solutions, & Compelling Case for Change (10%)
- PP Deliverable 4: Architecture & User Interface Design (5%)
- PP Deliverable 5: Implementation Plans & the Schedule (7%)
- PP Deliverable 6: Risks & Risk Responses (6%)
- PP Deliverable 7: Executive Summary (6%)
- Full PP: Brining it All Together (3%)
Instructions will be given in each deliverables’ template, and students will be expected to follow those instructions closely. Students will also be given a rubric so they know how each deliverable is being graded. Students will also be able to revise their deliverable submissions during Week 12.
Lecture Quizzes (10 Quizzes, 25% Total)
These “knowledge check” quizzes are meant to reinforce the lecture material, and are designed to be completed after thorough review of the lecture materials. Each lecture will have a corresponding closed book quiz. Students will have 30mins to complete each quiz, and can take the quiz multiple times – but only the student’s final attempt will count towards the student’s final grade.
Final Exam (25%)
The 100 question exam is closed book and delivered through blackboard’s Lockdown Browser. Students will have 120mins (2 hours) to complete the exam.
Schedule
NOTE: The instructor reserves the right to adjust the schedule.
All sections (DL1 & DL2) will run on a Tuesday weekly schedule.
| Week/Date | Course Content | Assignment |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 1/21 |
MIS 330 & MIS 462 Course Introductions |
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| Week 2 1/28 |
System Development Life Cycle Project Proposal & Management |
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| Week 3 2/4 |
Requirements Determination |
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| Week 4 2/11 |
Process Modeling (AS-IS Process) |
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| Week 5 2/18 |
Quantification (AS-IS Quantification) |
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| Week 6 2/25 |
Process Improvement Solutioning (TO-BE Process & Quantification) |
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| Week 7 3/4 |
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| Spring Break: 3/10 – 3/16 | ||
| Week 8 3/18 |
Architecture & User Interface Design |
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| Week 9 3/25 |
Implementation Plans |
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| Week 10 4/1 |
Gantt Chart & Scheduling |
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| Week 11 4/8 |
Risks & Risk Responses |
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| Week 12 4/15 |
Bringing it All Together Project Proposal Reflection |
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| Week 13 4/22 |
Career Seminar & Study Time The Final Exam is Cumulative, so please review ALL the Lecture Videos to best Prepare! |
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| Week 14 4/29 |
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| Week 15 5/7-5/9 |
Final Exam* (Cumulative) Online | Opens at 6AM | Closes at 11:59PM | 120mins max Closed Book & Lockdown Browser with Webcam** |
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*Exam will close out at 11:59PM Eastern Time (ET). For Example, if you start your exam at 11:59PM ET, you will then only have 59mins to complete the exam. So if you want the full time for the exams, you need to begin the exam no later than 10:44PM for the Midterm Exam and 9:59PM for the Final Exam! Canvas Exam timer will not reflect the remaining exam time accurately after these two start times, and you proceed at your own risk.
**Webcam is required to be active for students to take the exam. At a minimum, the webcam should show the student’s shoulders and entire face for the entire duration of the exam.
Instructor Policies
- Communications with the Instructor: I prefer email and will respond within 2 business days. If you do not hear a response from me within that timeframe, please resend your email. All emails should have in the subject line: Course Number, Section, and title of the question. Please use your George Mason University email to communicate with me.
- Office Hours: My office hours are by appointment, so please send me an email, with a suggested time and I’ll confirm if I’m free.
- Attendance: This is your responsibility. If you miss lectures, then you will miss valuable content. If you miss a quiz or exam, you cannot make it up, and will take a zero for the task. If you have an emergency and cannot make the class, please email me beforehand, and be prepared to have proof of your emergency.
- Late Assignments: I do not accept late assignments, because all assignments are turned in electronically and their due dates are listed here in the syllabus. Excused late assignments require proof and notification ahead of time.
- Corrupt/Wrong Assignment Submissions: It is your job as the student to ensure that you submit the correct assignment / readable assignment for me to grade. If I cannot read the assignment for any reason or you submit the wrong assignment, you will get an automatic zero.
- Cheating & Plagiarism: This will not be tolerated and will result in you receiving a zero for the assignment / exam. Furthermore, the ISOM Chair and Costello College of Business Dean may be involved when cheating & plagiarism is suspected or caught.
- Electronics: You are welcome to bring in your electronics to use, but if it becomes a distraction to me, or the people around you, you will be asked to turn them off.
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