Our Vision

NKU sees the metropolitan region as representing not just learning needs to be served but also as a powerful source of knowledge and experience that can strengthen, enhance, and enrich every dimension of its mission to discover, transmit, apply, and preserve knowledge.

Our Mission

Our primary mission is to educate undergraduate students from the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati metropolitan region to perform effectively and ethically in a global environment as professionals in business, public, and social enterprises. We seek greater diversity in the students recruited to our degree programs. We place on-going emphasis on the growth and quality of our graduate programs.

We will leverage the partnerships between students, faculty and the community to continuously improve the educational experience of our students and to enhance the integration of scholarship and service to classroom learning.

Assurance of Learning:

This course, Systems Analysis and Design, is designed to meet the objectives that all IFS graduate with a demonstrated understanding of:

· A better understanding of the entire information system development process: from the identification of the business problems and needs to the design of an improved system to the writing of computer programs.

· Improved communications skills. Your ability to communicate with both technical and non-technical people should be improved through the proper use of tools and communication models.

· Improved programming skills. You may find that you become a better programmer once you understand how to read and modify the design documentation prepared by a systems analyst. Programmers frequently find themselves re-doing poorly prepared or incomplete design specifications.

· A background for continued study of systems analysis and design. In subsequent courses, you will learn how to "do" systems analysis and design using specific strategies and methodologies used by systems analysts.

· A better understanding of information systems in general. You will learn many capabilities and characteristics of good information systems. This will help you design more effective systems during your career.

Course Objectives:

The framework of this course centers on the use of systems analysis techniques to develop and document effective computer-based information systems. You will be exposed to the entire systems analysis and design process; however, your project will emphasize systems analysis since it is the foundation on which the other sub-processes are built, and it is a more general, entry-level skill. You will learn how to use a variety of systems analysis and design tools and techniques. These tools allow the systems analyst to communicate with business users and to learn about and document their problems and needs. These tools in turn also help the systems analyst communicate these business needs to the computer programmers who will create the systems.

Catalog Description, including course pre-requisites:

The systems development life cycle; systems analysis and general design; analysis strategies, tools, and techniques for documenting current systems and developing proposed systems; systems modeling, data modeling, design criteria, cost/benefit trade-offs, and project management; development of a comprehensive systems analysis project.

Prerequisites: IFS 110 and junior standing.

Required text:

Gary B. Shelly, Harry J. Rosenblatt, Thomas J. Cashman. Systems Analysis and Design, Sixth Edition
ISBN: 0-619-25510-2

Course Policies:

There are 11 homework assignments and one project.

Determination of Final Grade

In order to arrive at a final grade for the course, evaluation of a student's performance is made as follows:

· Test #1 = 20%

· Test #2 = 20%

· Test #3 = 20%

· Project = 30%

· Assignments = 10%

Grading Scale:

A at least 90%

B at least 80%

C at least 70%

D at least 60%

F below 60%

Grading Information:

The grading system at Northern is based on the following descriptions:

A represents exceptionally high achievement as a result of aptitude, effort, and intellectual initiative.

B represents high achievement as a result of ability and effort

C represents average achievement, the minimum expected of a college student

D represents minimum passing grade except for courses taken on a pass/fail basis.

F indicates failure in a course. Credit in a course where an F was earned can be obtained only be repeating the course successfully.

Attendance

Regular attendance is expected.

Course Policies (continued):

Student rights and responsibilities

The maintenance of academic standards and integrity includes the obligation not to cheat or plagiarize. A student who uses a dishonest or deceitful means to obtain a grade is guilty of cheating; a student who submits another’s work as one’s own without adequate attribution is guilty of plagiarism. Identical work will earn a grade of zero.

Students are fully responsible for learning the course content and material disseminated in the class. Absences do not release you from this responsibility.

Please see the NKU Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities at www.nku.edu/~deanstudents.

Your instructor will do all the grading of quizzes, exams, papers, and projects. Assessment and assignment of final grades are also the responsibility of each instructor.

Disability Services:

Students with disabilities who require accommodations (academic adjustments, auxiliary aids or services) for this course must register with the Disability Services Office. Please contact the Disability Service Office immediately in the University Center, Suite 320 or call 859-572-6373 for more information. Verification of your disability is required in the Disability Services Office for you to receive reasonable academic accommodations. Visit the Disability Services website at www.nku.edu/~disability/.

Research:

From time to time you may be asked to participate in research studies conducted by other students or faculty. Generally, this data is gathered through a questionnaire and individuals will not be specifically identified. All of these studies will have an appropriate learning context for the class; none will be psychological or physically dangerous in nature. You may decline to participate. Everyone will be debriefed on the purpose of the study and anyone that wishes may have copies of the results.

Important notice: Syllabus Changes:

Dates and assignments documented in this syllabus are subject to change at the discretion of the instructor. Every effort will be made to provide any changes to the class in writing. Verbal notification at a class meeting, however, will constitute sufficient notice.

Important Dates from the University Calendar:

August 21 (Mon.)	Classes begin $25.00 late registration fee assessed
August 28 (Mon.)	Last day to register or enter a course Last day to drop with a 100% tuition adjustment Last day to change grading option (letter grade, audit, pass-fail)
September 4 (Mon.)	Labor Day - University Closed/No Classes
September 11 (Mon.)	Last day to drop a course without a grade appearing on a student's transcript. Last day to drop a course with a 50% tuition
October 9 (Mon.)	Deadline for filing application for degree candidacy for Spring 2007 graduation with the Office of the Registrar, AC 301
October 9 (Mon.)	Faculty begin submitting mid-term grades for freshmen Freshmen and academic advisors may access mid-term grades
October 13 (Fri.)	Last day to remove incomplete grades from Spring & Summer 2006
October 14 (Sat.)	Midterm
October 16 - 17 (Mon. – Tues.)	Fall Break - University Open/No Classes
October 23 (Mon.)	Noon: Faculty deadline for submitting mid-term grades
October 30 (Mon.)	Last day to drop a course with a grade of W Last day for the submission of appeals to Bursar concerning refund policy
November 22 (Wed.)	University Open/No Classes
November 23 – 25 (Thurs. – Sat.)	Thanksgiving Holiday – University Closed/No Classes
December 8 (Fri.)	Last day of classes
December 9 - 15 (Sat.) – (Fri.)	Final examinations

Tentative Class Schedule

Check Blackboard for homework assignments details. All assignments are due on Tuesday of the week except assignment 7.

Week	Date	Topics
1.	8/22- 8/24	Syllabus, Overview, and Chapter 1
2.	8/29-8/31	Chapter 1 Introduction to Systems Analysis and Design Homework 1 Due
3.	9/5 – 9/7	Chapter 2 Analyzing the Business Case Homework 2 Due
4.	9/12 - 9/14	Chapter 3 Requirements Modeling Homework 3 Due
5.	9/19	Test 1
	9/21	Chapter 4 Data and Process Modeling
6.	9/26 - 9/28	Chapter 4 Data and Process Modeling Homework 4 Due
7.	10/3 – 10/5	Chapter 5 Development Strategies Homework 5 Due
8.	10/10 -10/12	Chapter 6 Output and User Interface Design Homework 6 Due
9.	10/17 10/19	Fall Break Chapter 6 Output and User Interface Design Homework 7 Due
10.	10/24	Test 2 Homework 8 Due
	10/26	Chapter 7 Data Design
11.	10/31 – 11/2	Chapter 7 Data Design Homework 9 Due
12.	11/7 – 11/9	Chapter 8 Homework 10 Due
13.	11/14 – 11/16	Chapter 8 Systems Architecture
14.	11/21 11/23	Chapter 9 Systems Implementation Homework 11 Due Thanksgiving
15.	11/28 -11/30	Chapter 9 Systems Implementation
16.	12/5 – 12/7	Chapter 10 Systems Operation, Support, and Security
17.	12/12	Final Exam (final project due)