Required:

Alan Dennis & Barbara Haley Wixom, Systems Analysis and Design - Second Edition (John Wiley, 2003). (This link is to the textbook web site.) The ASUC bookstore should have a special package with the text and bundled software (student versions of MS Project and SPSS); the ISBN of the package is 0-471-66040-X .  The book alone is also available from other sources; its ISBN is 0-471-07322-9.

Useful software:

• SPSS Student Version 11 for Windows (packaged with text and available separately; SPSS is available on the SIMS network)
  
• Microsoft Project (Microsoft has a CD-ROM with a 60-day trial version for less than $10.)
• VISIO Pro (Microsoft has a CD-ROM with a 30-day trial version for less than $10.)

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This is a tentative list and only covers IS 208A. Last updated 3/3/2004. See below for due dates for all assignments. (Links are to the Powerpoint files for each lecture.)

Last updated 4/16/2004.  Follow the links for a detailed explanation of each assignment.
 

Important Message about the Assignments: Some assignments are individual and some may be done in a group, and they will be labeled, but in every case all those who did the work should sign the work.  Please review the excerpt from the Campus Code of Student Conduct that is reproduced at the bottom of this web page.

 

Monday	Feb. 9	Project Description & Organizational Analysis
Monday	Feb. 9	Gantt Chart
Monday	Feb. 23	Statistics Assignment [Individual work]
Wednesday	March 3	Brief Oral Project Description & Progress Report (5 minutes; primarily so class members can get an idea of the variety of projects this semester)
Monday	March 8	Written Progress Reports  (include revised Gantt chart)
Monday	March 8	Economic Feasibility Analysis
Monday	March 8	Flow Chart or Data Flow Diagram [Individual work]
Friday	May 14	Final Project Reports due  (Oral reports: May 3 -10)

Project Description & Organizational Analysis: This assignment consists of three parts. (There are four "deliverables" as the second part requires two separate statements.)

• One-page description of your proposed project.  For group projects, turn in one description for the entire group, a list of group members, and include a brief description of how the work-load will be allocated. [Group work]  
• Two short (approx. 2 pages each) statements of mission, goals, and objectives, one for your system and one for the parent organization. [Group work]
• Gantt Chart: Show the major tasks necessary to complete your project and your projected schedule.  For a group project submit one Gantt chart for the project and show your initial labor loadings.  Be certain to include the key dates of March 8 (progress reports) and May 13 (final report). Save the baseline with your schedule.  IMPORTANT:  The two major problems with Gantt charts in the past have been (a) too few or too many tasks and (b) missing links.  Aim for approximately 10 to 15 tasks.  In most cases, all tasks except the first one should have at least one predecessor and all but the last one should have at least one successor.

Progress reports: The progress report consists of four parts, at least one of which is individual work.

• The written report should include at least the following:
• statement of the problem to be solved
• mission, goals, and objectives of the system and of the parent organization
• background information about the organization
• description of the existing system (as much as you understand)
• status of the project
• plans for completing the project on-time.

(These last two should be consistent with the revised Gantt chart.)


• Revised Gantt chart: We are now approaching the half-way point.  Update your Gantt chart to reflect both the past as it actually occurred and the future that will be necessary to complete your project. Compare the actual progress so far to the baseline. For a group project show your revised labor loadings.  Hand in both the original and the revised charts with your progress report.
• Economic Feasibility Assignment (EFA): Prepare a summary budget showing the likely direct and indirect costs of the project over its expected lifetime.  Also prepare more detailed annual budgets for the first two years.  In both identify start-up and ongoing costs.  Accompany the budgets with a two-page economic feasibility analysis including major risk factors and likely costs savings or revenue-generation potentials (if applicable.)  (See note below.)

• Flow chart or DFD: Detailed, annotated flow chart of one operation of your system OR data flow diagram for one aspect of your system, preferably at two levels. (Individual work; if part of a group, each group member should choose different operations or aspects. Note: One member of the group may take primary responsibility for the EFA; if so, that person is excused from this assignment.)