KF7011 - Systems Analysis & Design with UML

What will I learn on this module?

In this module you will learn about methods of analysing and designing information systems using object-oriented methods. You will gain an understanding of the general IT system development lifecycle and the activities and personnel roles applicable at each lifecycle stage, and of the concepts of professional standards and codes for systems analysis and design projects. This will include learning how to specify system requirements and use systems analysis and design techniques to develop workable solutions to business information system problems. You will be learn and apply an object-oriented approach to develop information systems projects using the techniques of the Unified Modelling Language (UML) - the leading notation used for specifying systems. This will include advanced modelling concepts and techniques that are used to build complex object models. In particular, the syllabus of the module will cover topics such as:
• Information systems: information systems to support organisational types and objectives; strategic, tactical, operational and control systems
• Systems development activities and lifecycles: the systems development lifecycle, rationale for 'staged' system development and the key stages, roles and deliverables; the role of prototyping and iterative development; Unified System Development Process (USDP) or another lifecycle for object-oriented development
• Systems investigation techniques: the key areas of system investigation and applicable fact-finding techniques - interviewing, document examination, observation etc.
• Systems specification techniques using an object-oriented approach: defining the problem statement and structuring it through Use Case Modelling; going from Use Cases to a first-cut behavioural model (communication diagrams) with associated class diagrams; basic modelling syntax.
• Object oriented design: object model-objects, classes, inheritance, generalisation, links and associations; purpose of design; interaction modelling (sequence diagrams) and state machines in design; specifying operations with activity diagrams; design patterns.
• Class and method design: classes, objects, and messages
• Data Management Layer Design: relationship database, object-oriented database design, data access design and manipulation classes
• Human-Computer Interaction Layer Design: including principles for user interface design, content awareness, user experience, etc
• Physical layer design: including elements of the physical architecture layer, architectural components, infrastructure design, etc
• Construction: including programming management, documentation, and testing



• Professional codes of practice: the need for professional standards within analysis and design; British Computer Society, the Chartered Institute for IT codes.

How will I learn on this module?

The module is available to students following full-time and distance learning programmes of study. All students are provided with a module handbook that your study will be based around, with supporting reading from a prescribed textbook. The handbook includes learning materials with a section of work for you to cover each week. The materials introduce relevant concepts and techniques, provide exercises for you to practise them and indicate supporting reading to do from a recommended textbook.
If you are a full-time student you will also have classroom based supporting lecture sessions that introduce forthcoming topics, review the work done and provide opportunities for practice and feedback. Distance learning students receive equivalent support via appropriate means, such as through a discussion board on the eLearning Portal and by email contact with the module team.

How will I be supported academically on this module?

If you are a full-time student, you will study using a blended learning approach that combines study of sections of the module learning materials with classroom based lecture sessions. Each session reviews the work done in the previous week, introduces the next topic, and may also give an opportunity for additional exercises to be attempted. This provides an opportunity for you to ask questions and to receive formative feedback on your work.
Support is provided to distance learning students in several ways, including through a discussion board on the eLearning Portal and by email contact with the module team. The discussion board provides the opportunity for students to interact with each other and the module team, asking questions etc.

What will I be expected to read on this module?

All modules at Northumbria include a range of reading materials that students are expected to engage with. The reading list for this module can be found at: http://readinglists.northumbria.ac.uk
(Reading List service online guide for academic staff this containing contact details for the Reading List team – http://library.northumbria.ac.uk/readinglists)

What will I be expected to achieve?

Knowledge & Understanding:
1. Critically discuss the business needs of organizations and economic and commercial impacts on organizations to use information technology
2. Critically appraise the overall rationale, key stages, deliverables and personnel roles involved in traditional and other systems development lifecycles
Intellectual / Professional skills & abilities:
3. Specify the requirements for an information system using object-oriented analysis and design techniques, based on an accepted leading approach
4. Apply analysis and design techniques to typical business scenarios, using advanced object modelling concepts and techniques

Personal Values Attributes (Global / Cultural awareness, Ethics, Curiosity) (PVA):
5. Critically appraise the concepts and techniques of object-oriented development, demonstrating an understanding of professional codes of practice applicable to systems analysis and design projects

How will I be assessed?

The assignment consists of both group activities and individual activities, each worth 50% of the module mark. For the assignment, you will analyse and design a solution for a business scenario you have chosen using object-oriented analysis and design techniques as well as part of a development team/group, in which you will participate and contribute to. There is a list of organizations you can approach to work on your assignment or you can choose your own client to work with for your assignment.

Group activities (worth 50 out of 100 marks) expected you to take up different roles with a systems development team by planning the project, critically appraise the information systems requirements of organizations, and converting the requirements into object-oriented models. The group assignment shall be properly documented, peer-reviewed and evidenced, and may involve face-to-face collaboration for on-campus students or alternatively use online/electronic means of communication where applicable as in the case of DL students. The group activities assess MLOs 1, 2, 3 and 4.

The individual activities assess the knowledge of the design stage of System Development Life Cycle as well as the reflection of the project experience from system development lifecycles and professional codes of practice issues. The individual activities assess MLO 1, 2, 4, 5.

You will be provided with written feedback on your assignment work.

The practical exercises in the module handbook provide opportunities for formative assessment, helping you and your tutors assess your progress. You are strongly advised to complete all exercise work as the formative feedback provided will enable you to improve your work before the summative assessment submission. It is expected that the feedback will help to clarify understanding of the assignment and the excepted academic level, including originality, critical analysis and academic style.

Pre-requisite(s)

N/A

Co-requisite(s)

N/A

Module abstract

In this module you will learn about methods of analysing and designing information systems using object-oriented methods. You will gain an understanding of the general IT system development lifecycle, the activities and personnel roles applicable at each lifecycle stage, and of concepts of professional standards and codes for systems analysis and design projects. This will include learning how to specify system requirements and use systems analysis and design techniques to develop workable solutions to business information system problems. You will learn and apply the object-oriented approach to analyse and design, using the techniques of the Unified Modelling Language (UML) - the leading notation used for specifying systems. This will include advanced modelling concepts and techniques that are used to build complex object models.

Course info

Credits 20

Level of Study Postgraduate

Mode of Study 1 Year Full-Time

Department Computer and Information Sciences

Location City Campus, Northumbria University

City Newcastle

Start September 2024

Fee Information

Module Information

All information is accurate at the time of sharing. 

Full time Courses are primarily delivered via on-campus face to face learning but could include elements of online learning. Most courses run as planned and as promoted on our website and via our marketing materials, but if there are any substantial changes (as determined by the Competition and Markets Authority) to a course or there is the potential that course may be withdrawn, we will notify all affected applicants as soon as possible with advice and guidance regarding their options. It is also important to be aware that optional modules listed on course pages may be subject to change depending on uptake numbers each year.  

Contact time is subject to increase or decrease in line with possible restrictions imposed by the government or the University in the interest of maintaining the health and safety and wellbeing of students, staff, and visitors if this is deemed necessary in future.

 

Your Learning Experience

Find out about our distinctive approach at 
www.northumbria.ac.uk/exp

Admissions Terms and Conditions
northumbria.ac.uk/terms

Fees and Funding
northumbria.ac.uk/fees

Admissions Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/adpolicy

Admissions Complaints Policy
northumbria.ac.uk/complaints