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9 Content: Information Processes and Technology HSC Course
9.1 Project Management
This topic is intended to give students an understanding of the underlying theory of project management as well as an opportunity to plan, design and implement an information system that has a purpose. The chosen information system implemented in project work should be drawn from:
- a database information system
- a communication system
- a transaction processing system
- a decision support system
- an automated manufacturing system
- a multimedia system.
The construction of the information system will follow the stages detailed in the Preliminary topic Developing Information Systems. Other system development methods have been included beyond the traditional methods. One large project or a number of smaller projects may be undertaken in the course. If smaller projects are undertaken, they need to occur over a significant amount of time and involve sustained work. Project(s) should allow students to see the information system in its full context. Students should identify the purpose for the information system, the participants, data/information and information technology that work with the information processes.
Project work requirements are described in the Course Structure.
Outcomes
A student:
- H1.1 applies and explains an understanding of the nature and function of information technologies to a specific practical situation
- H1.2 explains and justifies the way in which information systems relate to information processes in a specific context
- H2.1 analyses and describes a system in terms of the information processes involved
- H2.2 develops and explains solutions for an identified need which address all of the information processes
- H3.1 evaluates and discusses the effect of information systems on the individual, society and the environment
- H3.2 demonstrates and explains ethical practice in the use of information systems, technologies and processes
- H4.1 proposes and justifies ways in which information systems will meet emerging needs
- H5.1 justifies the selection and use of appropriate resources and tools to effectively develop and manage projects
- H5.2 assesses the ethical implications of selecting and using specific resources and tools, recommends and justifies the choices
- H6.1 analyses situations, identifies needs, proposes and then develops solutions
- H6.2 selects, justifies and applies methodical approaches to planning, designing or implementing solutions
- H7.1 implements and explains effective management techniques
- H7.2 uses methods to thoroughly document the development of individual and team projects.
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Students learn to: |
techniques for managing a project
- communication skills necessary for dealing with others
- the consequences for groups that fail to function as a team, including:
- financial loss
- employment loss
- missed opportunities
- project management tools, including:
- Gantt charts
- scheduling of tasks
- journals and diaries
- funding management plan
- communication management plan
- identifying social and ethical issues
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- understand the communication skills required to manage a system development project, such as:
- active listening
- conflict resolution
- negotiation skills
- interview techniques
- team building
- understand the need to apply project management tools to develop a system using a team approach
- appreciate the advantages of groups that function as a team, including:
- increased productivity
- enhanced job satisfaction
- the development of a quality system
- appreciate the need for complete documentation throughout all aspects of the system
- assess the social and ethical implications of the solution throughout the project
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understanding the problem
- approaches to identify problems with existing systems, including:
- interview/survey users of the information system
- interview/survey participants
- analysing the existing system by determining:
- how it works
- what it does
- who uses it
- requirements reports
- requirements prototype – a working model of an information system, built in order to understand the requirements of the system
- used when the problem is not easily understood
- repetitive process of prototype modification and participants' feedback until the problem is understood
- can be the basis for further system development
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- apply appropriate techniques in understanding the problem
- interpret a requirements report which includes:
- the purpose of the systems
- an analysis of an existing system
- definition of extra requirements
- diagrammatically represent existing systems using context diagrams and data flow diagrams
- identify, communicate with and involve participants of the current system
- create a requirements prototype from applications packages that provide:
- screen generators
- report generators
- use a prototype to clarify participants' understanding of the problem
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planning
- a feasibility study of proposed solutions, including:
- economic feasibility
- technical feasibility
- operational feasibility
- scheduling
- choosing the most appropriate solution
- choosing the appropriate development approaches
- traditional
- outsourcing
- prototyping
- customisation
- participant development
- agile methods
- the requirements report that:
- details the time frame
- details the subprojects and the time frame for them
- identifies participants
- identifies relevant information technology
- identifies data/information
- identifies the needs of users
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- conduct a feasibility study and report on the on the benefits, costs and risks of the project
- compare traditional, iterative and agile system development approaches
- create Gantt charts to show the implementation time frame
- investigate/research new information technologies that could form part of the system
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designing
- clarifying with users the benefits of the new information system
- designing the information system for ease of maintenance
- clarifying each of the relevant information processes within the system
- detailing the role of the participants, the data and the information technology used in the system
- refining existing prototypes
- participant development, when people within the information system develop the solution
- participant designed solutions
- tools for participant development such as guided processes in application packages
- tools used in designing, including:
- context diagrams
- data flow diagrams
- decision trees
- decision tables
- data dictionaries
- storyboards
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- develop a solution to a problem from a prototype
- use a guided process in an application to create all or part of a solution
- use system design tools to:
- better understand the system
- assist in explaining the operation of the new system
- document the new system
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implementing
- acquiring information technology and making it operational
- hardware
- software, customised or developed
- an implementation plan that details:
- participant training
- the method for conversion
- parallel conversion
- direct conversion
- phased conversion
- pilot conversion
- how the system will be tested
- conversion of data for the new system
- the need for an operation manual detailing procedures participants follow when using the new system
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- determine training needs arising from the creation of a new system
- compare and contrast conversion methods
- justify the selected conversion method for a given situation
- convert from the old system to the new
- implement the appropriate information technology
- develop an implementation plan for the project
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testing, evaluating and maintaining
- testing and evaluating the solution with test data such as
- volume data
- simulated data
- live data
- checking to see that the original system requirements have been achieved
- trialling and using the operation manual
- reviewing the effect on users of the information system, participants and people within the environment
- modifying parts of the system where problems are identified
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- compare the new system to the old and evaluate whether the requirements have been met
- update system documentation
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