module specification

This module considers a range of issues related to the installation, review and maintenance of information systems (IS), such as defining relevant installation and support plans, conducting post-implementation reviews and managing the delivery of support and maintenance services.
 

Either CC2005 (Project Planning and Management) or equivalent module

This core module provides an in-depth view of issues related to the installation, review and maintenance of business information systems and aims to:
provide a practical understanding of the business, human and technology issues associated with the successful installation of new business systems software
develop a critical awareness of the issues related to assessing the success of an IT development project and judging the value contributed by a new information system to the business organisation
build a clear appreciation of the importance of taking a structured, professional and ethical approach to the provision of software support and maintenance
The principal graduate attributes focused on in this module are A2 and A3.

The major topics of study on this module are:
• Installation of business information systems
- planning for software installation
- the different options for software systems installation
- data migration issues
- user training, business process change and other human factors
- the importance of establishing a policy for software installation
• Review of systems development projects
- the post-implementation review; measuring the success of IT systems development projects
- how IT strategy and the selection of IT development projects are derived from business strategy; assessing the value contributed by information systems to a business organisation
- consideration of the key issues associated with IT systems development project failure
• The support and maintenance of business information systems
- the nature of software faults and their diagnosis
- software quality and maintainability
- contractual issues (e.g. service level agreements)
- the "help desk" function; different models for the provision of software support
- software systems used in the support of business information systems (e.g. CBT, on-line/remote fault-logging and diagnosis, expert/decision-support systems)
- modification requests and the resulting initiation of new development projects
 

Topics will be introduced through the medium of formal lectures, supported by seminar sessions and on-line resources as follows:
• Lecture (1 hour / week): introduction of the key topics identified in the syllabus, plus suggestions for further study and directed reading
• Seminar (2 hours / week): consolidating understanding of topics introduced in the lecture via class and group discussions, informal presentations and other activities. In particular, students are given specific coursework support, i.e. students may discuss their progress with the coursework and may present plans and/or drafts of their coursework for consideration by tutors on an individual basis
• On-line resources: lecture notes and tutorial notes made available on the university network and/or dedicated module web-site
Through practical and academic application of the ideas introduced in the lectures, the coursework assignments provide students with opportunities to develop their understanding of the main themes in the module - system installation, project review and system support/maintenance issues.
Indicative time allocation per student:
Class contact (lectures, seminars) 33 hours
Individual study and directed reading 17 hours
Research and preparation of essay 40 hours
Research and preparation of report (installation plan) 20 hours
Research and preparation of report (support plan) 40 hours
TOTAL HOURS 150 hours
 

On completion of this module, students will be able to:
1. define an appropriate installation plan for new business software and to make effective choices from the variety of practical options for managing the business and technical issues associated with any such migration [A2, A3]
2. demonstrate a mature understanding of the techniques and level of critique required to conduct an effective post-implementation review of a systems development project [A2]
3. demonstrate a critical awareness of the different ways in which information systems contribute value to a business organisation and the ways in which this value can be assessed [A2]
4. develop a plan to outline the support and maintenance services required by a business organisation after the development and installation of a new information system [A2, A3]

The assessment for this module is based on coursework only as follows:
• Assessment profile:
- Coursework (100%): the coursework is in two main parts
i) a preliminary installation and support plan providing an initial plan for one or more specified Information Systems (IS) in an organisation; this work will be based on a case study.
This part of the coursework is for formative feedback only, and is predominantly linked to learning outcomes 1 and 4.
ii) a final installation and support plan incorporating individual research (100%) providing a definitive installation and support plan for one or more specified Information Systems (IS) in an organisation; this work is based on the same case study as the first assignment.  This second assignment also requires academic research in related topic areas to underpin the recommendations made within the report.
This part of the coursework assessment is predominantly linked to learning outcomes 1, 2, 3 and 4.
The rationale for this coursework structure is to provide an opportunity for both academic research, supporting development of the final report, and practical analysis of a situation presented in a case study. The components based on the case study (the installation and support plan) are linked and evolving
 

Beynon-Davies, P., 2002, Information systems, Palgrave, ISBN 0-333-96390-3
Cadle J. & Yeates D., 2001, Project Management for Information Systems, 3rd ed., FT Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-273-65145-5
Chaffey, D. (ed.), 2003, Business information systems, 2nd ed., FT Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-273-65540-X
Czegel, B., 1998, Running an Effective Help Desk, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-24816-9
Navtej, K. et al, 1997, Delivering World-Class Technical Support, Wiley, ISBN 0-471-15534-9
Targett, D., Grimshaw, D. & Powell, P. (eds.), 1999, IT in Business: A Manager's Casebook, Butterworth-Heinemann, ISBN 0-7506-3951-2
Tourniaire, F. & Farrell, R., 1997, The Art of Software Support, Prentice Hall, ISBN 0-13-569450-7