OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays before class.  Also available by phone, e-mail, and appointment

PHONE: 330-1766 (office)

E-MAIL: schwalbe@augsburg.edu

TEXT: I am not requiring a new textbook for this course, but students may need to refer to their texts from MIS475 or other courses. As students get into specific software applications, they may wish to purchase books to aid in learning the software.

OBJECTIVES: The student who successfully completes this course:

1. Uses skills developed in this and other courses and work experiences to work on a "real" MIS project
2. Plans, analyzes, develops, tests, and implements an information system, emphasizing the phases most needed for the particular project
3. Works closely with the customers and users of the information system
4. Prepares a project notebook to document all work on the project
5. Develops skills in using more software tools such as Microsoft Access, the Web, etc.
6. Develops technical writing, teamwork, and presentation skills
7. Appreciates the many skills required to do good systems analysis and design.

Students will select/be assigned projects to work on for the whole term. Students will work in groups for projects (2-4 people). Projects from employers are acceptable, but there must be a real "customer" and "product" for the project. Most projects involve actual software development or at least completion of a prototype. See samples of past projects at http://aug3.augsburg.edu/depts/infotech/studproj.html. I have invited representatives from several different groups to come to our first class to describe potential projects. Most of them are for Twin Cities neighborhood groups. Feel free to propose your own projects, too. Ideas so far include enhancing the UNN database, Stevens Square database, Legal Aid Society document management system, Career Services system, and projects proposed by Rick Thoni, Brad McFaul, and Mark Goetz.

EVALUATION:

1. Project Notebook/Software              40%
2. Learning Journals                              10%
3. Presentations                                     20%
4. Customer/Instructor Assessment       30%

In accordance with Augsburg's new academic honesty policy, students will sign a statement at the beginning of the course and write the word "pledged" on each assignment and test to reaffirm student honesty.

Students will apply the many skills needed to successfully define, plan, lead, monitor, and complete their projects. The final Project Notebook (one per project team) and any software developed should be a valuable tool for the customers and serve as a professional reference for students. The notebooks will vary for each project, but contents will be similar to those done in MIS475. Students do not have to complete all the milestones done in MIS475, however. Remember, it is the know when, not the know how! Notebooks must include the following:

1. a table of contents
2. an executive summary
3. a signed request for system services signed by the customer and a problem matrix (Milestone 1)*
4. a system profile with detailed project schedule in Gantt chart form (Milestone 2)*
5. documentation of all group and user correspondence, meetings, etc.
6. any analysis and design tools used (i.e. ERDs, DFDs, surveys, structure charts, etc.)
7. printouts of any software developed (input/output screens, report formats, database definitions, web pages, etc.)
8. any training material provided
9. a copy of the actual software developed, if possible.

* These items should be completed by the third week of class, the fourth week at the latest. Refer to your work for MIS475 for the first two milestones. All other items and the complete notebook are due the last day of class. I'll be glad to review material as you do it, and I do want to be copied on all correspondence with your customers. Try to use e-mail as much as possible and just cc me.

I prefer to give team members the same grade for the project notebook/software and the presentations. If this is a problem, let me know by the fourth week of class and propose how your team wants to handle grading. Individual grades will be given for learning journals and customer/instructor assessment. Project leaders will earn up to 5% extra credit for leading their team and preparing thorough and timely status reports.

The majority of work will be done on site, so participation is largely based on working well with the project’s main customers and users as well as project team members. Each group will also be prepared to give presentations to the class to go over status, share information, etc. Each group should schedule and present four formal status reports. Each team will also prepare one "technical presentation" to demonstrate and discuss certain software or techniques they learned and used in doing their project. People other than the team leader should do most of the technical presentation. Class time will be used primarily to share progress, problems, etc. Each team should prepare four status report presentations, a technical presentation, and a polished final presentation for the last class. Please invite your customers to the final presentation!

To allow time for more customer contact, we will not meet as a whole class for each class period. I will come for on-site progress reviews as requested to ensure customer satisfaction. As a minimum, I want to come to a meeting with each group and their client at least twice during the term – once early in the term and once later in the term. Students are encouraged to use class time to do project work. You should schedule at least one hour per week to meet or at least have a phone discussion with your customer throughout the term. It’s usually best to fix a certain time and place to meet each week. Don’t be afraid to ask your customers to come to Augsburg. Remember the importance of user involvement in doing systems analysis and design.

Feb 4  - Discuss projects and form teams

Feb 11  - Continue to define projects and teams. Determine project leaders. Work on Milestones 1 and 2. Determine dates I can meet with teams and customers

Feb 18  - Hand in a request for system services form signed by the customer, a problem and 25 matrix, and a system profile with detailed project schedule in Gantt chart form. Include potential dates for status reports and the technical presentation. Give formal status presentation #1 to the class. Determine group leaders

Note: There will be a maximum of 11 more class meetings at this point. Each team needs to schedule three more status presentations, their technical presentation, and final presentation. I’ll provide a more specific schedule after reviewing Milestone 2

Mar 4,11,18  - Give informal status presentation #2. Determine and work on technical presentations. Set dates I can meet with team and customer again and for next status reports and technical presentations

April 1,8,15  - Give status report #3 and 4 and technical presentations
22,29 and May 6

May 13,20  -  Give final presentations and hand in project notebooks and software

Your journal will be a record of how you make sense of your own learning primarily in this course but also in other courses or life experiences. Send me an e-mail every two weeks with your responses to the following questions:

1. What activity or idea in the last week or two gave you the most intense learning "high"? What was it that made the activity/idea so stimulating?

2. What activity or idea gave you the most intense learning "low"? Why?

Prepare a final learning journal (one to two page summary of themes, generalizations, or principles that seem to run through your course record) and e-mail it to me by May 20.

Each project leader will also submit a brief status report to me via e-mail every two weeks. Just add it onto your learning journal e-mail, if you like. At a minimum the status report will include what was accomplished in the past two weeks, what is planned for the next two weeks, summary of customer meetings, and any interesting findings or problems encountered. You should also send this or a modified version to your customer and teammates. Please be very open with me in these status reports so I can provide advice/assistance.