Overview
In this unit, you will explore problems that require technological solutions, as systems analysis involves determining what a system needs to accomplish. This unit covers concepts such as systems feasibility, requirements elicitation, and systems modelling. You will learn to distinguish and analyse user and system requirements, and to select and plan the process for guiding the system through each stage of the system development life cycle.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
There are no requisites for this unit.
Important note: Students enrolled in a subsequent unit who failed their pre-requisite unit, should drop the subsequent unit before the census date or within 10 working days of Fail grade notification. Students who do not drop the unit in this timeframe cannot later drop the unit without academic and financial liability. See details in the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
Offerings For Term 1 - 2025
Attendance Requirements
All on-campus students are expected to attend scheduled classes - in some units, these classes are identified as a mandatory (pass/fail) component and attendance is compulsory. International students, on a student visa, must maintain a full time study load and meet both attendance and academic progress requirements in each study period (satisfactory attendance for International students is defined as maintaining at least an 80% attendance record).
Recommended Student Time Commitment
Each 6-credit Undergraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 12.5 hours of study per week, making a total of 150 hours for the unit.
Class Timetable
Assessment Overview
Assessment Grading
This is a graded unit: your overall grade will be calculated from the marks or grades for each assessment task, based on the relative weightings shown in the table above. You must obtain an overall mark for the unit of at least 50%, or an overall grade of 'pass' in order to pass the unit. If any 'pass/fail' tasks are shown in the table above they must also be completed successfully ('pass' grade). You must also meet any minimum mark requirements specified for a particular assessment task, as detailed in the 'assessment task' section (note that in some instances, the minimum mark for a task may be greater than 50%). Consult the University's Grades and Results Policy for more details of interim results and final grades.
All University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
You may wish to view these policies:
- Grades and Results Policy
- Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework)
- Review of Grade Procedure
- Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - Domestic Students
- Monitoring Academic Progress (MAP) Policy and Procedure - International Students
- Student Refund and Credit Balance Policy and Procedure
- Student Feedback - Compliments and Complaints Policy and Procedure
- Information and Communications Technology Acceptable Use Policy and Procedure
This list is not an exhaustive list of all University policies. The full list of University policies are available on the CQUniversity Policy site.
Feedback, Recommendations and Responses
Every unit is reviewed for enhancement each year. At the most recent review, the following staff and student feedback items were identified and recommendations were made.
Feedback from External review
Students need to learn agile system concepts.
An assessment component can be introduced/modified to include the agile system methodology.
Feedback from Teaching team suggestion
Presentation style assessments.
To include presentation component in an assignment.
- Explain systems analysis concepts, tools, techniques, and methodologies
- Select and plan appropriate models, tools, techniques, and methodologies of a systems development project
- Apply information gathering techniques to derive system functionalities
- Develop modelling diagrams to depict system functionalities for user requirements
- Apply appropriate software testing/deployment techniques.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS) recognises the Skills Framework for the Information Age (SFIA). SFIA is adopted by organisations, governments and individuals in many countries and provides a widely used and consistent definition of ICT skills. SFIA is increasingly being used when developing job descriptions and role profiles. ACS members can use the tool MySFIA to build a skills profile.
This unit contributes to the following workplace skills as defined by SFIA 8. The SFIA code is included:
- Business situation analysis (BUSA)
- Feasibility assessment (FEAS)
- Requirements Definition and Management (REQM)
- Business Modelling (BSMO)
- Data Modelling and Design (DTAN)
- Testing (TEST)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
| Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Written Assessment - 20% | |||||
| 2 - Written Assessment - 40% | |||||
| 3 - Examination - 40% | |||||
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
| Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
| 1 - Communication | |||||
| 2 - Problem Solving | |||||
| 3 - Critical Thinking | |||||
| 4 - Information Literacy | |||||
| 5 - Team Work | |||||
| 6 - Information Technology Competence | |||||
| 7 - Cross Cultural Competence | |||||
| 8 - Ethical practice | |||||
| 9 - Social Innovation | |||||
| 10 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures | |||||
Textbooks
Systems Analysis and Design in a Changing World
Edition: 7th (2016)
Authors: John Satzinger, Robert Jackson, Stephen Burd
Cengage
ISBN: 978-1-305-11720-4
Discount voucher for eBook purchase is available on the unit website.
Discount voucher for eBook purchase is available on the unit website.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
- MS Project
- MS Visio
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
p.poon@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
An Overview of Systems Analysis &
Design
Chapter
Chapter 1 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Different Approaches to System Development
Chapter
Chapter 10 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Business Analysis Techniques; Role of Systems Analyst
Chapter
Online Chapter A (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Problem Identification; Project Management
Chapter
Chapter 11 & Online Chapter C (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identifying (or Determining) Requirements
Chapter
Chapter 2 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Identifying User Stories & Use Cases
Chapter
Chapter 3 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Process Design: Use Case Modeling
Chapter
Chapter 5 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Designing the User Interface
Chapter
Chapter 8 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Software Quality & Testing
Chapter
Not applicable
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Defining the System Architecture
Chapter
Chapter 7 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Deployment of the New System
Chapter
Chapter 14 (Prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Revision
Chapter
All previously covered chapters (prescribed textbook)
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Unit Coordinator: Associate Professor Pak Poon
Email: p.poon@cqu.edu.au
1 Written Assessment
Imagine you have recently commenced a systems development project in the role of a systems analyst. You will be provided with a Project Case Study. You are asked to identify critical elements, undertake analysis tasks and develop a report. Your report will document aspects such as:
- The rationale behind your selected systems development methodology;
- Your project plan including a scheduling chart; and
- A cost-benefit analysis.
You will be required to use software such as MS Excel and MS Project.
Week 5 Friday (11 Apr 2025) 11:55 pm AEST
Late submissions are subject to CQU's late submission penalty policy
Week 7 Friday (2 May 2025)
This assessment consists of multiple questions. Each question will be marked based on the following:
- Correctness: The answer should be technically correct. Justifications should be provided to support your answer.
- Clarity: Explanations, formatting and diagrams (if any) should be clear, consistent and relevant.
- Explain systems analysis concepts, tools, techniques, and methodologies
- Select and plan appropriate models, tools, techniques, and methodologies of a systems development project
2 Written Assessment
Assessment 2 follows on from Assessment 1, and uses the same Project Case Study. Assessment 2 requires you to apply techniques and models to complete systems analysis tasks. You will select, justify and use information-gathering techniques to identify, analyse and specify requirements of an information system. You will then design an information system using models such as use case diagrams, activity diagrams and system sequence diagrams. You will be required to use software such as MS Visio to develop modeling diagrams.
Week 10 Tuesday (20 May 2025) 11:55 pm AEST
Late submissions are subject to CQU's late submission penalty policy
Week 12 Tuesday (3 June 2025)
This assessment consists of multiple questions. Each question will be marked based on the following:
- Correctness: The answer should be technically correct. Justifications should be provided to support your answer.
- Clarity: Explanations, formatting and diagrams (if any) should be clear, consistent and relevant.
- Apply information gathering techniques to derive system functionalities
- Develop modelling diagrams to depict system functionalities for user requirements
- Apply appropriate software testing/deployment techniques.
Examination
As a CQUniversity student you are expected to act honestly in all aspects of your academic work.
Any assessable work undertaken or submitted for review or assessment must be your own work. Assessable work is any type of work you do to meet the assessment requirements in the unit, including draft work submitted for review and feedback and final work to be assessed.
When you use the ideas, words or data of others in your assessment, you must thoroughly and clearly acknowledge the source of this information by using the correct referencing style for your unit. Using others’ work without proper acknowledgement may be considered a form of intellectual dishonesty.
Participating honestly, respectfully, responsibly, and fairly in your university study ensures the CQUniversity qualification you earn will be valued as a true indication of your individual academic achievement and will continue to receive the respect and recognition it deserves.
As a student, you are responsible for reading and following CQUniversity’s policies, including the Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure. This policy sets out CQUniversity’s expectations of you to act with integrity, examples of academic integrity breaches to avoid, the processes used to address alleged breaches of academic integrity, and potential penalties.
What is a breach of academic integrity?
A breach of academic integrity includes but is not limited to plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, cheating, contract cheating, and academic misconduct. The Student Academic Integrity Policy and Procedure defines what these terms mean and gives examples.
Why is academic integrity important?
A breach of academic integrity may result in one or more penalties, including suspension or even expulsion from the University. It can also have negative implications for student visas and future enrolment at CQUniversity or elsewhere. Students who engage in contract cheating also risk being blackmailed by contract cheating services.
Where can I get assistance?
For academic advice and guidance, the Academic Learning Centre (ALC) can support you in becoming confident in completing assessments with integrity and of high standard.
What can you do to act with integrity?
