Overview
This integrative capstone unit for the Master of Information Systems course is designed so that you can demonstrate your learning across the whole course of study before making the transition to the next stage of your career. You will undertake an authentic task group project or an industry project that demonstrates the skills that you have developed throughout your studies in this course. Through conceptual thinking and innovative analysis to troubleshoot a complex problem, you will use and document typical project management processes, demonstrate information systems domain knowledge, and in the process, develop several documents that can be included in a work portfolio to assist future employment. You will conduct a computing group project, demonstrate your skills in producing relevant analysis and process modelling artefacts, and generate a project report based on established principles. Working collaboratively within a team, you will identify the needs of diverse stakeholders, assess cyber security issues with business processes, produce typical project management artefacts associated with a commercial systems development project, communicate regularly, participate in technical progress meetings, and far better manage change.
Details
Pre-requisites or Co-requisites
Prerequisites: COIT20252 Business Process Management, COIT20253 Business Intelligence using Big Data, COIT20251 Knowledge Audits for Business Analysis, PPMP20007 Project Management Concepts, COIT20246 Networking and Cyber Security. Antirequisites: If you have completed any of these units - COIT20237, COIT20239, COIT20240 or COIT20276, then you cannot enrol in 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 - 2024
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 12-credit Postgraduate unit at CQUniversity requires an overall time commitment of an average of 25 hours of study per week, making a total of 300 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 Carried forward from the previous Annual Unit Enhancement Review
Students require guidance on forming teams and teamwork.
At the beginning of the term, explain the importance of teamwork, time management, and communication among team members, and guide them to work in teams.
Feedback from Unit Evaluation
Day-time workshops are not convenient for Online Students.
Assess the possibility of moving the weekly workshops to evenings or lunch-hours where possible.
- Investigate client requirements and apply a range of tools, techniques, and methods to implement a solution to a complex problem
- Work collaboratively as part of a productive team
- Generate and review project management artefacts and documentation required of a business systems project
- Communicate effectively by using written and oral presentation understanding the needs of various stakeholders
- Identify and evaluate change management and cyber security issues that may arise due to changing business practices
- Produce a report recommending improvements to current business practices.
The Australian Computer Society (ACS), the professional association for Australia's ICT sector, 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 Modelling (BSMO)
- Business Situation Analysis (BUSA)
- Business Process Improvement (BPRE)
- Business Intelligence (BINT)
- Project Management (PRMG)
- Research (RSCH)
- Systems Design (DESN)
- Requirements Definition and Management (REQM),
- Stakeholder Relationship Management (RLMT)
- Change Control (CHMG)
- Problem Management (PBMG)
- Information Security (SCTY)
Alignment of Assessment Tasks to Learning Outcomes
Assessment Tasks | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Practical and Written Assessment - 70% | ||||||
2 - Portfolio - 20% | ||||||
3 - Presentation - 10% |
Alignment of Graduate Attributes to Learning Outcomes
Graduate Attributes | Learning Outcomes | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | |
1 - Knowledge | ||||||
2 - Communication | ||||||
3 - Cognitive, technical and creative skills | ||||||
4 - Research | ||||||
5 - Self-management | ||||||
6 - Ethical and Professional Responsibility | ||||||
7 - Leadership | ||||||
8 - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Cultures |
Textbooks
There are no required textbooks.
IT Resources
- CQUniversity Student Email
- Internet
- Unit Website (Moodle)
All submissions for this unit must use the referencing style: Harvard (author-date)
For further information, see the Assessment Tasks.
a.morshed@cqu.edu.au
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Form project groups: please see Moodle unit website. Please note that the Australian Computer Society (ACS) advises that there should be no less than three members in each group.
Attend an introduction to the unit by the project facilitator, and read the "Guide to Undertaking a Capstone Project" on the unit website.
Please note that the capstone project will be different for each group, and therefore there won't be any firm guidelines. You need to discuss the procedure with your campus project facilitator.
Arrange an appointment time with your project facilitator during the workshop hours to discuss your project options.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Submit Project Proposal and Plan via Moodle.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Module/Topic
Term Break
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Have a good break!
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Submit Progress Report via Moodle.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Submit Draft Project Report via Moodle.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Draft Presentation of the Project Report.
Presentations are to be held during workshop class time via Zoom.
The feedback from this assessment will enable you to improve the final version of your report to be submitted in Week 13.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Submit ePortfolio via Portfolium/Moodle.
Module/Topic
Workshop
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Weekly meeting with the project facilitator.
Complete the Unit evaluation, which is accessible from this Unit's Moodle site.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Final Presentation
Your group must deliver your Final Presentation live using Zoom video conferencing. The final presentations will be scheduled in a conference-style event, running up to 1 day. Groups will be assigned to present at time slots during the day, and also be required to view presentations of other groups. The presentation day is planned for Monday 3 June 2024; the detailed schedule for presentations will be announced during the term.
The feedback from this assessment will enable you to improve the final version of your report to be submitted in Week 13.
Module/Topic
Chapter
Events and Submissions/Topic
Dr. Ahsan Morshed
CQUniversity Melbourne,120 Spencer Street, Melbourne Vic 3000
P +61 3 9616 0418 | X 50418 | E a.morshed@cqu.edu.au
1 Practical and Written Assessment
This is the major assessment for your project and comprises six parts: project proposal and plan, progress report, draft project report, Draft presentation, final project report and project working documentation (team meeting agenda, minutes, action sheet and project working papers).
In this major assessment, you are required to form a group (up to four members but no less than three and subject to class size) and demonstrate the skills and knowledge that you have developed in earlier information systems specialisation units and apply these skills and knowledge to an industry project or a case-based project. Projects are subject to the approval of the project facilitator who may be the unit coordinator or the campus lecturer. As noted in the Weekly Schedule, each team should have three to four members.
You are strongly recommended to source your own project instead of using a case study. With the permission of your employer, your project can be based on your workplace.
Your project should be of sufficient complexity so that you can demonstrate your knowledge, but still be small enough to complete it within the term. If you are in doubt, please contact the unit coordinator or your campus lecturer.
As a group, you are required to write a comprehensive report on your project. You are expected to demonstrate knowledge, innovative thinking, and analytical skills through the conduct of your group project addressing the production of a project plan, and project working documentation, together with appropriate project artefacts such as design documentation and an implementation plan, as part of your project report. In your project report, you need to evaluate and analyse current business information systems, processes and applications, and propose improvements (including a prototype solution for an identified problem or opportunity based on your project requirement). The project will have a designated customer, and you will be required to produce the typical project management artefacts associated with your chosen industry or case-based project.
Note: Please contact the unit coordinator by week two if you have a genuine problem and are unable to participate in a group.
You are encouraged to use innovative ideas and imagination to produce a high-level project outcome and demonstrate your learning and knowledge from prior units undertaken in your study course. This assessment is an excellent opportunity to link theoretical knowledge with a practical chosen industry (or a case) project to help you to be more competitive in the real-world environment.
Please refer to the Moodle unit website for more detailed information in relation to this assessment.
As per weekly schedule and day and time as shown on the Moodle assignment submission page.
Final Report and Working Documentation on the day of Certification of Grades. All other items within two weeks of submission.
Reports and proposals are to be uploaded as Microsoft Word documents. You may also upload Microsoft Project and Microsoft Excel documents to support your work. No other type of upload will be accepted, with the exception of a ZIP file for Project Working Documentation.
The project documentation will be assessed on the quality of the content. The assessment criteria for each part of this assessment, as described under Task Description are as follows:
Project Proposal and Plan - 10%
The proposal and plan will include sections for the project description, project scope, objectives and constraints, statement of work, work breakdown structure, Gantt chart, risk assessment, quality plan, team structure, roles and responsibilities matrix, and project schedule.
Progress Report - 5%
A progress report is to be submitted halfway through the term.
Draft Project Report 10%
This assessment is designed to give you feedback on your project report prior to your presentation in Week 10. The report is to consist of the following content, up to and including project analysis as follows:
• Project title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Project management overview
• Team structure
• Project analysis (including but not limited to strategic alignment, stakeholder analysis and management plan)
• Conclusion and recommendations
Draft Presentation - 5%
Each team will be required to present in week 10.
Final Project Report - 35%
The report is to consist of at least the following content:
• Project title page
• Executive summary
• Table of contents
• Introduction
• Project management overview
• Team structure
• Project analysis (including but not limited to strategic alignment, stakeholder analysis and management, requirements elicitation methodology, requirements statement, change management solution and risk analysis)
• Discussions (of candidate solution evaluation, proposed improvement or solutions including process models, and prototype design)
• Conclusions and Recommendations
• References
• Appendix (optional)
Project Working Documentation - 5%
The team's project working documentation includes the team meeting agenda, minutes arising from the various meetings, action sheet items and project working papers.
Please see the Moodle unit website for more specific marking criteria.
- Investigate client requirements and apply a range of tools, techniques, and methods to implement a solution to a complex problem
- Work collaboratively as part of a productive team
- Generate and review project management artefacts and documentation required of a business systems project
- Communicate effectively by using written and oral presentation understanding the needs of various stakeholders
- Identify and evaluate change management and cyber security issues that may arise due to changing business practices
- Produce a report recommending improvements to current business practices.
2 Portfolio
This is an individual assessment.
An e-portfolio is a learning tool that enables students to accumulate evidence of learning achievement. In this unit, you will use Portfolium as a learning tool to record your portfolio entries. As part of the reflective component of this unit, you are required to develop a Project Portfolio with ten entries on a weekly basis starting from Week 2 of the term until Week 11. The ePortfolio is to be a record of every activity undertaken by you in developing the project. The entries will be a weekly discussion and reflection of your learning based on the project tasks you undertake and an identification of any gaps in your knowledge and strategies to correct these gaps.
Please refer to the Moodle unit website for more details on this assessment and detailed instructions on how to use Portfolium.
As per weekly schedule and day and time as shown on the Moodle assignment submission page.
Within two weeks of submission.
- Generate and review project management artefacts and documentation required of a business systems project
- Communicate effectively by using written and oral presentation understanding the needs of various stakeholders
- Identify and evaluate change management and cyber security issues that may arise due to changing business practices
3 Presentation
This assessment requires you to present your findings based on your Draft Project Report.
Presentation of Draft Project Report: Each group will be required to deliver an oral presentation based on their Draft Project Report to their peers and staff for feedback in Week 13. Each group will have until Week 13 (the due date for the Final Project Report) to improve the final report based on the feedback received at the time of the presentation.
Presentations will need to be delivered via Zoom.
As per weekly schedule and day and time as shown on the Moodle assignment submission page.
Within two weeks of submission.
Presentations are to be uploaded as Microsoft PowerPoint slides. No other type of upload will be accepted.
Each group will be allocated a time in Week 10 to present their draft project report. Each presentation will be assessed on the following criteria:
Group marks will be based on:
- Preparation and consistency of presentation;
- Set up and use visual aids;
- Timing of presentation including Q&A;
- Continuity and flow from one presenter to the next;
- Presentation content is relevant to the topic;
- Content is clear, concise and relevant.
Individual marks for presentation will be based on:
- Professional attire;
- Presentation skills;
- Content is explained well;
- Response to questions during Q&A.
Please see the Moodle unit website for more specific marking criteria.
- Work collaboratively as part of a productive team
- Communicate effectively by using written and oral presentation understanding the needs of various stakeholders
- Produce a report recommending improvements to current business practices.
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.