Systems Analysis and Design - Data Flows & Processes
General
- Undergraduate; 3rd year, 2nd year
- 105 learners; teams of 6
- 30 hours per learner
- Dates set by experience
- Learners self-assign
Preferred companies
- 1/6 project matches
- Anywhere
- Academic experience
- Any company type
- Any industries
Categories
Skills
Project timeline
-
September 20, 2019Experience start
-
September 21, 2019Project Scope Meeting
-
September 28, 2019Project proposal letter
-
October 25, 2019Research and analysis
-
October 26, 2019Process modeling, problem-solving framework and checklist
-
November 1, 2019User requirements and use case model
-
November 30, 2019Experience end
Timeline
-
September 20, 2019Experience start
-
September 21, 2019Project Scope Meeting
Meeting between students and company to confirm: project scope, communication styles, and important dates.
-
September 28, 2019Project proposal letter
Project proposal letter presentation
-
October 25, 2019Research and analysis
Interviews, observation, and DFD development
-
October 26, 2019Process modeling, problem-solving framework and checklist
Complete hierarchies of current system DFD’s & narrative and complete PIECES
-
November 1, 2019User requirements and use case model
Complete user requirements and user case model
-
November 16, 2019Design and implementation
Logic definition tool, DFD of the proposed system and CASE tool demonstrations
-
November 30, 2019Project Presentations
Final report presentations
-
November 30, 2019Experience end
Overview
- Details
-
Is your organization facing an operational challenge or are you looking to improve your business processes, with a focus on functional system processes and/or data flows within your organization? Our students will work as consultants to conduct a survey of your existing systems to identify possible process deficiencies, conduct requirements analysis and develop a recommended course of action for a problem of your choosing.
- Learner skills
- Written and oral communication, Problem solving, Project management, Systems analysis and design, Critical analysis
- Deliverables
-
A report will be provided outlining the current system, extant problems, and a proposed system. This report will include:
- An analysis of your information requirements.
- Identification of information in your business that is complete, accurate, timely and relevant, and information that needs to be improved.
- Various evaluations:
- All documents used to capture, process or produce information.
- All output generated by all their business processes.
- All data storage.
Project Examples
Starting this September, teams of 6 students-consultants will spend 30 hours per team working to improve your business processes, information flows, and data storage and retrieval. While being mindful of your vision, mission, business processes, they will:
- Analyze one or all parts of an information system within your organization, with the understanding of your current information system and users’ information requirements.
- Create a model of your current information system.
- Evaluate the current information system and identify problems and opportunities for improvement.
- Develop a model of the information system including the proposed modifications.
Students will use various systems analysis tools and processes including, but not limited to:
- DFD process modeling
- PIECES problem-solving framework and checklist
- Use Cases
- Decision Tables
Past projects include:
- Bombardier - Systems Analysis for the Technical Publications Department
- Matt & Nat - Analysis of data flow and processes within the online order processing and shipping departments
- Squish Candies - Systems analysis of the warehousing and shipping department
This project will provide an opportunity to participate in a systems analysis process that will help you understand your needs for software/hardware to improve your business processes and negotiate with a vendor if necessary.
Additional company criteria
Companies must answer the following questions to submit a match request to this experience:
Provide a detailed data set or case analysis for the students to work with prior to the start of the fall semester.
Provide access to users, managers, and system owner.
Be available for a total of 8-10 hours of interviews with student teams.
Provide a dedicated contact who is available to answer periodic emails or phone calls over the duration of the project to address students' questions.
Be available for a quick phone call with the instructor to initiate your relationship and confirm your scope is an appropriate fit for the course.
Provide an overview of the area/problem you want students to focus on over the course of the assignment to kick off the project.
Provide students with your feedback on the project, final reports and presentations.