TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
Today:
Course Summary
John Krogstie, IDI
Ethics.ppt
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
Summary of the entire course
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Three major, interrelated parts:
P & S book
Last part last exercise
H book
H book
UML Dist
Exercises
Lecture notes
IS strategy
IS Dev
methods
Available
technology
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H book (ch 1-3)
Notes about ERP
Lecture notes
Exercise 1
P&S book
TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS Strategy – what should have been learnt?
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The importance of IS stategy
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Challenges of modern organizations
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Competition, increased effeciency
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Organizations must HAVE a strategy, and
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Ensure that IS projects are in line with the strategy
Understanding basic strategy frameworks
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The IS strategy triangle
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Eras of information usage
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5 competitive forces, value chain (Porter)
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS Strategy (cont.)
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How IT and the use of information has evolved
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And how it is affecting the organization, e.g.
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Flatter org. structures, network org., T-form org.
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New org.types, e.g., virtual corporations, strategic
alliances, co-opetition
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Effect on management
How IT changes the nature of work
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New types of jobs, new patterns of collaboration
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Evaluation, compensation, rewarding, hiring
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Telecommuting: advantages and disadvantages
Gaining acceptance for IT-induced change
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS Strategy, cont.
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IT and changing business processes
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Silo vs process perspective
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TQM vs BPR
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Enterprise systems and application packages vs process change
Funding of IT
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Funding of IT Department
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Valuing of IT Investments
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Monitoring of IT Performance
Knowledge management
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Why manage knowledge?
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Knowledge as competitive advantage
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And forces driving this development
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Knowledge taxonomies
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Knowledge management processes
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Types of KM projects (and difference from IT projects)
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS Strategy and the exam
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Should be able to
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Explain basic concepts and frameworks
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Write discussion essays
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Similar to discussion questions after each chapter
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Based on (shorter) case descriptions
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Ability to relate concrete case to textbook concepts,
trends, principles, frameworks
Write critical assessments of suggested answers to
such questions
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
Available technology – what should be learnt?
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Understanding different types of information
systems and applications often found
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Traditional IS applications
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Types and purpose
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Problems / challenges with these
Novel types of applications / packages
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ERP, EAI, corporate portals
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Data warehouses
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Workflow, collaboration support software
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B2B and B2C integration
More detailed insight: only ERP
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E.g., functionality, architecture, configuration
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
Available technology and the exam
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Should be able to
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Explain / distinguish between different types of
applications
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Given a problem (case description), discuss what
type(s) of application might fit

For ERP,
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Explain the purpose of ERP
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Explain the basic functionality and architecture of
package solutions (e.g., SAP R/3)

Explain how development method and requirements
analysis will be different for ERP vs traditional customdevelopment projects
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Discuss pros and cons of ERP, typical pitfalls and issues
to consider when buying or adapting
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Given a case description, discuss whether ERP is a
good solution or not
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS development methods – what should be learnt?
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Modelling:
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Languages:
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Data Flow Diagrams
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+ connection to ER diagrams
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Process descriptions (e.g., decision tables)
UML activity diagrams
Understand
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Concepts and notation
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When to use the languages, how to use them
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Ability to make models
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Ability to review models
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Various review techniques
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Syntactic, semantic, and pragmatic quality
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS dev., cont.
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Requirements elicitation & specification
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Various elicitation techniques
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Interview, workshop: how to do them
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Others: what they are
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Which are good in which situations?
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Different levels of requirements:
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Goal level, domain level, product level, design level
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Task & Support tables vs use cases
Which levels are appropriate for what project types?
Non-functional requirements
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Importance and challenges of NF reqs
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Taxonomies (different types of NF reqs)
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Security requirements
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Interoperability requirements
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
IS development and the exam, possible Q’s
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Make models / requirements
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From natural language case description
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Translate from one representation to another
Evaluate a model or some textual requirements
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Wrt syntactic / semantic / pragmatic quality
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And guidelines for the particular format
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Given a NL case description
Suggest use of reqs elicitation techniques
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Given a project context
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Or evaluate a given suggestion
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Or evaluate an interview / workshop performance given
transcript of a dialogue
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
What can this knowledge be used for?
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Future work
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The course covers basics for IS consultants
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But need to learn more
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On the job, or from future courses
Future courses
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More about IS development methodology
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TDT4250 Modelling of IS
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TDT4290 Customer-driven project
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TDT4235 Software quality and process improvement
More about available technology
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TDT4245 Collaboration technology
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TDT4215 Document management and text mining
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TDT4210 Healthcare informatics
More about strategy
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Ind-econ. courses?
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TDT4175 - Information Systems, Spring 2006
The exam itself
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4 hours written, Friday 2 June
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No multiple choice questions
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Allowed to bring
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Simple calculator (but no real need)
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The Hawryszkiewycz book
Not allowed to bring
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Any other books or papers
Precise reading list can be found on the course
web page
Do you want a ”questions” meeting? (and when?)
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