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Course Main Module : Structured Systems Analysis and Design
Duration
Full time : 5 hours per day
for 8 weeks
Part time : 3 hours per day for 16 weeks
Course days : Monday - Friday
Career Opportunity
Computer systems analysts and designers are in high demand in Tanzania due to the large number of organisations who have embarked on some form of computerisation. Employment is available in both the Government and Private sectors. In the private sector, opportunities exist in user organisations or computer systems companies.
Objectives
Course Structure
The subject matter is grouped under three main headings: Application Environment, Technical Environment, Methods and Techniques.
The first is concerned with the practical understanding of the "real business world" into which information processing systems must fit. The second is concerned with correctly analysing and matching business requirements to appropriate technical solutions. The third is concerned with the expertise necessary to produce, analyse, design, develop, introduce, maintain and enhance information processing systems appropriate to those environments.
Candidates are expected to demonstrate awareness of various kinds of working environments and the independencies between those environments and information processing systems, as well as knowing how to analyse, design and develop those systems.
Application Environments
Organisational Functions: Characteristics of organisational structures (e.g. centralised, developed) and of functions within those structures (e.g production, sales, distribution, accounting). The types and sources of information required to support those functions. Data flows within organisations.
System Objective: The organisational purpose to be served by information processing systems. The justification of development projects to meet those purpose, including projects for major new systems, replacement of existing systems and enhancements identification of possible risks and measures to counter them. Quantitative and qualitative criteria; the measures against which those criteria may be assessed.
Technical Environment
Equipment considerations: Principles of the various kinds of system operation - batch, online, distributed (including both local and wide area networks), real-time, databases and conventional file structures etc., and their relevance to different business functions and organisational structures; within those contexts the choice of equipment, including types of processor, data storage and input/output devices, communications.
System Life-Cycle: Typical stages in the development, installation, maintenance and enhancement of information processing systems, deliverable outputs on completion of each stage, consequences of change and the impact on those whose activity is influenced by the application: customers, end-users, operational staff etc. Alternative life cycle models.
Methods and Techniques
Analysis: Data Analysis, Normalisation, Function/Process Modelling, Study of present system, feasibility studies, recording, presentation, specification of requirements.
Design: Data aspects, end user interface, internal data organisation, data integrity. Procedural aspects, design methods, quality issues, internal and external procedures, controls, security, resilience and standby, interfacing with other applications. End-user involvement, project reviews, operation procedures.
Testing and Reviews: To be seen in the context of the activities prior to and consequential upon development and installation. Planning, monitoring, methods and tools, quality assurance, post-development audits.
Development Strategies and Support: Systems Development Methods e.g structured methods, prototyping, re-engineering, automated tools, their introduction, implementation, use and features e.g CASE, Analyst Workbench, Designers Workbench, 4GLs etc. Package acquisition and implementation.
Assessment
Course Award
A Certificate will be awarded to candidates who successfully pass the examinations and project work.