Systems Analysis and Design: A Comprehensive Hands-On Introduction

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this course about? In today's fast-paced business world, competitive advantage is achieved through the delivery of fast, responsive software systems that can adapt easily to movement in technology, and evolving user expectations. Software systems need to be robust yet flexible: easy to understand, yet powerful and precise in their implementation. Analysis and design is the process of understanding business requirements, and specifying software solutions. Through analysis, we aim to capture the essence of a business problem. Through design, we create an effective software solution. This course provides an architectural overview of three critical elements for success: information, behavior and presentation. By applying the lessons of the course, we aim to achieve robust, 'future proof' software that will promote confidence and form a significant part of an organization's key competitive strategy without requiring constant rework and unnecessary investment. Who will benefit from this course? This course is valuable for anyone involved in the design of software, especially those who specify detailed requirements for information, presentation, user interaction, decision-making or control. Systems analysts, Web page and user interface designers, database designers, project leaders, team leaders, software engineers, and business analysts find that the course provides a comprehensive, essential overview of current approaches. The course also benefits those whose concerns are more strategic, such as business strategy planners, quality assurance and quality control professionals, as it gives guidance on the most appropriate questions and responses when dealing with a software development team. What background do I need? As an introductory course, minimum experience is required. However, some experience of interacting with non-trivial software is helpful This type of experience can easily be gained by using popular e-commerce sites in a web-enabled environment. Does this course cover UML 2? Yes, UML is used as the standard modeling notation used in the course. This course provides detailed coverage of 5 core diagrams of UML 2. We use UML because it is an independent standard, internationally agreed, and used worldwide throughout the software industry. It is especially useful for organizations that produce supporting documentation to conform to legislative requirements, as well as being used by organizations that contract out development of software to external bodies. Is the course suitable for project managers? Yes. The course is ideal for project managers. Although this is not a project management course, per se, it provides information that is helpful when asking questions and making decisions directed towards achieving an overall software development strategy. Which methods does the course cover? The course uses UML to analyze a real world problem and to design a three-tier architecture for a software system that is suitable for modern Web-enabled environments. Simplified UML class diagrams are used to produce a model of database structure, then a use case driven approach is employed to show complex behavior for software control objects, and finally, enhanced UML use case diagrams and UML state charts are applied to indicate interactions that take place with users. Does the course go into detail on the subject of supporting software? Course participants will have the opportunity to produce UML models using a hands-on CASE tool. This course currently uses Enterprise Architect for student workshops. In, there are a number of instructor-led interactive demonstrations of other tools to achieve design pattern, code and automatic system generation. Will this course help me make educated decisions concerning which methods and tools to introduce into my organization? Throughout the course, we discuss which UML techniques and tools are appropriate for specific application areas and organizations. The course does not answer this question for you, but it gives you the capability to ask the right questions and make an appropriate choice yourself. How much time is devoted to each topic? Content Hours Introduction and overview 2.0 Analyzing information requirements 3.0 Achieving best practice in data design 3.0 Formulating a physical data model 1.0 Analyzing behavior requirements 2.0 Determining application design best practice 1.0 Forming the application architecture 1.0 Object modeling techniques for analysis 2.5 Benefiting from best practice in component design 2.5 Finalizing the detailed use case 1.0 Achieving optimum quality results 1.0 Times, including the workshops, are estimates; exact times may vary according to the needs of each class. What kinds of hands-on exercises are included? Through a series of interactive workshops and an evolving case study you gain immediate experience building "future-proof" software models. Exercises include: Deciding the best migration strategy from a legacy software system Establishing behavioral scope with UML use case diagrams Refining an information structure for robust database design Describing software control processes using a UML state chart Detailing control flow with UML activity diagrams Expanding a UML class diagram to show structure of the user interface Incorporating best practice in UML models using standard design patterns Generating code from UML models for Java, VB 2005, SQL Server and Oracle Participants will work in teams of up to four and will have access to a CASE tool for documenting results. Is this course approved by the IIBA? Yes. Learning Tree is an Endorsed Education Provider (EEP) by the International Institute of Business Analysis (IIBA). This course has been approved by the IIBA as supporting core concepts and knowledge outlined by IIBA's Business Analysis Body of Knowledge® (BABOK®). This course also counts toward the 21 hours of professional development required to take the Certified Business Analysis ProfessionalTM (CBAPTM) exam. What phases of the life cycle are covered in the course? The main emphasis is on analysis and design. The course begins with the premise that a requirements specification has been prepared. Software construction and testing proceeds as a consequence of the Analysis and Design phases. The course recognizes that this is usually achieved through an iterative and incremental development approach, and discusses the application of the Unified Process for Software Development. Does the course cover programming techniques? The course discusses, in the context of software design, UML, pseudo code and stepwise refinement. The intention of the course is that you analyze the requirements, design a solution and arrive at the point where programming can begin. We will show how to use CASE tools to generate code from a detailed UML model. How does this course differ from courses offered by specific tool-based vendors? Learning Tree is dedicated to helping accelerate the careers of our clients by providing them with world-class technology and management training. Our independence from any vendors allows us to give an unbiased view of what works and what does not. These courses are objective in their approach, having been developed independently from the manufacturer of the software by industry experts who bring their real-world experience to the classroom. Our courses feature paired exercises and group activities that create social involvement, encourage team building and simulate your real-world workplace. Studies show that when people are part of a team, they exceed individual limitations and learn faster. Is this course applicable to a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification? Yes. Although this course is not designed as preparation for the exam, it is beneficial to anyone working toward PMI's PMP certification. For those who are currently certified, completion of this course counts as 23 professional development units (60 units must be completed every three years to maintain certification). For more details, please see the Learning Tree PMI Registered Education Provider Q&A. If you are an experienced project manager intending to take the PMP exam, you should take Course 276, Preparing for the Project Management Professional (PMP®) Exam. In this course you learn essential PMBOK® Guide terminology, tools and techniques. You gain practical test-taking experience through PMI-style practice exams and create your own personal study plan for continued use after the course. How does this course relate to other Learning Tree courses? For those who wish to specialize in database systems, the Learning Tree SQL Server 2005 or Oracle 10g curricula would be good follow-ons to this course. Other courses of interest include: 218, User and System Requirements for Successful Software Development  381, Business Process Reengineering for Competitive Advantage  932, CMMI®: A Comprehensive Introduction  323, Object-Oriented Analysis and Design Using UML: Hands-On  315, Developing User Requirements: The Key to Project Success  211, Introduction to Business Analysis: Defining Successful Projects