Information systems are the lifeblood of organizations. Since some of the first software systems were used in the 1940’s to perform repetitive calculations and to decipher secret code in WWII, information systems have become increasingly complex, and companies have become increasingly reliant on them. For example, MS Windows has more than 45 million lines of code! Today’s applications such as business-to-business electronic procurement systems are much more sophisticated and must meet more demanding requirements than in the past. The practice of systems development is undergoing major transformations. Many companies still use traditional structured methodologies to develop their information systems. However, the software and data components of an information system can also be viewed as a collection of related objects. In the object-oriented paradigm, the emphasis is on the things that comprise the system. Object-oriented methodologies promise can be easier to use than the more traditional methods and should result in higher quality systems. Many companies are now using object-oriented design.
The intent of this course is to provide you with a strong foundation in the methods and practice of object-oriented analysis and design in the context of modeling information systems. You will learn to define user problems, isolate user requirements, model information-based work processes, identify use cases, and design the user interface for an information system. We will also talk about current and emerging trends and opportunities in information systems development using software bytes to explore "hot" topics such as SAAS (software as a service). A number of homework exercises will give you the opportunity to apply what you are learning in the course to a real case. There is a take home final exam.
