1996 Swinburne Higher Education Handbook

to address issues which can better be learned from
within the industrial environment - such as user liaison
and systems security.
Content
Students work under the supervision of both the industrial
sponsor and the student manager.
Projects and assignments and participation in the
professional activities of sponsors information systems and
information technology environments are assessed by the
student manager and industry supervisor.
Students are expected to gain experience in the following
areas programming, systems design, and user liaison, and to
be closely involved with the application of at least two of
the following data base communications, user support, and
systems software.
IT501 Systems and Information Analysis 1
l0 credit points 4 hours per week Hawthorn
Prewquisite: m03 Data Base Manugement Systems 1
Assessment: examination/assignmat.
A second year subject in the Bachelor of Information
Technology. This subject provides students with the skills
necessary to perform information analysis, process and data
modelling . for . small systems applications as well as at the
corporate level.
Objectives
By the end of the subject students should be able to:
prepare a requirements specification for a small
application, to be used for preparation of a structured
design specification;
analyse corporate information requirements and hence
contribute to the preparation of a strategic data model
for an organisation;
select the systems analysis approach appropriate to a
particular situation from a range of modelling
techniques and tools.
Content
Dataflow Diagrams, Data Dictionary, Process Dictionary,
Relational Model, Functional Dependency Diagrams, Entity
Relationship Diagrams, CASE Tools, Role of the Analyst.
Students make use of appropriate software tools to help
them develop detailed requirements specifications.
Recommended Reading
Whitten, Bentley and Barlow, Systems Analysis and Design
Methods, 3rd edn, Irwin, 1994
Ravalli, G., Process Modelling, Swinburne Press
IT503 Data Base Management Systems 2
10 credit points 4 hours per wxk Hawthorn
Awequisite: IT303 Data Base Managaent Systems 1
Assessment: examination/&gnm&t
A second year subject in the Bachelor of Information
Technology.
Objective
To build upon the basic knowledge gained in IT303, by
examining database design and performance issues in both
local and distributed client-server environments.
Content
After completing this unit successfully, students should:
understand commonly used physical data structures
understand physical design issues in both relational and
non-relational systems
be able to use database and transaction volume analysis
as a basis for an efficient design
be able to make use of optimiser plan information to
check/improve performance
be able to design and use views effectively to achieve
data independence
be able to apply the techniques above, in a distributed
system.
Recommended Reading
Date, C.J., An Introduction to Database Systems, 5th edn, Addison-
Wesley, 1990 (6th edn. 1994)
IT504 Data Communications 1
l0 credit points 3 hours per week Hawthorn
Prerequisite: IT102 Programming in C Assesmt:
assignments, exam
Obiectives
to introduce the fundamental concepts and components
involved in data communications.
to develop an understanding of communication
protocols and computer networks.
Content
Historical evolution of computer communications
Basic communications theories and terminologies:
transmission media, signal types, interface standards.
Protocol basics: error control methods, flow control, link
management.
Terminal based networks. statistical multiplexers,
concentrators, front-end processors and terminal network
orotocols. - --
Local area networks: topologies and access methods, LAN
management.
Public data networks: characteristics, packet-switched data
networks, circuit switched data networks, ISDN, standards,
wide area networks.
OSI: the seven layer model, layer interaction, comparison
of architectures.
Emerging Technologies.
Recommended Reading
Black, U,, Data Communications and Distributed Systems, 3rd edn,
NJ, Prentice-Hall, 1993.
IT509 Software Engineering 1
l0 credit points 4 hours per week Hawthorn
Prerequisite: None Assessment: examination/assignment
A second year subject in the Bachelor of Information
Technology. This subject complements IT501 Systems and
Information Analysis 1 by concentrating on managing
software development and on the latter stages of the
software life cycle, particularly design.
Objectives
To develop an understanding of the basic problems
which are encountered in the development and