Please note - Swinburne University of Technology

Textbooks
As this subject is primarily concerned with the use of application
software and current developments in using microcomputers, text
books form a minor component of reference material
Software documentation, user manuals and current journal articles
will provide the major reference material for the subject.
It is required that students have access to a PC for work undertaken
outside formal session times
~~707 lnformation Technology
Effectiveness
No. of hours per week: three hours
Prerequisites: completion of the Graduate
Diploma in Management Systems or equivalent
Instruction: a combination of lectures, seminars
and workshops
Assessment: assignment and research report
Subject aims
This subject focuses on the effective management of IT
resources.
On completion of this subject students will have developed
an understanding of the financial management of the IT
department, the management of productivity and quality in
software development and the application of metrics to the
management of IT.
Subject description
~opics covered in these three areas include:
Financial management:
Cash flow, chargeout, budgets and capital expenditure
evaluation;
Quality:
an overview of total quality management; factors
affecting producivity and quality in SMl development;
approaches to controlling quality; quality standards;
measurement of quality;
Metrics:
measuring IT performance - quality, operations and
productivity measured at both strategic and tactical
levels; evaluating IT investments including IT
infrastructure.
Textbooks
No single text covers the subject material
References
Carlson, W.M. and McNurlin, B.C. Uncovering the lnformation
Technology Payoffs, Rockville, Md., United Communications Group,
1992
Jones, C. Applied Software Measurement - Assuring Productivity
and Quality. New York, McGraw-Hill, 1991
Quinlan, T.A. EDP Cost Accounting. New York, Wiley, 1989
~ ~ 7 0 8 Technology and Innovation
No. of hours: involves a number of seminars
predominately conducted over two weekends
Prerequisites: BT707 lnformation Technology
Effectiveness, BQ703 Technological Forecasting
Instruction: lectures, seminars, workshops
Assessment: assignment and research report
Subject aims
This subject focuses upon emerging technologies and their
diffusion through the workplace and industry in general.
Advantage will be taken of local and visiting speakers.
Subject description
The selection of technologies for examination is subject to
developments at the time that the subject is offered. It is
anticipated that technologies in such areas as
communications and knowledge based systems will be
appropriate. Diffusion involves identifying, planning for the
introduction and measuring the success of new technology.
Textbooks
There will be no prescribed textbook. Students will be directed to
appropriate books and journal articles
~~802 Project and Thesis
Prerequisite: Graduate Diploma in Management
Systems or equivalent
Subject description
Candidates will be required to submit a research project
report on a topic of their own selection. The topic will be
related to computer-based management systems and,
dependent on the specific area covered, an appropriate
supervisor will be appointed. In some instances students may
have more than one supervisor. There will be at least two
examiners.
A preliminary proposal of the project to be undertaken must
be submitted for approval by the convening panel of the
Masters program.
There will be a requirement for formal monthly reporting by
candidates. both oral and written throuahout the term of the
project. ~aiiure to meet satisfactory staGdards of progress on
a monthly basis may preclude final submission for the
Masters degree.
To enable other candidates to share the benefits from the
applied nature of the projects, all students in the Masters
program shall attend two or three seminars in second
semester (open also to the general public, interested persons
and employers) where final year students will present the
salient results of their research.
The duration of the project will be equivalent to four subjects
of the Masters degree. The project will be normally taken in
the final year of the course. Prior to commencing their
project, students shall undertake a short course of study in
research concepts and methodologies.
As a guide, the following may be examples of topics
appropriate for research:
performance and implementation issues in database
crash recovery;
evaluation of information system planning and its
relationship to information systems performance;
a systems model for improving human factors of
computer environments;