The senior information systems design project seminar

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One of the challenges of teaching MIS is preparing students to apply the knowledge they have gained in a real project. Although they have developed proficiency in problem-solving, structured design techniques, and programming during course work, many MIS students have never interviewed a user or been asked to make design changes at a user's request. In addition, many students have never had to work on a project team, manage schedules, and meet project deadlines. The senior information systems design project course provides students with an opportunity to apply systems concepts and techniques in the design of an information system. Students identify “live” projects and work on project teams. In the past, many of these projects have been programming design and implementation projects provided by local industry. However, in large-scale projects, students could not start with problem definition, proceed to requirements specification, and complete detailed design, because all of this could not be accomplished in a single term. As a result, they would do segments of larger projects. With the advent of the microcomputer, however, many smaller scale projects became available in offices seeking to automate records management, routine accounting, and other office automation systems. These projects created an opportunity for students to do an entire project, from systems analysis to detailed design. The purpose of this paper is to describe the objectives and procedures of the information systems design project seminar and to discuss the nature and scope of design projects conducted in university offices during the fall, 1985 quarter. The paper will describe the respective roles of student systems analysts and users, the systems development practices followed, and some of the successes and pitfalls of the experience.