This module deepens and expands the learner's knowledge and understanding of the design, development, testing, and maintenance of information systems. This includes an advanced study of the software engineering lifecycle and process management, requirements elicitation, project management, validation and verification, configuration management, quality assurance, security engineering and risk management.
The aims of this module are to:
- Develop the learner’s ability to select, design and/or implement appropriate information systems for a specific organisational context.
- Provide the learner with the ability to design and implement an appropriate process for the implementation of an information systems solution, incorporating all the required stages from requirements elicitation to testing and deployment.
- Provide the learner with the know-how and skill to be able to make an evaluation of the risk considerations for information systems engineering, incorporating the study of quality assurance, security engineering and risk management.
Process models and their importance: Comparison of models and approaches, some of which are: Agile Models (Agile Modelling, Scrum, Extreme Programming), Evolutionary Development, Incremental Process Models. Choosing the process model.
Software development life cycle: A comprehensive review of each traditional life cycle phase as part of system engineering, including requirements analysis and specification, design, implementation, validation and verification, installation and maintenance; and each object oriented life cycle phase including inception, elaboration, construction and transition, project management, covering concepts, different techniques used and issues involved in each phase. Comparison of life cycle phases in different process models.
System engineering: requirements engineering, system models, development methods and techniques; system architecture and development issues.
Configuration management: Configuration identification, the configuration management process, version control, change control, defect tracking, configuration management software tools. Verification, validation and testing: the review process, the testing process, test strategies, system testing, model testing, testing tools, the management of testing.
Quality assurance and process improvement: Software quality assurance, quality factors, software reviews, software process metrics, software process assessment techniques, process improvement methods, standards used in process improvement e.g. the ISO quality standards.
Risk management: Software risks; risk identification; risk mitigation, monitoring and management.
Security engineering: Data security, security concepts, security risk management, design for security.
The course delivery involves a combination of lectures with associated practical assignments which may incorporate the use of blended learning techniques as appropriate throughout the delivery.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 70 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 30 |