ITD103 IT Systems Design


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Unit Outline: College 1 2027, Kelvin Grove, Internal

Unit code:ITD103
Credit points:12
Equivalent:IFB103
Coordinator:Geoff Polzin | g.polzin@qut.edu.au
Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.

Overview

Developing an innovative, practical and cost-effective IT solution that is user-focused is a complex task for IT experts. It requires identifying and clarifying a real-world problem that an IT system can help to resolve through collecting and interpreting requirements and designing the system and prototyping to ensure the system satisfy the requirements. This unit presents you with authentic industry challenges and exposes you to design contexts, fundamental analysis and design techniques that IT experts use, either individually or in a group, to analyse and design IT systems. It introduces key skills, such as understanding user needs, communicating user-oriented as well as technical design information, collaborating in diverse teams, career development and employability, and design techniques, which are important throughout the IT industry. These skills are particularly in demand in roles such as Business Systems Analyst, Solution Architect, and Project Manager.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:

  1. Describe the Information Systems profession and key skills, including the responsible and ethical use of GenAI, expected by the industry
  2. Apply human/user-centred analysis and design thinking principles, theories and techniques to produce practical IT solutions for real-world problems.
  3. Analyse design requirements and apply system analysis and design techniques to generate a user-centred design for a client or industry-informed context..
  4. Apply written, verbal and visual communication principles to the explanation of a real-world problem, analysis of related challenges and application of innovative IT designs that assist businesses to address the problem.
  5. Work effectively in teams and critically reflect upon personal performance, and the performance of others.
  6. Use agile methodologies to produce outcomes within the agreed timeframe.

Content

You will be introduced to design thinking in an IT context and guided through the design process of identifying user needs, defining problems, and ideating possible solutions. Based on your growing IT expertise and interests, you will be asked to analyse and design solutions to real-world, industry-relevant problems drawn from professional and community contexts. Your prototype solutions will be tested against requirements and functionality in collaborative, inquiry-based (exploratory) workshops. You will also undertake the design of an IT system using a real-world case study. This will allow you to understand relevant methods and tools to communicate the necessary components of an IT system. You will be provided with a series of real world case studies to introduce you to design thinking. 

The team design project will provide the opportunity for you to apply your knowledge and skills, including the development of strong presentation skills, the ability to pitch multiple designs, and the use of a variety of visual communication techniques to document and describe your designs. To communicate and test your designs throughout the semester you will create artefacts such as storyboards, wireframes, and low-, medium- and high-fidelity prototypes. Using these tools, you will test, revise and refine your designs to determine whether your prototypes satisfy stakeholder needs. This design process will culminate in your realisation of elegant and cost-effective pre-production design concepts using different software and presentation mediums (such as mobile devices). 

This unit introduces the methods of high performing teams to provide you with a solid base on which to develop skills required to work productively as a team member and in industry, as well as a better understanding of team processes. You will be asked to critique the work of others, leveraging your growing knowledge of analysis and design of IT systems, and respond to constructive feedback from your peers in kind. Through this team project you will also acquire skills and knowledge required to participate as both an individual and an effective team member, learning how to critically reflect upon your learning and performance. The unit will also cover topics related to career development and employability, the types of skills you need to be successful in the IT industry, and the development of action plans to improve those skills.

Learning Approaches

This unit takes a blended approach to learning and teaching. You will be provided with both eContent and timetabled classes such as lectures and tutorials. eContent will be clearly identified on your Canvas site for you to engage with on a weekly basis before your classes. eContent could include videos, readings and/or other activities designed to enhance your learning experience. During the timetabled activities, the unit coordinator and/or your tutor will further explain content and you will be provided with opportunities to explore this content in a collaborative learning environment. After your weekly classes, you should continue to engage with unit resources to ensure you consolidate your understanding of unit content. Teaching team members will also be available for one-on-one consultations to assist you with your learning journey.

Feedback on Learning and Assessment

Throughout the semester you will receive feedback in various forms which may include:

  • Informal: worked examples, such as verbal feedback in class, personal consultation
  • Formal: in writing, such as checklists, rubrics, written commentary
  • Direct: to individual students, either in written form or in consultation
  • Indirect: to the whole class

Assessment

Overview

The assessment in this unit has been designed to enable you to develop an understanding of different aspects of analysis and design of IT systems. You will also develop skills to work collaboratively and present confidently demonstrating effective written and visual communication. Additionally you will develop skills to engage in reflective practice.

Unit Grading Scheme

7- point scale

Assessment Tasks

Assessment: Career in IT

There are various jobs in the IT industry. The jobs are beyond coding, programming and software development. For example, there are various jobs in the Information Systems area of IT for graduates who want to become business systems analysts, systems designers and leaders in the IT industry. This is your first assessment because you need to develop a vision about your future. This assessment requires you to analyse the skills that an IT student needs to gain in order to be successful in the IT industry.

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 10
Length: 400 words (approx.)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 4
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1

Assessment: Design Challenge 1

This assessment focuses on defining a user problem and designing an application prototype using design prototyping techniques. Working a small team you will apply 'design thinking' to develop a UX design  prototype that supports user interactions within a data-intensive environment.   

You will need to contribute productively as an individual and in your team to clarify a business problem, create and evaluate new ideas and implement the best solution that supports the user needs. Your team will create a video presentation of your high-fidelity prototype. Your will also maintain and submit an individual design logbook, which captures visually and in written format the iterative development process that has led to final prototype for the client. There are individual marks and team marks for this assessment.

The ethical and responsible use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is authorised in this assessment. See the relevant assessment details in Canvas for specific guidelines.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 45
Length: Maximum 8-9 minutes recorded video presentation + weekly individual logbook entries
Individual/Group: Individual and group
Due (indicative): Week 7
Related Unit learning outcomes: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

Assessment: Design Challenge 2

Based on the IT cases that have been provided in the unit, you will complete a series of systems analyses and design activities, and will submit working evidence of all required elements. 

The use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) tools is prohibited during this assessment.

This assignment is eligible for the 48-hour late submission period and assignment extensions.

Weight: 45
Length: 8-10 pages (approx.)
Individual/Group: Individual
Due (indicative): Week 13
Related Unit learning outcomes: 1, 2, 3, 4

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a commitment to undertaking academic work and assessment in a manner that is ethical, fair, honest, respectful and accountable.

The Academic Integrity Policy sets out the range of conduct that can be a failure to maintain the standards of academic integrity. This includes, cheating in exams, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion and contract cheating. It also includes providing fraudulent or altered documentation in support of an academic concession application, for example an assignment extension or a deferred exam.

You are encouraged to make use of QUT’s learning support services, resources and tools to assure the academic integrity of your assessment. This includes the use of text matching software that may be available to assist with self-assessing your academic integrity as part of the assessment submission process.

Breaching QUT’s Academic Integrity Policy or engaging in conduct that may defeat or compromise the purpose of assessment can lead to a finding of student misconduct (Code of Conduct – Student) and result in the imposition of penalties under the Management of Student Misconduct Policy, ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.

Resources

There is no prescribed textbook and most tasks are set around freely available university modules and resources and will be made available through the unit's Canvas site. Appropriate references will be made available on Canvas as well as relevant links.

Risk Assessment Statement

There are no unusual health or safety risks associated with this unit. 

Course Learning Outcomes

This unit is designed to support your development of the following course/study area learning outcomes.

ES21 Diploma in Esports

  1. Demonstrate foundational interdisciplinary knowledge relating to esports.
    Relates to: Career in IT, Design Challenge 2
  2. Apply critical thinking and problem solving skills.
    Relates to: ULO2
  3. Communicate effectively in an academic and professional manner through written and oral genres integrating digital tools.
    Relates to: ULO4
  4. Apply teamwork knowledge and skills for effective collaboration.
    Relates to: ULO5, Design Challenge 1, Design Challenge 2

IT10 Diploma in Information Technology

  1. Demonstrate foundational IT theory and skills, including the ethical and responsible use of GenAI, for your practice as a future IT professional.
    Relates to: Career in IT, Design Challenge 1, Design Challenge 2
  2. Critically analyse and conceptualise a range of predictable IT challenges and opportunities using problem solving skills to generate, evaluate and justify recommended solutions.
    Relates to: ULO6, Design Challenge 1, Design Challenge 2
  3. Demonstrate the ability to work independently and collaboratively within teams employing IT project management methodologies to effectively plan and manage time, resources and risk
    Relates to: Design Challenge 1
  4. Communicate professionally and effectively in written, verbal and visual formats to a range of audiences, considering the audience and explaining complex ideas in a simple and understandable manner in a range of IT-related contexts.
    Relates to: ULO6, Design Challenge 1, Design Challenge 2
  5. Apply self-reflective, ethical and inclusive approaches to a range of issues impacting the development and use of IT, including how they relate to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with a disability and other vulnerable members of society.
    Relates to: Design Challenge 1, Design Challenge 2