IAB351 Cloud Information Systems
To view more information for this unit, select Unit Outline from the list below. Please note the teaching period for which the Unit Outline is relevant.
| Unit code: | IAB351 |
|---|---|
| Prerequisite(s): | IFB103 or ITD103 |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
|
| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $4,104 |
| International unit fee | $4,788 |
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | IAB351 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | IFB103 or ITD103 |
| Coordinator: | Alistair Barros | alistair.barros@qut.edu.au |
Overview
This unit provides knowledge and skills in designing businesses and systems in Cloud settings. It covers many aspects of the design in business models and IT systems, it introduces skills for developing business models and IT systems architecture, relevant for the Cloud. In addition, you will learn key management practices to develop business cases, manage businesses and IT systems as services, and understand privacy, security and regulatory policy that governs the use of cloud services. Through the unit, you will be exposed to authentic industry cases drawn from key sectors such as banking, retail and government. The knowledge and skills the unit provides are widely used by management consulting firms and IT professional roles such as Enterprise Architects, Business Architects, Solution Architects and Business Analysts. The unit uses knowledge provided in IAB305 Information Systems Lifecycle Management, applied for Business Cloud applications.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Explain the key concepts, principles and models of Cloud Computing including the legal and regulatory considerations of doing business in the cloud.
- Explain the Cloud and its support of Information Systems in formulating the strategic function of an organization digital strategy.
- Analyse a business case study and cloud solution and make justified recommendations including project and change management regarding solution adoption.
- Collaborate effectively with peers in a project environment to achieve an outcome for a client.
- Communicate professionally with specialist and non-specialist audiences in written and oral formats through the creation of a comprehensive business case and presentation.
Content
The unit will deliver a broad range of content from both IT and business perspectives:
1. Basic overview of cloud computing, key trends and adoption patterns, cloud vendors, and business impacts.
2. Cloud concepts: technical concepts, business concepts, managerial concepts.
3. Cloud business models & digital strategy.
4. Cloud policy & regulation.
5. Building the business case for cloud: business analysis, consultancy, and project Management concepts.
6. Delivering cloud to the organisation: project management, service lifecycle, and organisational behaviour concepts.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. Learning in this unit includes weekly pre-recorded lectures, online activities, tutorials and a unit communications channel, designed to facilitate communication with your peers and teaching staff outside of scheduled classes. You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in preparing for and attending all scheduled tutorials, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.
This unit emphasizes a practical approach to teaching and learning. Formal contact hours each week include:
- The pre-recorded lectures will introduce the technical and business concepts which will be explained and illustrated briefly with worked examples. The series of pre-recorded weekly lectures will provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to provide students the practical skills required to successfully employ and deliver a detailed digital strategy for cloud computing in business.
- The tutorials enable students to contextualise the concepts taught during the lectures. Students will be supplied with tasks and exercises each week.
It is important that students invest time to pre-read supplied information, and to practice with supplied exercises. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on learning and progress through progressive assessment components.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment is designed progressively across the semester to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and improvement. This includes a mix of oral and written feedback from peers and teachers on a portfolio-based learning report, assignment report and multi-choice exam.
Assessment
Overview
The assessment requires students to develop and demonstrate sufficient understanding of the varying perspectives involved in cloud information systems. Assessment is both individual and collaborative; requiring students to demonstrate analytical and interpersonal capability to succeed in the unit.
In the first assessment, is designed to provide early feedback on your understanding of key concepts, principles and models of cloud information systems.
In the second assessment (group case study), students will analyse a business, develop an architecture, and a migration strategy(ies) for a cloud information system.
The third assessment is designed to consolidate accrued general knowledge throughout the unit through a final examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Quiz
Literature and Case Summaries (written)
The written portfolio will require students to analyse a case study using concepts taught throughout the semester. Students will be required to make one written submission during the semester, that analyses the case study in light of the weekly topic.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Project (applied)
Business Case Project
The major project will require students to create a comprehensive business case proposal based on a provided case study. The proposal will require students to apply concepts taught throughout the entire semester, including technical architecture, business strategy, business analysis, and organisaitonal behaviour, in order to formulate a thorough, viable strategy for cloud adoption. This assessment will be presented to mock clients in groups.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Final Examination
This invigilated final examination will assess your learning from across the semester and will consist of a range of theory and practical questions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
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.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
References
All additional references are available on Canvas.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Fehling, C., Leymann, F., Retter, R., Schupeck, W. & Arbitter, P. (2014). Cloud Computing Patterns: Fundamentals to Design, Build, and Manage Cloud Applications. Dordrecht, London. Springer-Verlag Wien.
Great Britain, Office of Government Commerce, Managing successful projects with PRINCE2. 2009 Edition. London: Stationery Office (2009)
International Institute of Business Analysis. (2009). A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK). Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
McShane, S., Olekalns, M., & Travaglione, T. (2013). Organisational behaviour : emerging knowledge, global insights (4th ed.). North Ryde, N.S.W.: Mc Graw Hill.
Office of Government Commerce, (2007). The Official Introduction to the ITIL Service Lifecycle. Norwich, UK. The Stationary Office, Blackwell.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarize yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.
Unit Outline: Semester 1 2024, Online
| Unit code: | IAB351 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | IFB103 or ITD103 |
Overview
This unit provides knowledge and skills in designing businesses and systems in Cloud settings. It covers many aspects of the design in business models and IT systems, it introduces skills for developing business models and IT systems architecture, relevant for the Cloud. In addition, you will learn key management practices to develop business cases, manage businesses and IT systems as services, and understand privacy, security and regulatory policy that governs the use of cloud services. Through the unit, you will be exposed to authentic industry cases drawn from key sectors such as banking, retail and government. The knowledge and skills the unit provides are widely used by management consulting firms and IT professional roles such as Enterprise Architects, Business Architects, Solution Architects and Business Analysts. The unit uses knowledge provided in IAB305 Information Systems Lifecycle Management, applied for Business Cloud applications.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Explain the key concepts, principles and models of Cloud Computing including the legal and regulatory considerations of doing business in the cloud.
- Explain the Cloud and its support of Information Systems in formulating the strategic function of an organization digital strategy.
- Analyse a business case study and cloud solution and make justified recommendations including project and change management regarding solution adoption.
- Collaborate effectively with peers in a project environment to achieve an outcome for a client.
- Communicate professionally with specialist and non-specialist audiences in written and oral formats through the creation of a comprehensive business case and presentation.
Content
The unit will deliver a broad range of content from both IT and business perspectives:
1. Basic overview of cloud computing, key trends and adoption patterns, cloud vendors, and business impacts.
2. Cloud concepts: technical concepts, business concepts, managerial concepts.
3. Cloud business models & digital strategy.
4. Cloud policy & regulation.
5. Building the business case for cloud: business analysis, consultancy, and project Management concepts.
6. Delivering cloud to the organisation: project management, service lifecycle, and organisational behaviour concepts.
Learning Approaches
This unit is available for you to study in either on-campus or online mode. Learning in this unit includes weekly pre-recorded lectures, online activities, tutorials and a unit communications channel, designed to facilitate communication with your peers and teaching staff outside of scheduled classes. You can expect to spend between 10 - 15 hours per week on average involved in preparing for and attending all scheduled tutorials, completing assessment tasks, and undertaking your own independent study to consolidate your learning.
This unit emphasizes a practical approach to teaching and learning. Formal contact hours each week include:
- The pre-recorded lectures will introduce the technical and business concepts which will be explained and illustrated briefly with worked examples. The series of pre-recorded weekly lectures will provide both theoretical and practical knowledge to provide students the practical skills required to successfully employ and deliver a detailed digital strategy for cloud computing in business.
- The tutorials enable students to contextualise the concepts taught during the lectures. Students will be supplied with tasks and exercises each week.
It is important that students invest time to pre-read supplied information, and to practice with supplied exercises. Students will have the opportunity to reflect on learning and progress through progressive assessment components.
Feedback on Learning and Assessment
Assessment is designed progressively across the semester to provide multiple opportunities for feedback and improvement. This includes a mix of oral and written feedback from peers and teachers on a portfolio-based learning report, assignment report and multi-choice exam.
Assessment
Overview
The assessment requires students to develop and demonstrate sufficient understanding of the varying perspectives involved in cloud information systems. Assessment is both individual and collaborative; requiring students to demonstrate analytical and interpersonal capability to succeed in the unit.
In the first assessment, is designed to provide early feedback on your understanding of key concepts, principles and models of cloud information systems.
In the second assessment (group case study), students will analyse a business, develop an architecture, and a migration strategy(ies) for a cloud information system.
The third assessment is designed to consolidate accrued general knowledge throughout the unit through a final examination.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Quiz
Literature and Case Summaries (written)
The written portfolio will require students to analyse a case study using concepts taught throughout the semester. Students will be required to make one written submission during the semester, that analyses the case study in light of the weekly topic.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Project (applied)
Business Case Project
The major project will require students to create a comprehensive business case proposal based on a provided case study. The proposal will require students to apply concepts taught throughout the entire semester, including technical architecture, business strategy, business analysis, and organisaitonal behaviour, in order to formulate a thorough, viable strategy for cloud adoption. This assessment will be presented to mock clients in groups.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Final Examination
This invigilated final examination will assess your learning from across the semester and will consist of a range of theory and practical questions.
Academic Integrity
Students are expected to engage in learning and assessment at QUT with honesty, transparency and fairness. Maintaining academic integrity means upholding these principles and demonstrating valuable professional capabilities based on ethical foundations.
Failure to maintain academic integrity can take many forms. It includes cheating in examinations, plagiarism, self-plagiarism, collusion, and submitting an assessment item completed by another person (e.g. contract cheating). It can also include providing your assessment to another entity, such as to a person or website.
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.
Further details of QUT’s approach to academic integrity are outlined in the Academic integrity policy and the Student Code of Conduct. Breaching QUT’s Academic integrity policy is regarded as student misconduct and can lead to the imposition of penalties ranging from a grade reduction to exclusion from QUT.
Resources
References
All additional references are available on Canvas.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
Fehling, C., Leymann, F., Retter, R., Schupeck, W. & Arbitter, P. (2014). Cloud Computing Patterns: Fundamentals to Design, Build, and Manage Cloud Applications. Dordrecht, London. Springer-Verlag Wien.
Great Britain, Office of Government Commerce, Managing successful projects with PRINCE2. 2009 Edition. London: Stationery Office (2009)
International Institute of Business Analysis. (2009). A Guide to the Business Analysis Body of Knowledge (BABOK). Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
McShane, S., Olekalns, M., & Travaglione, T. (2013). Organisational behaviour : emerging knowledge, global insights (4th ed.). North Ryde, N.S.W.: Mc Graw Hill.
Office of Government Commerce, (2007). The Official Introduction to the ITIL Service Lifecycle. Norwich, UK. The Stationary Office, Blackwell.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out-of-the-ordinary risks associated with lectures or tutorials in this unit. You should, however, familiarize yourself with evacuation procedures operating in the buildings in which you attend classes and take the time to view the Emergency video.