IFN663 Advanced Enterprise Architecture
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: | IFN663 |
|---|---|
| Assumed Knowledge: | Data and Information Management and Process Modelling |
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Timetable | Details in HiQ, if available |
| Availabilities |
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| CSP student contribution | $1,118 |
| Domestic tuition unit fee | $3,528 |
| International unit fee | $4,824 |
Unit Outline: Semester 2 2024, Gardens Point, Internal
| Unit code: | IFN663 |
|---|---|
| Credit points: | 12 |
| Pre-requisite: | Assumed Knowledge |
| Assumed Knowledge: | Data & Information Management and Process Modelling |
| Coordinator: | Naha Naha | ranesh.naha@qut.edu.au |
Overview
IFN663 is an advanced unit on Enterprise Architecture (EA). The unit looks into the ways in which business and IT systems are planned using modelling techniques. It introduces how business and IT aligns and supports the scoping of IT solution architectures of individual systems and principles of enterprise architecture. It covers how to develop a multi-layered EA based on state-of-the-art modelling techniques in TOGAF Archimate and UML and provides skills for IT professional and senior roles. The unit builds upon pre-requisite knowledge from IFN500 Design Thinking for IT. Units such as IFN662 Enterprise Systems and Applications are highly related to this unit.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit you will be able to:
- Explain how IT systems are managed, as a portfolio, for supporting business productivity using enterprise architecture.
- Create an enterprise architecture model using key concepts of business and IT systems from a cross functional perspective
- Create a solution architecture model using key concepts of IT systems for a specific business area
- Analyse a real-world case study, to identify different aspects of business and IT systems, and model a multi-layered enterprise architecture and a solution architecture
- Apply teamwork skills to manage a group project to produce an outcome for stakeholder/client within a strict timeline.
Content
This unit will cover advanced Enterprise Architecture theory and practice based overall frameworks, individual parts and perspectives, links to business and IT strategy references, and real-world case studies. The framework will cover key activities involved in developing and maintaining enterprise architectures, based the widely adopted TOGAF framework. The individual parts and perspectives will cover techniques that are used to capture enterprise architecture components. These include organizational capability maps, which reflect what businesses do, independent of business or technical implementation concepts. The techniques for capturing different artefacts at business and IT levels relevant to systems planning will also be included, namely business services, processes, information and resources. An EA technique, Archimate, supported as part of TOGAF, will be used to illustrate how operational models capturing key scenarios are captured, at the business and IT levels, combining these different artefacts. Dedicated techniques used to capture detailed aspects of different artefacts, such as BPMN for business processes or UML for information models, will referred to, but not taught in full detail. Students will be given a chance to choose from different case studies to develop different aspects of enterprise architecture, to work on these in teams, and to formally present their proposals.
Learning Approaches
- Lectures: Weekly throughout the semester.
- Lectorial: Periodically throughout the semester, in place of lectures.
- Workshops: Weekly workshops throughout the semester.
A case-based approach will be used for this unit. Weekly lectures will provide a basic understanding of the knowledge and skills related to enterprise architecture while the workshops will enable you to further the understanding and development of the skills. You will be required to work in groups, as would be expected in an enterprise architecture related role.
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 in this unit has been designed so that you develop an understanding on different perspectives that influence, and are influenced by, the work of enterprise architects. You will develop the skills to individually learn and to engage in reflective practice. You will also develop the skills to work collaboratively on an EA project, to demonstrate effective interpersonal skills, and to develop the particular oral skills for formally presenting enterprise architectures.
The assessments are designed to give you proficiency and confidence at understanding and developing enterprise architectures at different levels. In first assessment (portfolio based learning), you will explore the complexity of organisational activities and apply a technique for capturing the essence of what organisations do through capability maps. This will be undertaken individually to allow you to reflect on how enterprise architecture broadly applies for shaping the understanding of organisations and in planning for systems. In the second assessment (assignment), you will apply modelling and design for capturing both business and IT aspects of systems, through a technique aimed at the enterprise architecture level. You will then show how detailed techniques such as BPMN (processes) and UML (information), more suitable for individual systems (or solution architectures), can be aligned into the enterprise architecture level. This assessment will be conducted as part of a group. The third assessment is designed to consolidate your knowledge, through an end of semester, multi-choice exam.
Unit Grading Scheme
7- point scale
Assessment Tasks
Assessment: Report
Portfolio Based Learning Report including a model and explanations
You will be give an example drawn from a particular business domain, and be asked to develop a model of an organisational capability map. This will enable you to understand how enterprise architectures can be used at high levels to understand the essence of what organisations do, through compact, implementation-free representations.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Project (applied)
Report and Presentation (written and oral communication)
Working within a team, you will chose a case study drawn from different business domains, and be asked to work together to prepare enterprise architecture models of selected areas in the business. You will then align the enterprise architecture models with solution architecture models to show how these can provide coherence of analysis and design for individual systems.
This is an assignment for the purposes of an extension.
Assessment: Examination (written)
Multi-choice Exam
The exam covers concepts applying to broader enterprise architecture theory taught in the unit. The exam will complement what is covered as parts of the first two assessments. It will not cover knowledge associated with the modelling techniques taught in the unit, construction/interpretation of models, assessment based on examples.
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
Library and web-based information for supplementary reading as will be indicated through lecture material.
Resource Materials
Recommended text(s)
M. Lankhorst et al. Enterprise Architecture at Work: Modelling, Communication and Analysis (2nd Ed). Springer-Verlag, 2009.
Risk Assessment Statement
There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit. You will be made aware of evacuation procedures and assembly areas in the first few lectures. In the event of a fire alarm sounding, or on a lecturer's instruction, you should leave the room and assemble in the designated area which will be indicated to you. You should be conscious of your health and safety at all times whilst on campus or in the field.