MIS 7376: Systems Analysis and Design

Spring Semester 2025

Sec0on 18407
Wednesday 6:00 – 9:00 PM CST
Room MH 112: In-Person Instruc0on

Instructor: Dr. Andy Netzel

Email: [email protected]
Office: Virtual
Loca0on: Virtual
Office Hours: By appointment

Please contact me via email rather than through Canvas.

Course Focus
This course is designed to give you an understanding and apprecia?on of the concepts, methodologies,
techniques, tools, and perspec?ves that are fundamental for analyzing and designing informa?on
systems. For students who pursue a degree in Management Informa?on Systems, this course provides a
founda?on for higher level courses. AHer successful comple?on of this course, students should be able
to determine the financial and opera?onal impact of informa?on systems and make good decisions
about when and how to acquire, design, implement, and outsource informa?on systems for an
organiza?on.

Required Textbook
Tilley, ScoL. Systems Analysis and Design. 13th Edi?on. Cengage.

Course Evalua0on
• All grades will be posted on Canvas.
• Exams will account for 60% of your final grade. There will be four (4) exams.
• Tech brief papers will account for 20% of your final grade. There will be ten (10) tech brief paper
assignments.
• The professional interest presenta?on will account for 20% of your final grade. You will have to
present once (1 ?me).

Ac0vity Percentage of Total Grade Observa0ons

Exams (four [4] in total) 60
Tech Brief Papers (ten [10] total) 20
Professional Interest 20 Ensure to get your topic
Presenta?on approved
Total 100

Class AUendance
Please do your best to be in aLendance every session. However, I do understand that this is a
professional-level course. Many of you (like myself) have jobs that require travel. If you miss a class, it is
your responsibility to find out what was covered by asking other students what you missed and by
reading the assigned chapter(s).

Class Structure
The class will be structured using a per chapter approach from the textbook. Each selected chapter will
be taught and discussed in class.

Exams
There will be four (4) exams held throughout the semester according to the schedule provided below.
These exams will consist of mul?ple-choice ques?ons though the format is subject to change. Please
note that exams are not cumula?ve and are based on the text, assignments, and class discussions.
Exams will be completed during class ?me as shown in the schedule below and may be taken physically
in the classroom or online (to be determined as we go). Exams will be taken on Canvas.

Tech Briefs
You will be asked to research interes?ng and trending topics for which master’s degree candidates
should have a basic understanding. Sources of informa?on are readily available through internet
research or the school library. You will complete a one-page summary on the selected topic. The
summary needs to be wriLen in your own words, and sources must be cited using appropriate APA
guidelines.

I encourage you to include any real-world experience you have with the subject.

Format is vitally important and should follow this structure:

• Paragraph #1 – No more than 3 to 6 sentences. A succinct statement synthesizing your most

thought-provoking observa?ons and your essen?al points about the topic. Get to your point
quickly; within the first two sentences you should grab my aLen?on and convince me it’s worth
reading the rest of your brief. Somewhere in this first paragraph you should relate any real-world
experience you have with the topic, or explain how the topic might affect you in the future. If
you don’t think the topic remarkable or important explain why.

As you write this paragraph imagine an execu9ve or other respected person in your organiza9on writes
to you asking for your insight on the topic. This is a busy person; you have ~30 seconds of their 9me in
reading your email response to give them the info they want and gain their trust that you are a ‘go-to’
expert

• Paragraph #2 – Any addi?onal or interes?ng background, facts, or sta?s?cs to back up your

claims in the first paragraph, or any other interes?ng informa?on you’d like to include as a result
of researching the topic.

Please use the following characteris?cs when comple?ng your one-page summary:
• 1-inch margins all around
• Double spaced
• Times New Roman font
 • 12-point font

Assignments
All assignments are due by the midnight on the due date assigned. Assignment submission will be
administered on Canvas.

Professional Interest Presenta0on

Each student will deliver a presenta?on before the semester’s end. The goal of this assignment is to
develop and refine your presenta?on skills by crea?ng and delivering a presenta?on on a professional
topic of your choice. I must approve your topic at least one week before your assigned presenta?on
date.
1. Choose a topic
Select a topic you are passionate about or have knowledge on. Examples: An overview of
your industry or organiza?on; a specific product that outsells or outperforms its
compe??on; demo of liLle-known soHware that can help other professionals. Get crea?ve!
2. Visual Aids
Create visual aids to enhance your presenta?on. These can include slides, charts, videos,
etc.
3. Time Limit
Your presenta?on should be 5-10 minutes long (give or take 15 seconds).
4. Q&A
Be prepared to answer a ques?on or two.
5. Grading Criteria
Clarity and organiza?on, effec?veness of visual aids, delivery and engagement with
audience, ability to handle ques?ons during Q&A, and mee?ng the presenta?on ?me goal.

I will post the presenta?on schedule on Canvas.

Canvas
We will use Canvas for this course. Canvas is an online course shell that provides a framework and tools
for instructor to put course material and ac?vi?es online. Lecture slides and instruc?ons for the
assignments will be posted on Canvas. I will endeavor to provide a PDF version of the slides that I will
use 24 hours prior to each class.

Registered students are loaded into Canvas courses from the registra?on system. Star?ng a few days
before classes start, registered students are loaded automa?cally into courses based on sec?on numbers
provided by instructors. Students who register late should allow at least one (1) to two (2) working days
for their access to be enabled. Students should use their Cougarnet account to access Canvas. Click on
the white icon – not the blue one.

For Canvas support, send an email to [email protected] with the students full name, course name, course
number, sec?on number, instructor’s name, and a descrip?on of the problem.

Grading
The grading scale being used in this class is as follows:
Grade Numerical Value Descrip0on
A 93 – 100 % Excellent, superior achievement
A- 90 – 92 %
B+ 87 – 89 %
B 83 – 86 % Good, exceeding all requirements
B- 80 – 82 %
C+ 77 – 79 %
C 73 – 76 % Average, sa?sfactorily mee?ng all requirements
C- 70 – 72 %
D+ 67 – 69 %
D 63 – 66 % Poor, passing
D- 60 – 62 %
F 0 – 59 % Failing or withdrawing while doing failing work

Rounding: Your overall class grade (the weighted total of exams and group exercises) will be rounded up
to the nearest whole number when the decimal por?on is equal to or greater than 0.5.

Grade Disagreements
Pe??ons to receive a different grade for a piece of work on an assignment or exam must be submiLed in
wri0ng within one week of the grade being awarded. It is the student’s responsibility to check Canvas
when the grade has been awarded. Any pe??on must include a detailed descrip?on of why the given
grade should be changed. Pe??ons to receive a grade for a piece of work on an assignment or exam
where no grade has been awarded to a student must be submiLed in wri0ng within one week of the
grade not being awarded. It is the student’s responsibility to check Canvas when the grade has not been
awarded. Any pe??on must include a detailed descrip?on of why a grade should be awarded.

Typical scenarios for a grade no being awarded include, but are not limited to, a student not being
present in class without permission to miss the class, or a student who is present in class but who has
not been ac?vely par?cipa?ng in a given group assignment. Please note that a re-evalua?on will involve
a full regrading of the assignment and may result in a higher, lower, or the same grade being awarded.

Extra Credit
There will likely be opportuni?es for extra credit throughout the semester. Details of any such
opportunity will be shared at the appropriate juncture.

Classroom Behavior
The non-academic use of cell phones, laptops, tablets, and the like are distrac?ng to yourself and those
around you. Please silence or turn off your phone prior to entering the classroom. Take your earbuds
out before instruc?on begins.

If you are causing a disrup?on, you will be asked once to cease the ac?vity. If the ac?vity con?nues, you
will be asked to leave the classroom. Disrup?ve or threatening behaviors are strictly prohibited and will
be dealt with in accordance with university policy.
Act professionally. Be proac?ve about problems; demonstrate aLen?on to myself and your peers as an
expression of respect. Email according to basic protocols of formality (your name, class number, etc.).
Double check assignment uploads to Canvas. Demonstra?ng these behaviors helps create a posi?ve
learning environment and prepares you for professional sepngs in your future career.

Late Work Policy

If you miss a window to submit your work, you will be allocated a zero for that piece of work.

Please note: Technology failure is not an excuse for late work, so PLEASE do not wait un?l the last minute
to submit any online work! If you miss an exam without a prior request to me for your jus?fied absence
that I have approved, then you will be given a zero for that exam.

Academic Integrity
I have a zero-tolerance policy on chea?ng. Chea?ng in the workplace can cost you your job and chea?ng
in this class will cost you your grade (and sanc?ons from the dean of students). Chea?ng includes any
ac?on where you take credit for work on any assignment or exam that you did not do yourself. Likewise,
if you allow another student to copy your work, you are complicit in chea?ng and equally guilty. It is
your responsibility to ensure your work does not fall into the wrong hands (i.e. do not “forget” to delete
your assignment from a shared computer). Plagiarism is chea?ng! If you include any material obtained
elsewhere in your assignment, you must reference the original work. Plagiarism is not just when you
“copy and paste” but is also when you take ideas from another place without referencing the original
source. If in doubt, cite your source.

Mental Health and Wellness Resources

The University of Houston has a number of resources to support students’ mental health and overall
wellness, including CoogsCARE and the UH Go App. UH Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
offers 24/7 mental health support for all students, addressing various concerns like stress, college
adjustment and sadness. CAPS provides individual and couples counseling, group therapy, workshops
and connec?ons to other support services on and off-campus. For assistance visit uh.edu/caps, call 713-
743-5454, or visit a Let’s Talk loca?on in-person or virtually. Let’s Talk are daily, informal confiden?al
consulta?ons with CAPS therapists where no appointment or paperwork is needed.

Need Support Now?

If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call CAPS crisis support 24/7 at
713-743-5454, or the Na0onal Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: call or text 988, or chat 988lifeline.org.

Title IX/Sexual Misconduct

Per the UHS Sexual Misconduct Policy, your instructor is a “responsible employee” for repor?ng
purposes under Title IX regula?ons and state law and must report incidents of sexual misconduct (sexual
harassment, non-consensual sexual contact, sexual assault, sexual exploita?on, sexual in?mida?on,
in?mate partner violence, or stalking) about which they become aware to the Title IX office. Please know
there are places on campus where you can make a report in confidence. You can find more informa?on
about resources on the Title IX website at hLps://uh.edu/equal-opportunity/?tle-ix-sexual-
misconduct/resources/.
UH and Bauer Policies on Academic Dishonesty and Misconduct
High ethical standards are cri?cal to the integrity of any ins?tu?on and bear directly on the ul?mate
value of conferred degrees in the business community. All UH students are expected to contribute to an
atmosphere of the highest possible ethical standards. Maintaining such an atmosphere requires that all
academic dishonesty be recognized and addressed.

http://www.uh.edu/provost/academic-affairs/policy-guidelines/honesty-policy/

The Bauer Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (Bauer Code) is designed to reflect the values held
by the C. T. Bauer College of Business faculty and students. Just as professionals in medicine, law, and
accoun?ng operate within ethical principles designed to maintain a high standard of behavior
within each profession, business professionals also should be guided by a set of principles specific to the
business community consis?ng of managers, execu?ves, and business employees. Therefore, the
Bauer Code reflects principles we believe should govern a student’s behavior while a Bauer College
major. Ul?mately, Bauer’s reputa?on depends on the ac?ons of its students and graduates. It is our
hope that each Bauer College graduate applies these principles within his or her professional and
personal lives both during and aHer college.

http://www.bauer.uh.edu/business-ethics/bauer-code-of-ethics.php

Your apre, language, and general disposi?on is to align with professional standards. Disrup?ve behavior
and inappropriate conduct will result in disciplinary ac?on. The following appears in the Prohibited
Conduct Sec?on of the University of Houston Student Code Of Conduct:

3.6. Disrup0ve Classroom Conduct – Disrup?ve classroom conduct means engaging in behavior
that substan?ally or repeatedly interrupts either the instructor’s ability to teach or student
learning. The classroom extends to any sepng where a student is engaged in work toward
academic credit or sa?sfac?on of program-based requirements or related ac?vi?es.

Sanc?ons for students found in viola?on of the Prohibited Conduct Sec?on of the Student Code of
Conduct include suspension and expulsion.

Requests for Accommoda0ons

If you an?cipate issues related to the format or requirements of this course, please contact the instructor to
discuss ways to ensure your full par?cipa?on in the course. The C.T. Bauer College of Business would like
to help students who have disabili?es achieve their highest poten?al. To this end, in order to receive
academic accommoda?ons, students must register with the Jus?n Dart Jr. Student Accessibility Center
(telephone 713-743-5400), and present approved accommoda?on documenta?on to their instructors in
a ?mely manner. If you need to take an exam or quiz in the test center, please e-mail your instructor at
least one week in advance.

Reasonable Academic Adjustments/Auxiliary Aids

The University of Houston is committed to providing an academic environment and educational
programs that are accessible for its students. Any student with a disability who is experiencing barriers
to learning, assessment or participation is encouraged to contact the Justin Dart, Jr. Student Accessibility
Center (Dart Center) to learn more about academic accommodations and support that may be available
to them. Students seeking academic accommodations will need to register with the Dart Center as soon
as possible to ensure timely implementation of approved accommodations. Please contact the Dart
Center by visiting the website: https://uh.edu/accessibility/ calling (713) 743-5400, or emailing
[email protected].

The Student Health Center offers a Psychiatry Clinic for enrolled UH students. Call 713-743-5149 during
clinic hours, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. to schedule an appointment.

The A.D. Bruce Religion Center offers spiritual support and a variety of programs centered on well-being.

The Center for Student Advocacy and Community (CSAC) is where you can go if you need help but don’t
know where to start. CSAC is a “home away from home” and serves as a resource hub to help you get
the resources needed to support academic and personal success. Through our Cougar Cupboard, all
students can get up to 30 lbs of FREE groceries a week. Addi?onally, we provide 1:1 appointments to get
you connected to on- and off-campus resources related to essen?al needs, safety and advocacy, and
more. The Cougar Closet is a registered student organiza?on advised by our office and offers free clothes
to students so that all Coogs can feel good in their fit. We also host a series of cultural and community-
based events that fosters social connec?on and helps the cougar community come closer together. Visit
the CSAC homepage or follow us on Instagram: @uh_CSAC and @uhcupbrd. YOU belong here.

Women and Gender Resource Center

The mission of the WGRC is to advance the University of Houston and promote the success of all
students, faculty, and staff through educa?ng, empowering, and suppor?ng the UH community. The
WGRC suite is open to you. Stop by the office for a study space, to take a break, grab a snack, or check
out one of the WGRC programs or resources. Stop by Student Center South room B12 (Basement floor
near Starbucks and down the hall from Crea?on Sta?on) from 9 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday.

Excused Absence Policy

Regular class aLendance, par?cipa?on, and engagement in coursework are important contributors to
student success. Absences may be excused as provided in the University of Houston Undergraduate
Excused Absence Policy and Graduate Excused Absence Policy for reasons including: medical illness of
student or close rela?ve, death of a close family member, legal or government proceeding that a student
is obligated to aLend, recognized professional and educa?onal ac?vi?es where the student is presen?ng,
and University-sponsored ac?vity or athle?c compe??on. Under these policies, students with excused
absences will be provided with an opportunity to make up any quiz, exam or other work that contributes
to the course grade or a sa?sfactory alterna?ve. Please read the full policy for details regarding reasons
for excused absences, the approval process, and extended absences. Addi?onal policies address
absences related to military service, religious holy days, pregnancy and related condi?ons, and disability.

Recording of Class
Students may not record all or part of class, livestream all or part of class, or make/distribute screen
captures, without advanced wriLen consent of the instructor. If you have or think you may have a
disability such that you need to record class-related ac?vi?es, please contact the Jus?n Dart, Jr. Student
Accessibility Center. If you have an accommoda?on to record class-related ac?vi?es, those recordings
may not be shared with any other student, whether in this course or not, or with any other person or on
any other pla{orm. Classes may be recorded by the instructor. Students may use instructor’s recordings
for their own studying and notetaking. Instructor’s recordings are not authorized to be shared with
anyone without the prior wriLen approval of the instructor. Failure to comply with requirements
regarding recordings will result in a disciplinary referral to the Dean of Students Office and may result in
disciplinary ac?on.

Syllabus Changes
Please note that the instructor may need to make modifica?ons to the course syllabus and may do so at
any ?me. No?ce of such changes will be announced as quickly as possible via email.

Tenta0ve Class Schedule

*Remember, the below date (prior to midnight) is the day that each chapter assignment is due.

Date Day Topic(s)

January 15 Day 1 Introduc?on / Chapter 1 – Introduc?on to Systems Analysis and Design
January 22 Day 2 Chapter 2 – Analyzing the Business Case
January 29 Day 3 Chapter 3 – Managing Systems Projects + Exam 1
February 5 Day 4 Chapter 4 – Requirements Engineering
February 12 Day 5 Chapter 5 – Data & Process Modeling
February 19 Day 6 Chapter 6 – Object Modeling + Exam 2
February 26 Day 7 Chapter 7 – User Interface Design
March 5 Day 8 Chapter 8 – Data Design
March 12 Day 9 No Class – Spring Holiday
March 19 Day 10 Chapter 9 – System Architecture + Exam 3
March 26 Day 11 Chapter 10 – Development Strategies
April 2 Day 12 Chapter 11 – Managing Systems Implementa?on
April 9 Day 13 Chapter 12 – Maintenance and Support
April 16 Day 14 Chapter 13 – Managing Systems Security + Exam 4
April 23 Day 15 Make Up Day

Good Luck!
I look forward to our ?me together in class.

Dr. Andy Netzel, DBA, MBA

Adjunct Faculty
Department of Decision and Informa0on Sciences
C.T. Bauer College of Business
University of Houston
[email protected]