BIS1215

Business Information Systems Coursework 1

September 2008 Intake 2008/2009 Dr. Harjinder Rahanu School of Engineering and Information Sciences

Coursework 1

2008/2009
This is an assessed piece of work and is compulsory. This coursework will contribute 50% to your overall marks for this module. Coursework 2 will provide the other 50% of your mark for the module. To pass the module you need to obtain a total minimum mark of 40% in both pieces of coursework and demonstrate effective personal contribution to your group.

Group Assignment
The aims of this assignment are summarised below To enable the students to manage a group project successfully To facilitate the acquisition of the knowledge gained and to enhance the experience of using software packages such as SmartDraw, MS Word, etc. To enforce the understanding and use of particular techniques for data modelling To enforce research and critical thinking skills To emphasise the importance of the presentation of the deliverables/results for technical recipients and for management

How are these aims to be achieved? By applying theories and techniques learned to four assigned tasks By working in teams By using automated tools

You are required to work with your group in order to carry out the assignment tasks, and in order to produce the required deliverables. It will be necessary to hold meetings in addition to the seminar sessions. You are required to keep brief minutes of the meetings (use the given meetings log) showing the progress of the work and the task allocation among the different group members. These minutes should be attached as an appendix to your final report. At the end of the assignment you are required to carry out self and peer assessment using the templates (see end of this document).

Submission of Coursework 1
Due Date: Friday 19th December 2008, 16h00 Your completed answer should be submitted to the school office of your base campus by the stated due date. Late submissions will be penalised.

NOTE:
It is vitally important that you keep a copy of your submitted work for reference. You are to use the Coursework Front Cover Feedback Form available from the School Office. It is strongly recommended that you collect the form well before the submission date in order to allow time for all members of your group to enter their respective details. You highlight on the Coursework Front Cover Feedback details of Tutor's (seminar) name, and the seminar group (Day and Time)

FAILURE TO ENTER YOUR DETAILS ON THE FRONT COVER SHEET COULD RESULT IN FAILURE OF THIS COMPONENT OF THE ASSESSMENT REGIME

Plagiarism Plagiarism is taken seriously. If you are suspected of taking part in any way, you will be awarded a U, which will affect your final exam results.
If you are not clear what plagiarism is, then please read Guide and Regulations page 21 and Section F and on the Middlesex University 24-7 website: http://www.mdx.ac.uk/24-7/

Coursework
Task 1: Input, Processing and Output (Sales Order Form) Think about the experience, either as a customer or as a salesperson, of completing a sales order. You may have purchased or sold anything ranging from a mobile phone to car. This sales order, upon completion will be entered into a sales order processing system. List what types of information might be included in the sales order. Hint think of all the questions that need answering to complete a sales order form. What processing might be performed on this input data? You need identify a minimum of six processes. Think about what outputs need to be printed and any management reports / statistics that could be generated from the processing to assist management decision making and problem solving. What are the likely outputs? You need identify a minimum of six outputs. What use are the outputs and for whom?

Your answer should be as full as possible. Please do not simply provide lists of the respective data, activities and information for this application process but offer explanations for each inclusion in your lists. Task 2: Entity Relationship Diagram In data planning and database design, end users must identify key data elements that are needed in order to perform specific business activities. This frequently involves developing entity relationship diagrams (ERDs) that model the relationships among the many entities involved in business processes. Read the following narrative description of a business process: A university employs the services of external moderators to, amongst other things; check the quality of the assessment regimes used by the university to test its students. An external moderator can offer his or her services at many different universities. An external moderator will typically be assigned a number of assessment regimes. Any one assessment regime can only be moderated by a single external moderator. An assessment regime will consist of a number of different coursework. A coursework can only be used on a specific assessment regime. Students complete a number of pieces of coursework. Any coursework is typically given out to many students. Using the ERD notation produce an ERD model of the narrative described above. Task 3: Human Resources (HR) Management Information System A Management Information System (MIS) summarises data and prepares reports for middle, tactical management. Its strength lies in dealing with, and supporting, routine structured decisions. Consider Human Resources Management Information Systems (HRMIS). Give a detailed description of the workings of a HRMIS. In order to do this you must answer the following: 1. What is the objective of such a MIS? 2. What type of management decisions will such an IS support?

3. What are the sources of, and types of, data that will be input to such a system? 4. What outputs are produced? Your answer should be as full as possible and approximately between 1000-1500 words in length. Make use of diagrams to show the workings of the MIS and also how it relates to other types of information systems, e.g. a Transaction Processing System and Executive Information Systems. You must cite all sources for the information you use, i.e. list ALL references Task 4: Unauthorised access to computer and information systems One of the most common security threats is unauthorised access to computer systems, or hacking. Individuals, who illegally access systems may do so to destroy, alter or steal data, whether passwords, credit card numbers or confidential information. Using a suitable search engine, try to find a recent real life case of computer hacking. Complete the following tasks: Write 500 words (approx.) summarising the case in your own words. Your summary should include details on the hacker(s) and their motives, how the hack was carried out, the organisation whose computer system was hacked into and the damage caused, if any. State what the Computer Misuse Act, 1990 is and how it applies to the case you have found, above. Identify three physical, software, electronic or managerial solutions that the organisation, in the case you have found above, could have implemented in order to safeguard their computer / information system.

Your answer should be as full as possible and approximately 1000-1200 words in length. You must cite all sources for the information you use, i.e. list ALL references. These should be wide ranging, including Books, Journals and Websites. Submission Date: Friday 19th December 2008, 16h00 Your submission should include: A Coursework Front Cover Feedback Form available from the Student Office Coursework checklist (attached at the end of this document) Task 1: Input, Processing and Output (Sales Order Form) Task 2: Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) Task 3: Human Resources (HR) Management Information System Task 4: Unauthorised access to computer and information systems References The meetings log Completed self assessment template (attached at the end of this document) Completed peer assessment template for each group member (attached at the end of this document

NOTE: 1. Failure to include your name on front cover sheet could result in failure of this component of the BIS1215 assessment regime.

2. Do not submit hand written coursework 3. Do not submit coursework directly to your tutor 4. It is essential that you use a software package such as SmartDraw, MS Word, or similar to present your work, including the Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) for Task 2.

Written work should normally be handed in to the School Office. If, in an emergency, you have to send in written assessed work by post, you must send it by recorded delivery to the Hendon school office and keep the Post Office receipt. It will be deemed to have been submitted on the date of the postmark. Coursework Feedback Forms containing receipts for this work and other work submitted outside opening hours can be collected from the student office.

Returning the Coursework

Marking Guidelines
Diagrams should be neat and clear. It is compulsory that you use the appropriate software to produce your ERD (e.g. SmartDraw, MS Word, etc.) and word processing software (e.g. Word, WordPerfect) to produce the remainder of the coursework submission.

Marks will be awarded for: Presentation Well structured submission with appropriate sections Spelling and grammar Word processed work and diagram completed using appropriate software package Task1: Input, Processing and Output (Sales Order Form) Identification of inputs pertaining to the sales order form Sensible set of process activities identified (min. 6) Sensible list of output identified (min. 6) Explanations offered for each inclusion in your input, processing and output lists Task 2: Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) Identification of Entities, Relationships and Cardinality Resolution of many : many relationships Logical correctness Completeness: all entities pertaining to the system described in the case study should be represented Optional / Mandatory relationships stated Task 3: Human Resources (HR) Management Information Systems State the principle objective of a Human Resources MIS List at least four types of management decisions that a Human Resources IS supports Identify at least four sources of data that will be input into a Human Resources MIS Identify the major, at least four, outputs produced by such a MIS Task 4: Unauthorised access to computer and information systems Finding a suitable real life case of computer hacking Giving a detailed summary of the case facts Giving a detailed account of the criminal activities defined under the Computer Misuse Act, 1990 (CMA, 1990) Applying the CMA, 1990 to the case facts of the real life case Identifying and explaining, how each of the three security measures identified, could have safeguarded the organisation in the case study from the attack inflicted by the hackers. Extra marks for how well the task is researched, citing a wide variety of sources. Total NOTE: Every individual should be prepared to give an oral presentation if requested to do so All references, including on-line sources, must be clearly listed

(%) 8

23

23

23

23

100

20 Point Scale- Grade to Percentage

Grade Class 1 First Class 2 3 4 Borderline 5 Upper Second 6 7 8 Borderline 9 Lower Second 10 11 12 Borderline 13 Third 14 15 16 Marginal Pass 17 Fail Marginal can condone 18 Fail can condone 19 Fail - cannot condone 20 Fail cannot condone School of Computing Science

Percentage 80+ 75-79 71-74 70 67-69 64-66 61-63 60 57-59 54-56 51-53 50 47-49 44-46 41-43 40 35-39 30-34 21-29 0-20

Coursework Check List

BIS1215 Business Information Systems Coursework 1

1. Have you filled the details on the Coursework Front Cover Feedback Form available from the School Office? All group members names and student numbers Tutor's name Seminar group (day and time) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Task 1: Input, Processing and Output (Sales Order Form) Task 2: Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD) Task 3: Human Resources (HR) Management Information System Task 4: Unauthorised access to computer and information systems References, including On-line sources The Group Meeting Log(s) The Self Assessment Form The Peer Assessment Form

Group Meetings Log

Members Present: . Apologies from: . Items Discussed: . . . . . Problems encountered: . . Tasks/Deliverables for next meeting: . . Student Name Student Signature. Student Name Student Signature. Student Name Student Signature. Student Name Student Signature.

Self Assessment Template

Self Assessment
1. How would you rate your technical contribution to the group work?.. 2. How would you rate your contribution in terms of organisation? ... 3. How would you rate your contribution in terms of communication? ..

4. The holistic view of things argues that group work has more benefits than drawback and that groups always achieve more and better results than people working as individuals. Please rank the following in order of importance in the context of group work (using 1 for the most important): Benefit Sharing of knowledge Sharing the work load Enhancing Communication Compromise/Listening to others Obtaining additional perspectives Providing Mutual Support Learning from teaching others Ranking

Please insert your name and your Student Number below

Name:.. Student No:

Peer Assessment
Using the scale of 0 to 5 please provide a critical appraisal of what has been achieved, and of your contribution and of the other team members contribution. 0 = Absent (or Very Poor) 1 = Poor 2 = Satisfactory 3 = Good 4 = Very Good 5 = Excellent
Member name Member Student No:..

1 How would you rate the above members technical contribution to the group work?.. 2 How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of organisation? ... 3. How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of communication? ..

Member name

Member Student No:..

1 How would you rate the above members technical contribution to the group work?.. 2 How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of organisation? ... 3. How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of communication? ..

Member name

Member Student No:..

1 How would you rate the above members technical contribution to the group work?.. 2 How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of organisation? ... 3. How would you rate the above members contribution in terms of communication? ..

Any additional comments?

Please insert your name and your Student Number below

Name:.. Student No: