Professor: |
Dr. Peggy Brouse |
Assignment Submission: |
WebCT
usage is required in the class; instructions are below. |
Work Phone: |
(703) 993-1502 (with voice mail) |
FAX: |
(703) 993-1706 |
E-mail: |
|
Office: |
GMU: Science and Technology II - Room 317 |
Office Hours: |
Mondays |
Course Description: |
During this course, the Systems Definition phase of the Systems Development Life Cycle will be explored. This phase of the systems engineering effort includes such activities as requirement elicitation, problem analysis, system specification, and system cost estimation. Lectures concerning these topics will be given by the instructor and will be supported by the listed texts. Students will be tested to ensure understanding of material contained within the lectures and the texts. Additionally, students will gain practical knowledge concerning this subject by participating in a group project to create a System Requirement Specification (SRS) and cost model of the system to be developed. |
Course Hours: |
Mondays |
Text: |
Mastering the Requirements Process (1999) Suzanne Robertson and James Robertson. Addison-Wesley ISBN 0-201-36046-2 |
Grades: |
50% - group project: (5% SOW; 20% Final Presentation; 25% Final Deliverable) 25% - final |
Disabilities Statement: |
If you are a
student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me
and contact the Disability Resource Center (DRC) at 993-2474. All
academic accommodations must be arranged through the DRC. |
|
|
Group Project
The Group Project is the focal point of student effort within this course. Although groups may be able to meet during class time occasionally, the majority of effort toward the group projects will be expended outside of class. There will be groups of several people self-formed during the first meeting of the class. Each group will have two roles: User Group and Requirement Group.
Beginning User Group Activities: As a user, the group will formulate a Statement of Work (SOW) that they will pass to their “mate group”. Mate groups will be assigned after the SOW is completed.
Beginning Requirement Group Activities: Each group will exchange their SOW with their assigned mate group. The SOW that they receive from their mate group will form the basis for their role as a Requirement Group. In this role, they will
· study the SOW they have received,
· elicit requirements from the mate group to develop a Systems Requirement Specification (SRS) including problem analysis and system definition models,
· run cost models and document their final SRS.
Each member of the group will be required to run a different cost model (e.g. COCOMO2, CostXpert, etc.). This individual run of the model will constitute the second test for the course. The final analysis of the cost models will be a comparison of the individual models with a determination by the group of the final estimation they submit. Their mate group will be doing these same functions with the SOW they receive.
Ending User Group Activities: After completion of the SRS and cost models, the mate groups will again exchange documents: the SRS and Cost Model document. In the User Group role, each group will evaluate the products of their mate group. A recommended evaluation strategy will be given to you.
Ending Requirement
Group Activities: At the end of the
semester, each group will present their work including the SRS and Cost
Models. Groups will be required to hand
in their final package to the professor including:
· original annotated SOW they wrote,
· preliminary annotated SRS,
· final SRS,
· group Cost Model evaluation, and
· evaluation of Mate Group SRS and Cost Models.
In addition, each person in class will be required to do an evaluation of the other members of their group. The format of this is contained in a separate handout. This evaluation will be private. It should be included in a sealed envelope with student signature across flap as part of the final package.
Exams
Two exams: The first will be in-class and will cover Systems Definition. The second will be a take home consisting of individual running of cost models.
How To
Access WebCT?
•
Go to http://webct41.gmu.edu
•
Enter WebCT ID and password:
Students need a WebCT
ID and password to login. Their WebCT ID is their
Mason mail user name (e.g. the WebCT ID for
jdoe@gmu.edu would be jdoe); Starting