Assessment item 3
Active Engagement in Systems Analysis Work
Value: 30%
Due date: 11-Jan-2015
Return date: 01-Feb-2015
Length: Approx 2,000 words
Submission method options
Alternative submission method
Task

You are required to analyse the effectiveness of the Virgin Australia Online Air Ticketing system. To do this you are required to employ at least two data gathering techniques, one of which must be observation. You will need to research the existing online ticketing system and other information you can find about the airline. You also need to observe how at least three (3) users interact with the system. You need to script two or more scenarios for each of these users, and then observe their interaction. For instance, two possible scenarios might be as follows:

(A) You want to travel to the Melbourne next Friday. Before reserving your seat, you want to be sure that you can finish packing without rushing it, and reach the airport on time. You therefore want to find out when your flight is departing on that day.

(B) You friend is arriving today from Brisbane and you want to check what time the flight will arrive so you can pick them up. Check the arrival time and details for a specific flight number.

Amongst the information sought are answers to the following questions.

Questions you need to address are:
1. What are the major business objectives and processes (operations) that the airline company carries out?
2. List the information systems and subsystems that are used to support their portal and describe how they are related to the overall business objectives and processes. If the exact Information System cannot be identified then use the generic terms for the appropriate Information Systems (an example of a generic name is Supply Chain Management system).
3. Detail the scenarios you developed and how the users you observed interacted with the system when carrying out the tasks of those scenarios.
4. Recommend improvements to the system and describe the analytic consequences. For instance, not all airlines provide systems for online check-in. If the company were to add such functionality, what do the analysts need to consider?
5. Describe the stakeholders involved. Who are they? Why do analysts need to consider their interests?
6. Discuss, in detail, the data collection techniques you used to answer the above questions. Describe how other data collection techniques could be used to gather further information.
Rationale

This assignment is intended to develop and test your ability to research the role of information systems in solving business problems. Using some data gathering techniques you will also learn about the role of the system analyst in the development of information systems.

Marking criteria
Task Name: Case Study
Weighting %: 30
CRITERIA STANDARDS
High Distinction Distinction Credit Pass Fail
The major business objectives and processes The overall goals of the business are clearly expressed to show all the major business objectives and processes. The overall goals of the business are clearly expressed to show most of the major business objectives and processes. The overall goals of the business are clearly expressed to show some of the major business objectives and processes. The overall goals of the business are clearly expressed to show few of the major business objectives and processes. The overall goals of the business are not clearly expressed and show none of the major business objectives and processes.
A listing of the information systems At least 7 information systems are explicitly described and there is a clear discussion and analysis of the relationships to the processes they automate. At least 6 information systems are described with relationships to the processes they automate clearly discussed. 4 to 5 information systems are described and relationships to the processes they automate are clearly discussed. 2 to 3 information systems are described with relationships to the processes they automate Less than 2 information systems are described with few or no relationships identified.

Justification for the scenario choices and results 3 scenarios presented including a well-defined justification for each user’s choice; and in-depth discussion and analysis of the user's attempts to carry out the tasks is clearly presented. At least 3 scenarios presented, with some justification for the user’s choice, and clear description of the user's attempts to carry out the tasks included. At least 3 scenarios presented, with some justification for the user’s choice, and a description of the user's attempts to carry out the tasks included. At least 3 scenarios presented, with little justification for the user’s choice, and some description of the user's attempts to carry out the tasks included. Less than 3 scenarios presented, poor or no justification for the choices made by the user, and description of the users' attempted to carry out the task provide little information.
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Improvement recommendations The recommended improvements logically follow from the data gathered. Analytical considerations are indepth, organized evidence that reveal insightful patterns, differences or similarities of systems. The recommended improvements logically follow from the data gathered. Analytical considerations are organised evidence that reveal important patterns, differences or similarities of systems. The recommended improvements logically follow from the data gathered. Analytical considerations are organised evidence that provide insight into possible patterns within systems. The recommended improvements follow from the data gathered. Analytical considerations states a general conclusion that provides a broad application of the recommendation that may or may not be useful. The recommended improvements do not follow from the data gathered. There is no clear analytical considerations discussed or presented.
Stakeholder identification More than five stakeholders from each major category (client, user, technical support) is identified and their interests are explicitly defined and discussed in relation to the scenario. Five stakeholders from each major category (client, user, technical support) is identified and their interests are clearly explained in relation to the scenario. At least four stakeholders from each major category (client, user, technical support) is identified and their interests are listed in relation to the scenario. At least three stakeholders from each major category (client, user, technical support) is identified but their interests are not identified in relation to the scenario. No stakeholder from each major category (client, user, technical support) is identified and their interests are not explained in relation to the scenario.
Detailed description of the data gathering techniques used More than two data gathering techniques used are discussed in detail and information obtained is analysed, synthesized with concepts of systems analysis and clearly presented in a report. At least two data gathering techniques used are discussed and information obtained is analysed and reported with some reference to systems analysis concepts. Less than two data gathering techniques used are clearly discussed and information obtained is analysed and reported. Less than two data gathering techniques used are discussed in detail and information obtained is not analysed and reported No data gathering techniques used are discussed in detail and information obtained is ineffectively explored.

Requirements
Online submission via TurnItIn, further details will be supplied during the semester.