FIT5093 Business intelligence applications - Semester 2, 2011

This unit is intended to provide students with a framework for understanding business intelligence reporting systems with particular focus on the evolutionary process of developing an OLAP-based business intelligence system.

Mode of Delivery

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hr laboratory/wk

Workload

Students are expected to spend a total of 12 hours per week during semester on this unit as follows:

• Lecture: 2 hours per week
• Tutorial / Laboratory: 2 hours per week
• Lecture Preparation: Approximately 2 hours before each lecture to read and understand the lecture readings.
• Tutorial / Laboratory Preparation: Approximately 1 hour before to read and understand the laboratory notes.
• Other Tasks: Up to 5 hours per week participating in online discussion forums, completing laboratory exercises, and working on assignments.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

IMS5004

Prerequisites

One of FIT9003, BUS5071, IMS9003 or equivalent

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Tutors

Academic Overview

Learning Objectives

At the completion of this unit students will:

• understand the scope and application of OLAP technology and business intelligence systems;
• have knowledge of the major approaches to the development of business intelligence and reporting systems;
• be able to design simple multi-dimensional databases;
• be able to develop a simple business intelligence system using an OLAP tool;
• be able to develop a simple reporting system;
• be able to communicate and foster realistic expectations of the role of OLAP technology and business intelligence systems in management and decision support.

Graduate Attributes

Assessment Summary

Examination (3 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%

Teaching Approach

• Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
  This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.
  The lecture stream of the unit will present and critically analyze theories, case studies and industry trends. The lectures will use interactive web 2.0 technology to facilitate interaction.
• Laboratory-based classes
  This teaching approach is practical learning.
  The laboratory classes will provide an exposure to the major technologies used in business intelligence. They will provide students with the skills required to work on the practical assignments.
• Problem-based learning
  Students are encouraged to take responsibility for organising and directing their learning with support from their supervisors.
  Many of the concepts and theories in this area can't be understood without experience. The unit features a major practical assignment that provides students with a concrete realistic design and development activity that will help reinforce and clarify the material presented in the unit. 

Feedback

Our feedback to You

• Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
• Graded assignments with comments
• Solutions to tutes, labs and assignments

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this unit

Required Resources

Prescribed Text(s) and Readings

There is no prescribed text for this unit.

The details of prescribed readings for each week's lecture and/or laboratory will be provided in the unit web site.

Required Software and/or Hardware

The unit will make extensive use of a wide variety of OLAP and business intelligence software packages including Microsoft Excel, Crystal Reports and Crystal Dashboard Designer.
The main tool that will be used is Microsoft SQL Server Analysis Services 2008 R2. This product is installed in the computer laboratories we will be using, and is available for loan under a license agreement from Microsoft - so that students can install a copy on their personal computer for use on assignment and tutorial work.

A useful link:http://infotech.monash.edu/itsupport/msdnaa.html

Unit Schedule

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your MUSO (Blackboard or Moodle) learning system.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Assessment Tasks

Participation

• Assessment task 1

  Title:

  Prototype Business Intelligence Application: Part 1 Design Specification Document

  Description:

  This assessment task involves the creation of a documented design specification for a prototype business intelligence application. An application, based on this design specification, will be developed and implemented in Assessment Task 2.
  
  Students can use the feedback received on the design specification to improve the developed and implemented application.
  
  Students may choose to revise their design specification based on the feedback received and re-submit it for re-marking in week 12.
  
  The Moodle-based unit web site contains details of the submission requirements and the case study on which the prototype business intelligance application will be based.

  Weighting:

  25%

  Criteria for assessment:

  The main criteria used to assess this submission will include:

  1. The ability of the system to answer the business questions posed by the case study.
  2. Quality of the justification of design choices made.
  3. The professionalism, presentation and clarity of the specifiaction.

  See the Moodle-based unit web site for details of the assessment criteria.

  Due date:

  The design specification document must be submitted for marking and feedback at the end of week 8. The revised version of the design specification (if the student wished to submit it) is due at the end of week 12.

• Assessment task 2

  Title:

  Prototype Business Intelligence Application: Part 2 Development and Implementation

  Description:

  Assessment Task 2 involves the development and implementation of a working prototype business intelligence application. The application will be based on the design specification created in Assessment Task 1.
  
  The Moodle-based unit web site contains details of the required submission and the case study the assignment work will be based on.

  Weighting:

  25%

  Criteria for assessment:

  The main criteria used to assess this submission will include:

  1. The ability of the system to answer the business questions posed by the case study.
  2. The consistency of the system with the design specification (Assignment 2).
  3. The application of best-practice design principles to the display of data in the system's views and reports.

  See the Moodle-based unit web site for details of the assessment criteria.

  Due date:

  End of week 12.

• Assessment task 3

  Title:

  Reflective Journal Posts

  Description:

  Each student is invited to keep a reflective journal on the either the Moodle-based unit web site or the Faculty blog site blog.infotech.monash.edu.au or using a 3rd party site like the www.blogger.com system. This blog will provide the opportunity to reflect on the learning that takes place throughout the unit. Each week you will be able to make a new posting to your blog. The blog entries should include a reflection on what has happened in terms of your progress on assignment and tutorial work, your management of the assignment project and its tasks, what lessons have been learned to date and what you (and the staff) could do differently.
  
  To obtain the 3% bonus mark for this task you must complete a minimum of 10 weekly blog entries during the semester. Each blog post will be read and assessed by the chief examiner. To get the 3% bonus 6 of these posts should be assessed as "satisfactory".
  
  The 3% bonus will be added to the assignment component of the mark available for the unit.
  
  Note: The assignment component cannot exceed 50%. So, for example, a student who obtained 46/50 for their assignment work and who earns the bonus will get 49%. While a student who got 49/50 would get 50/50 - the maximum available - if they earned the bonus.
  
  For more details, please refer to the Moodle-based unit web site.

  Weighting:

  Bonus of 3% added to overall assignment mark.

  Criteria for assessment:

  For more details, please refer to the Moodle-based unit web site.

  Due date:

  Your last blog entry can be made anytime before the exam.

Examinations

• Examination 1

  Weighting:

  50%

  Length:

  3 hours

  Type (open/closed book):

  Closed book

  Electronic devices allowed in the exam:

  None

  Remarks:

  The exam will be scheduled by the central Monash exams branch during the normal examination period at the end of the semester.

Assignment submission

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Other Information

Policies

Student services

READING LIST:

Extensive reading will be made available to students using the library's digital scanning service and has been posted on the unit web site.

Useful texts include:

• Eckerson, W (2006) Performance Dashboards: Measuring, Monitoring, and Managing Your Business Wiley.
• Thomsen, E. (2002). OLAP Solutions: Building Multidimensional Information Systems (2nd Ed.). Wiley.
• Parmenter, D. (2007) Key Performance Indicators (KPI): Developing, Implementing and Using Winning KPIs Wiley.
• Vitt ,E., Luckevich, M. & Misner, S. (2002). Business Intelligence. Microsoft Press.