SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT: A PROJECT MANAGEMENT APPROACH by Mcleod and Jordan, provides thorough coverage of the entire system development life cycle. This text is intended to provide student teams with the methodologies and tools necessary to create a system for a real organization, or for a case problem based on a real development challenge.
FEATURES
- A balanced coverage of each phase of the system development life cycle covering construction and installation as thoroughly as analysis and design.
- A project management emphasis that describes the planning and control mechanism for each stage of systems development, and offers multiple project management tools.
- A blend of structured and object–oriented coverage, so that users can choose which methodology to emphasize.
- A running case that describes how a student team conducts a client project, with 48 examples of techniques.
- A robust, course–tested Web site that provides students with class notes, blank forms, self tests, and review topics, and materials relating to the client project.
- Classroom software that enables students to play the "What If" game in performing a cost–benefit analysis and estimating project costs.
- A complete set of templates that students can use to apply the systems concepts to their development projects.
∗ Organization and coverage. Modular organization allows flexibility for the instructor. McLeod emphasizes the entire cycle with more coverage of the phases that follow analysis and design including construction, installation and post implementation activity.
∗ Project management emphasis. The text is ideal for courses that assign real client projects. Students have the responsibility of managing their projects, and the text describes the planning and control mechanism used for PM, covering tools such as Gantt charts, network diagrams (CPM, PERT), and milestone charts. A "PM Toolbox" feature is integrated into each chapter, as well.
∗ Knowledge, tools, skills approach. The combination of chapter topics with supporting technical modules provide students with what they need to know in developing software–based systems. Real forms and templates are provided for students to use with their clients.
∗ Integrated case (Advanced Systems Technology Associates or ASTA) throughout the book helps students apply every concept. For courses where students do not work with real clients, the extended case introduces students to the project management issues, tools and techniques.
∗ Equal coverage of both structured and object–oriented programming gives instructors the flexibility to choose which methodology to emphasize.
∗ Coverage of web–based system design.