CS5550 Data Management and Business Intelligence Coursework Assessment Guide for 2009/10

Date last updated: Date approved by module reviewer: Date checked by Level co-ordinator/ Programme Director: 24/11/09 27/11/09 DD/MM/YY

Assessment Summary Assessment title Module leader Distribution date Submission deadline Contribution to overall module assessment Indicative student time working on assessment Word or page limit Assessment type A Critical Analysis of Business Intelligence Professor Mark Lycett 04/01/10 See submission instructions below 100% 75 hours (including background reading) 2500 words overall (see information below for full details) Individual

Main Objectives of the Assessment The objective of the assessment is to: Discuss the role and value of data warehousing and analytics as aspects of business intelligence, analysing critically the issues and challenges of development/implementation with current technologies and approaches.

Description of the Assessment In this module, you are introduced to a range of concepts, technologies and approaches that enable and support business intelligence within and across organisations. Broadly speaking, the technologies examined are considered to be the norms for capturing, representing and storing data and information within and across organisations to disseminate and exploit the outcomes as business intelligence. Further examination of these technologies and approaches in the context of given information management problems should thus allow you to critically evaluate their capabilities and limitations. It is a fact of life that the majority of organisations live in a world that employs a heterogeneous approach to the management of data and information (in most cases a disparate range of technologies and approaches are employed). This situation can make it difficult to get information for decision making in a consistent, reliable and timely manner. Given that backdrop, data warehousing and analytics are increasingly used as a means of synthesising data and information for decision making within organisations to a degree acting as a gateway to (a) the underlying network and (b) the diverse data and information content, services and applications built upon that network infrastructure. To do the task effectively, you will need to draw and build upon the (a) material covered in the taught sessions and (b) the workshops related to SAP Business Information Warehouse. Importantly, you will also need to undertake additional research using library resources (for which you have received training).

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Learning Outcomes and Marking Criteria Learning outcomes are descriptors for what you are expected to know, understand and/or be able to do at the end of a period of learning. This assignment relates to all learning outcomes in your study guide, which are that you must be able to: 1. Describe and discuss the key concepts of data management and business intelligence and their value and implications for information systems development and use. 2. Apply the appropriate practical skills/abilities required to implement business intelligence solutions. 3. Reflect critically on the theory and appropriate use of data management and business intelligence in organisational environments. Please note that Learning Outcomes 1 and 3 provide the focus of the essay, while Learning Outcome 2 provides the focus of the required appendix. The marking scheme for the assignment is presented in Appendix 1 and employs a criteria-based approach. The criteria show the characteristics and/or qualities against which each learning outcome is judged (and, thus, what is expected from your work). Please note that an implicit criterion to all learning outcomes is that the essay and appendix are clearly written, appropriately structured, within the prescribed word limit and the citations and referencing style accords with the Harvard standard. In line with University regulations (Senate Regulation 3), grade-based marking is employed. Grades fall within the range of A to F - for reference to the overall grade, the general University grade descriptors are provided in Appendix 2. The overall grading for the module is achieved in accordance with Departmental guidelines: 1. Where a C grade has not been achieved in all learning outcomes, the overall grade for the task will be equal to the grade of the lowest learning outcome achieved. 2. Where C grade, and/or above, has been achieved in all learning outcomes, the overall grade will be given by the median grade.

Format of the Assessment The outcome of the task must take the form of a 2000 word structured essay with an appendix containing key outcomes from the SAP Business Information Warehouse workshops linked by a narrative, if necessary, of no more than 500 words. As noted in the section above, the structured essay addresses Learning Outcomes 1 and 3; the appendix addresses Learning Outcome 2.

Submission Instructions Departmental policy is that all coursework must be submitted electronically via the Universitys uLink system. For this module, the coursework submission date and time is as follows: Students at Brunel Campus: The assignment submission date for both full-time and partth time students is Sunday 28 March 2010 at 23.59 GMT. Students at NITH (Norway): The assignment submission date for full-time students is th Sunday 24 January 2010 at 23.59 GMT. The assignment submission date for part-time students is Sunday 14th February 2010 at 23.59 GMT.

The assignment should be uploaded as one file, in PDF format, that contains both the structured essay and the appendix containing key outcomes from the SAP Business Information Warehouse workshops. The naming convention for the file is your student number followed by the module number (i.e., 0643421_CS5550.pdf). To maintain anonymity of marking, there should be no references to your name in the essay, only your student number.

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Avoiding Plagiarism Please ensure that you understand the meaning of plagiarism and the seriousness of the offence. Information on plagiarism and how to avoid it is provided in the ISC/Mathematics Student Handbook.

Late Coursework Please refer to the ISC/Mathematics Student Handbook for information on submitting late work, penalties applied and procedures in the case of mitigating circumstances.

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Appendix 1: CS5550 Marking Scheme

Learning Outcome LO1 Criteria Achievement of this learning outcome will be demonstrated via: 1.1 Clear definition of the key concepts related to data warehousing and analytics (and the relationships between them). 1.2 Discrimination of the role and value of data warehousing and analytics in business intelligence. 1.3 Assessment of the value and implications of business intelligence for organisational information systems. LO2 Achievement of this learning outcome will be demonstrated via: 2.1 Inclusion of a multidimensional model, staging model (inc. InfoSource and DataSources), 2 queries with their respective results and an exception report (generated from SAP Business Information Warehouse) 2.2 Description of the role and function of the outputs in 2.1 and how they combine to achieve business intelligence. LO3 Achievement of this learning outcome will be demonstrated via: 1.1 Exploration of the issues and challenges of developing/implementing business intelligence solutions. 1.2 Critical evaluation of the appropriate use of data warehousing and analytics for effective business intelligence. 1.3 Application of further reading and use of examples to show depth of understanding of the role of the organisational context in data management and business intelligence. Grade

Overall Grade

At least one F in any learning outcome At least one E in any learning outcome and no F in the remaining learning outcomes At least one D in any learning outcome and no E or F in the remaining learning outcomes Grades CCC = C or CCB = C (where individual learning outcome grades can be in any order) Grades BBA = B or BBB = B or CBB = B (where individual learning outcome grades can be in any order) Grades AAA = A or BAA = A (where individual learning outcome grades can be in any order) Feedback

Marker Use Only (Circle One) F E D C B A

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Section 2: University Grade Descriptors

Grade A Descriptor Clearly demonstrates a sophisticated, critical and thorough understanding of the topic. Provides evidence of originality of thought and clearly demonstrates the ability to develop a highly systematic and logical or insightful argument. Demonstrates excellence in the appropriate use of the relevant literature, theory, methodologies, practices, tools, etc., to analyse and synthesise at an advanced level. Shows exceptional clarity, focus and cogency in communication.

Clearly demonstrates a well-developed, critical and comprehensive understanding of the topic. Clearly demonstrates the ability to develop a systematic and logical or insightful argument. Demonstrates a high degree of competence in the appropriate use of the relevant literature, theory, methodologies, practices, tools, etc., to analyse and synthesise at an advanced level. Shows a high level of clarity, focus and cogency in communication.

Demonstrates a critical and substantial understanding of the topic. Demonstrates the ability to develop a systematic and logical or insightful argument. Demonstrates a significant degree of competence in the appropriate use of the relevant literature, theory, methodologies, practices, tools, etc., to analyse and synthesise at an advanced level. Provides evidence of clarity, focus and cogency in communication.

Provides evidence of some critical understanding of the topic. Demonstrates some ability to develop a structured argument. Demonstrates a degree of competence in the appropriate use of the relevant literature, theory, methodologies, practices, tools, etc., to analyse and synthesise, but not at Masters level. Provides evidence of effective communication.

Work that does not demonstrate achievement of some learning outcomes defined for a Graduate Level Pass, but which provides strong evidence that Grade D is within the reach of the student.

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