Information Systems

The recommended Basic Knowledge (BC) is as follows:

• BK1. Fundamentals of information systems and technologies, including concepts of system, information system, organizational processes, types of information systems and their respective role in organizations.
• BK2. Analytical and abstraction skills, enabling the identification of business requirements, distinguishing between functional and non-functional requirements, and modeling solutions for organizational problems.
• BK3. Technical reading in English, sufficient to understand standards, technical documentation, specialized bibliography, and modeling tool manuals.

The teaching methods (TM) to be used are balanced between traditional and active learning and are as follows:

• TM1. Content presentation by the teacher: Compatible with learning objectives 1, 2, 4 and 6. Structured presentation of the concepts, principles, methodologies, standards and techniques of Requirements Engineering, Systems Analysis, UML and software development processes, using examples, demonstrations and guided discussion, promoting the understanding of the scientific and technical fundamentals of the curricular unit.
• TM2. Applying the content learned by the students: Compatible with learning objectives 3 and 5. Carrying out practical exercises that allow the application of elicitation, analysis, specification, validation and requirements management techniques, as well as building UML models and using support tools, consolidating the knowledge acquired through guided practice.
• TM3. Problem-solving by students: Compatible with learning objectives 3, 5, and 7. Solving case studies and problems applied to the analysis and development of information systems, involving requirements identification, use of analysis techniques, development of UML models, and selection of appropriate solutions for different organizational contexts.
• TM4. Interaction and sharing of ideas by students: Compatible with learning objective 7. Promoting collaborative learning through the discussion of solutions, presentation and defense of proposals, comparative analysis of alternatives, and sharing of experiences among students, developing skills in technical communication, teamwork, negotiation, and reasoned argumentation.
• TM5. Development of critical thinking by students: Compatible with learning objective 7. Critical analysis of requirements, models, diagrams, and developed solutions, encouraging students to justify decisions, identify limitations, compare methodologies, and evaluate the impact of different analysis and modeling options on the quality of information systems.
• TM6. Student research: Compatible with learning objectives 5 and 7. Research and analysis of standards, technical documentation, scientific articles, case studies, and best practices in the area of Requirements Engineering, UML, and information systems development, promoting autonomous learning and the technical foundation of the solutions developed.
• TM7. Project-based learning: Compatible with learning objective 7. Development, preferably in groups, of a project for the analysis and specification of an information system applied to a real organization or problem, integrating requirements elicitation and management, UML modeling, and framing the development according to the ISO/IEC 12207 standard.

The main Learning Objectives (LO) are:

• LO1. Identify requirements for IT systems and formulate appropriate technological solutions
• LO2. Know good practices for analysis, management, and development of software requirements
• LO3. Understand and be able to use information systems analysis techniques in practice
• LO4. Understand the modeling principles proposed by the UML language
• LO5. Understand and be able to use the most common UML diagrams in practice
• LO6. Raise awareness of software development processes according to ISO 12207
• LO7. Know how to apply the knowledge acquired during classes in a practical project

The main Competencies to Develop (CD) are the following:

• CD1. Ability to collect and interpret facts from an organization that allow for the analysis of an information system
• CD2. Aptitude in identifying organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and proposing an information system to improve it
• CD3. Ability to analyze the feasibility of an information system project proposal
• CD4. Aptitude in identifying and modeling the actors and processes and describing the scenarios to be considered in an information system
• CD5. Ability to elicit, analyze, specify and validate software requirements
• CD6. Competence in creating structural models of information systems suitable for business needs
• CD7. Competence in creating behavioral models of information systems suitable for business needs

• P1. Software requirements development
  • 1. Principles of software requirements
  • 2. Elicitation
  • 3. Analysis
  • 4. Specification
  • 5. Validation
• P2. Software requirements management
  • 1. Best practices
  • 2. Change and version management
• P3. Information systems analysis techniques
  • 1. Decision tables
  • 2. Decision trees
  • 3. Flowcharts
  • 4. Structured language
  • 5. Other analysis techniques
• P4. UML modeling language
  • 1. Introduction
  • 2. Modeling abstractions
  • 3. Concepts used
  • 4. Types of diagrams
• P5. Processes in the life cycle of an information system (ISO 12207)
  • 1. Primary processes
  • 2. Support processes
  • 3. Organizational processes

Students can choose between two assessment methods: continuous assessment or assessment by exam.

A) Continuous Assessment

• MA1. Continuous Assessment of the 1st Test (AC1F) (30%): Individual written test, without consultation. Covers the content taught up to the time of the test. Requires submission of the first part of the project and a minimum attendance of 2/3 of the classes. Minimum grade of 7 points. Mandatory.
• MA2. Continuous Assessment of the 2nd Test (AC2F) (30%): Individual written test, without consultation. Covers the remaining content of the curricular unit. Requires submission of the second part of the project and a minimum attendance of 2/3 of the classes. Minimum grade of 7 points. Mandatory.
• MA3. Continuous Assessment of the Practical Project (ACPP) (40%): Development of an analysis and specification project for an information system for a real organization or problem, carried out individually or in a group of up to three students. The project includes the elicitation, analysis, specification and management of requirements, application of systems analysis techniques, UML modeling and framing of the development process according to the ISO/IEC 12207 standard. The project proposal must be previously validated by the professor. The project will be developed in two phases, with intermediate deliverables, culminating in an oral presentation and discussion. It is subject to a minimum attendance of 2/3 of the classes. The grade obtained in this component remains valid at any exam time of the same academic year. Mandatory.

Final Grade Formula (CF):

CF = 30% × AC1F + 30% × AC2F + 40% × ACPP

B) Exam Assessment

• MA4. Final Written Exam (FWE) (60%): Individual written exam, without consultation. Assesses all course content, focusing on the concepts, methodologies, techniques, and standards covered. Takes place at any of the scheduled exam periods. Minimum grade of 7 points. Mandatory.
• MA5. Practical Project (PP) (40%): Project for the analysis and specification of an information system, developed individually or in a group of up to three students, according to the previously provided template. The project must integrate all essential phases of requirements engineering, systems analysis techniques, appropriate UML models, and framing of the development process according to the ISO/IEC 12207 standard. The proposal must be previously validated by the professor. Each group will mandatorily give an oral presentation and defense of the project immediately after the written exam of the respective assessment period. The grade obtained in the project component remains valid for the other periods of the same academic year and may be improved by submitting and defending a significantly improved version. Mandatory.

Final Grading Formula (CF):

CF = 60% × EFE + 40% × PP

C) Regulation of the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI)

The use of Generative Artificial Intelligence tools is governed by the principles of academic integrity, transparency, and critical use of technology.

GAI can be used as a tool to support project development, namely for:

• exploratory research on requirements engineering, UML, systems analysis, and software development processes;
• support for structuring technical documentation and reports;
• support for the development of preliminary models, examples, or documentation;
• support for identifying methodological alternatives and best practices.

The use of GAI does not replace the intellectual authorship of students, who are fully responsible for the technical correctness, justification of decisions, validation of the models produced, and scientific quality of the work presented.

Whenever GAI tools are used in the project, students must:

• identify the tools used;
• explicitly state how they were used;
• attach, when relevant, the main prompts used;
• indicate the validations, adaptations, and critical decisions made regarding the responses produced by the AI.

The submission of content produced entirely by AI systems without critical student intervention is not permitted. In the components of individual in-person assessment (attendance, written exam, or oral exam), the use of AI tools is prohibited. Failure to comply with these rules constitutes a violation of the principles of academic integrity and will be dealt with in accordance with applicable institutional regulations.

NAO