Assignment 1: Problem Framing and Design Thinking Analysis

Objective:

The goal of this assignment is to introduce students to design thinking and problem framing in the context of information  systems  design.  Students will learn how to move from a vague or ill-defined situation to a clearly articulated design problem.

Task Description:

Students will identify a real-world problem related to an organization, community, or everyday system that could be addressed through an information system. Using design thinking frameworks,  students will  analyze the problem  and  articulate meaningful design opportunities.

Required Components:

Description of the problem context and stakeholders

Identification of user needs and pain points

Empathy-based analysis (e.g., personas, empathy maps, or user narratives)

Clear problem statement and design opportunity statement

Reflection on how creativity and innovation influence the proposed solution

Tasks:

A written report (3–5 pages)

Visual artifacts (personas, diagrams, or sketches), if applicable

Assignment 2: User Research and Requirements Analysis

Objective:

This assignment focuses on user research, organizational analysis, and requirements elicitation, which are essential phases ofthe systems development life cycle.

Task Description:

Building on the problem defined in Assignment  1 (or a newly approved problem), students will conduct basic user and organizational research to identify functional and non-functional system requirements.

Required Components:

Description of research methods used (e.g., interviews, surveys, observation, document analysis)

Summary of key findings from user and organizational analysis

Identification of stakeholders and system boundaries

Functional requirements (what the system should do)

Non-functional requirements (usability, security, performance, accessibility, etc.)

Tasks:

Requirements analysis document (4–6 pages)

Supporting artifacts such as requirement tables, diagrams, or summaries

Assignment 3: Information Architecture and Interaction Design

Objective:

The purpose of this assignment is to translate system requirements into structured system designs, focusing on information organization and user interaction.

Task Description:

Students  will   design  the  information  architecture  and  interaction  flow  of  their proposed system. Emphasis is placed on clarity, usability, and alignment with user needs.

Required Components:

System overview and design goals

Information architecture (e.g., site map, content hierarchy)

Interaction design elements (user flows, task flows, or navigation models)

Low- to mid-fidelity prototypes (wireframes or mockups)

Design rationale explaining key design decisions

Tasks:

Design report (4–6 pages)

Visual design artifacts (diagrams, wireframes, prototypes)

Assignment 4: Ethical, Accessible, and Responsible System Design

Objective:

This assignment emphasizes ethical responsibility, accessibility, bias awareness, and design justice in information systems design.

Task Description:

Students  will  critically  evaluate  their  system  design  from  Assignment  3  through ethical  and  social  lenses.  The  goal  is  to   identify  potential   harms,  biases,   and accessibility issues and propose concrete improvements.

Required Components:

Identification of ethical risks and power dynamics in the system

Analysis of bias and inclusivity issues

Accessibility evaluation (e.g., considering users with disabilities or marginalized groups)

Proposed design modifications to address identified concerns

Reflection on the role of designers ’ responsibility in information systems

Tasks:

Analytical report (3–5 pages)

Revised design elements or annotations, if applicable

Final Project: Information Systems Design Project

Project Overview:

The Final Project is a comprehensive, integrative assignment in which students apply the full range of concepts, methods, and tools learned throughout the course to analyze and design a real-world or realistic information system. The project simulates a professional systems analysis and design process, from problem identification through system specification and evaluation.

Students will work individually or in teams (as assigned by the instructor) to select an organization or domain (e.g., education, healthcare, business, nonprofit, or public services) and propose an information system that addresses a clearly defined organizational or user problem.

Project Objectives:

By completing this project, students will demonstrate their ability to:

Apply the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) or an alternative methodology (e.g., agile or iterative design)

Elicit, analyze, and document user and organizational requirements

Create logical and physical system designs

Use graphical modeling techniques to represent system processes and structures Address usability, ethics, accessibility, and design justice considerations

Communicate system designs clearly through professional documentation and presentation

Project Components:

The Final Project should include the following components:

1. Problem Definition & Organizational Context

l Description of the organization or user group

l Overview of the current system or process (if one exists)

l Identification of key problems, inefficiencies, or unmet needs

l Clear statement of project goals and design objectives

2. Stakeholder & User Analysis

l Identification of primary and secondary stakeholders

l User personas or profiles

l Summary of user needs, constraints, and expectations

l Consideration of organizational, social, and technical factors

3. Requirements Analysis

l Functional requirements (what the system should do)

l Non-functional requirements (usability, security, performance, accessibility, etc.)

l Assumptions and constraints

l Prioritization of requirements

4. System Modeling & Design

l Appropriate graphical models, such as: Use case diagrams, Process models (e.g., flowcharts, DFDs), Data models (e.g., ER diagrams)

l Logical system design describing how the system will function

l Physical system design outlining possible technologies, platforms, or architectures

5. Prototyping & Interaction Design

l Low- or mid-fidelity prototypes (wireframes, sketches, or mockups)

l Description of user interactions and information architecture

l Explanation of design decisions based on usability and user experience principles 6. Ethics, Accessibility & Design Justice

l Discussion of ethical considerations related to the system

l Identification of potential bias, accessibility challenges, or power imbalances

l Explanation of how the design promotes inclusive and responsible system use

7. Evaluation & Reflection

l Description of how the proposed system would be evaluated (e.g., usability testing, user feedback)

l Reflection on design trade-offs, limitations, and future improvements

Tasks:

Written Project Report (professional, well-organized, and clearly structured)

Visual models and design artifacts embedded or appended

Final presentation (if required by instructor), summarizing the system, design process, and key outcomes