Systems Development and Design

Module details

Title

Systems Development and Design

Type

Specialist

Module code

SBI131

Credits

10

Requirement

Compulsory

Aim of this module

This module will provide an opportunity for trainees to develop a more detailed understanding of the different approaches to the specification, design and delivery of systems. The trainee will know when and how best to apply them in a way that is likely to result in systems delivering target benefits, fulfilling user expectations, maximising patient safety and providing value for money. The module will examine and appraise the evolution of systems development approaches from the 1960s to the present day and provide opportunities for students to consider how different approaches to systems development could have resulted in different outcomes for a range of national and regional system procurements. Trainees will be provided with an opportunity to critically appraise a current live project and make suggestions on alternative approaches that could have been adopted, and how it could be improved. Trainees will apply their detailed understanding of the different approaches to the specification, design, verification and delivery of systems to gather data to define system requirements. The trainee will apply their knowledge in a way that results in systems delivering target benefits, fulfilling user expectations, maximising patient safety and providing value for money. Trainees will be provided with an opportunity to critically appraise a current live project and make suggestions on alternative approaches that could have been adopted and how it could be improved.

Competencies

#	Learning outcome	Competency	Action
# 1	Learning outcome 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6	Competency Apply information governance principles and best practice in the workplace, including confidentiality.	Action View
# 2	Learning outcome 1	Competency Select an approach to system design for a local system change or procurement project.	Action View
# 3	Learning outcome 1	Competency Appraise the options for procuring the system required to meet the needs of the local project.	Action View
# 4	Learning outcome 1	Competency Present your recommendations to a peer group and the supervisor using the correct nomenclature relating to project documentation.	Action View
# 5	Learning outcome 2	Competency Perform a system requirements gathering exercise and analyse and interpret the data, applying the appropriate quality management processes.	Action View
# 6	Learning outcome 2	Competency Document requirements and communicate the results of a system requirements gathering exercise in writing and verbally.	Action View
# 7	Learning outcome 3	Competency Critically appraise a systems design/development plan, identifying problems and risks and issues; and proposing solutions and mitigations.	Action View
# 8	Learning outcome 3	Competency Write a report of your findings making recommendations for improvement and present these to your line manager and peers.	Action View
# 9	Learning outcome 4	Competency Apply systems development methodologies to a range of projects in the workplace.	Action View
# 10	Learning outcome 4	Competency Critically reflect on your experience of using systems development methodologies and share your conclusions with your line manager or supervisor.	Action View
# 11	Learning outcome 5	Competency Review and document an information flow between systems and across organisational boundaries.	Action View
# 12	Learning outcome 5	Competency Evaluate an existing (recent) project to determine how this has improved outcomes for patients and discuss how the learning from this might be incorporated into future systems.	Action View
# 13	Learning outcome 6	Competency Identify instances where cross-organisational enterprise architecture has been unsuccessful and critically evaluate why this was and the lessons learnt.	Action View
# 14	Learning outcome 6	Competency Review or develop the requirements across organisational enterprise architecture.	Action View
# 15	Learning outcome 6	Competency Present and defend your findings in a written report and verbally to your line manager and peers.	Action View

Assessments

You must complete:

• 3 case-based discussion(s)
• 2 of the following DOPS/ OCEs:

Critically appraise a systems design development plan and present your findings	DOPS
Investigate and present the benefits and issues surrounding the networking of medical devices this may include possible solutions	DOPS
Apply a systems design methodology to an ICT informatics project	DOPS
Compare and contrast the information flows in at least two clinical settings, paying particular attention to the issues introduced by the chosen data collection systems	OCE
Design a data collection method for a clinical research project taking particular note of information governance issues.	OCE
Perform a requirements gathering exercise for the introduction of a system informatics solution with clinicians or other stakeholders	OCE

Learning outcomes

1. Recommend and justify a system design plan and procurement approach to an informatics lead.
2. Perform a system requirements-gathering exercise, develop a specification of requirements and present findings in a functional requirement document to all stakeholders.
3. Critically appraise a systems design/development plan to determine suitability of existing services.
4. Select and apply systems development methodologies to a range of projects in the workplace, including at least one in a healthcare science setting.
5. Review the flow of information between systems and across organisational boundaries and identify how an existing (recent) project has improved outcomes.
6. Review or develop the requirements across an organisational enterprise architecture.

Learning outcomes

1. Explain the different approaches to systems development and evaluate how they fit within the broader cycle of development, deployment and maintenance of healthcare information systems.
2. Explain and critically evaluate different approaches to the development of an enterprise-wide business architecture and the relevance of such architectures to systems design and requirements gathering.
3. Compare and contrast the different tools available to a systems analyst to elicit, analyse and record requirements, and critically appraise an existing approach that they are familiar with.
4. Describe and appraise the relationship between requirements, acceptance criteria and system testing, and determine a range of key success criteria.
5. Discuss and justify the importance of patient record, data and interoperability ‘standards’ in the design of healthcare information systems.
6. Evaluate the impact of different technical architectures on potential solution designs and on procurement strategy.
7. Explain the reasons why IT projects may fail and be able to discuss how different models of change management, system design and approaches to procurement might contribute to greater success.

Indicative content

• Description of main system design methodologies, e.g. Agile, Waterfall
• Description of main requirements analysis methodologies
• Data models and architecture
• Domain enterprise architecture methodologies
• Building on best practice examples, an explanation of the key stages and activities within the lifetime of an informatics procurement activity
• Description of best practice procurement approaches, including an appreciation of legal aspects of public sector procurement
• An explanation of the logical relationships and dependencies between key stages and activities within the lifetime of an informatics procurement activity
• Evaluation of informatics systems design/development/procurement
• Critical appraisal of past and current projects

Activities

• Assist an informatics lead in either (i) reviewing or (ii) developing a system design plan and/or procurement approach, evaluating each stage, and critically reflect on the process and how you will use this experience in the future.
• Apply system design methodologies to a range of projects; critically evaluate the outcomes to determine future suitability of such methodologies to system design scenarios.
• Visit a range of clinical environments in a number of organisations and identify issues surrounding information flows and systems design and the impact of them should they not be considered.