49013 Managing Information Technology in Engineering

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

Subject level:

Postgraduate

Handbook description

The aim of this subject is to explore the influence of information technology (IT) on organisations and management and in particular engineering management. Students critically examine both past and recent IT innovations. Issues in information technology extend into groupware, computer-aided logistic support, decisions support systems, tools for systems engineering, and communications technology including the internet. Students use a computer-mediated conferencing tool on the internet to participate in group project work either on or off campus. Most of the support material such as lectures is on the internet.

Subject objectives/outcomes

1. Communicate professionally using both oral and written medium.
2. Work professionally, collaboratively and productively in a team environment.
3. Conform to a systematic methodology when satisfying a set of technical requirements.
4. Display a graduate level professional engineering understanding of knowledge areas within their engineering discipline.
5. Display a graduate level professional engineering understanding of classes of IT tools used in knowledge areas within their engineering discipline.
6. Analyse and understand stakeholders of their engineering efforts at all areas of IT applications in the workplace.
7. Prepare and create a web page outlining an IT proposal and its stakeholders.
8. Interact with fellow professionals on IT based projects completely "on-line".
9. Identify the influence of IT on organisations and engineering management.
10. Use computer-mediated internet based conferencing tools for engineering colaboration.
11. Use information technologies to support their engineering practice.

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

This subject contributes to the deepening of student’s professional competency by enhancing their understanding of how information technologies can be used to support their engineering practice.

Teaching and learning strategies

This subject is mediated entirely through an electronic environment. There will be NO classroom events, as all interaction will occur within the enabling confine of UTSOnline. This approach demonstrates to students the use of information tools through direct experience with a specific information tool (UTSOnline).

The nature of information technology within Engineering is incredibly diverse. Whilst the underlying principles are very similar, the specific tools which might be used by an engineer will depend substantially upon their particular engineering discipline and/or the nature of their work (e.g. design versus project managament). Given this diversity, the subject relies on an approach which creates a general investigatory framework (driven primarily by the assessment tasks) and then requires students to take a substantial responsibility for exploring potential information tools and resources within this framework.

The subject involves two types of work: individual and group. The individual work requires students to take on a consultant-like experience, in which a task is assigned and they must exercise self-motivation in exploring potential information sources.

The group work also mimics real experience, and put students into a team for the purpose of short-term assignment, mirroring the role which they might have working within an organisation.

This subject is run entirely online. There are no formal or information class sessions. You should ensure that you regularly login to the subject on UTSOnline and monitor announcements etc. This should be at least once a week, but preferably more often.

Given the lack of formal class sessions, it is very important for all students to manage their time commitments to this subject very carefully. As a guideline this should involve spending an average of approximately 9 hours each week on the subject. You are also expected to participate fully in the online discussions and your group assignments.

Content

Information Tools

• Design, Analysis, Synthesis, Testing
• Modelling and Simulation
• CAD/CAM
• Project Management
• Collaboration
• Documentation management
• Quality assurance and control

Information sources

• Information repositories / portals
• Regulatory bodies
• Standards bodies
• Professional organisations
• Industry forums; industry groups

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Quiz 1

Assessment Item 2: Assignment 1 (individual)

Assessment Item 3: Assignment 2a: Group web page proposal

Assessment Item 4: Assignment 2b: Group project report

Assessment Item 5: Assignment 2c: Group project peer assessment

Assessment Item 6: SPA - Self and Peer Assessment factor

Assessment Item 7: Final Subject Mark Calculation

Minimum requirements

In order to pass the subject, you must achieve an overall mark of 50% or higher. In addition, you need to achieve a mark of at least 16/35 for the individual assignment. Note that it may be possible to resubmit assignment 1 if your mark is less than the passing mark under some circumstances, and that this decision rests with the lecturer and subject co-ordinator.

Recommended texts

This subject does not have a required text. The subject is so diverse (crossing many different Engineering disciplines) and the information discussed is changing so rapidly, that there is no single textbook that is appropriate. The most appropriate source of up-to-date information will be online resources. Appropriate pointers will be provided throughout the semester. Having said that, each particpant is encouraged to consult and/or purchase:

Lester Faigley, "The Little Penguin Handbook", Australasian Edition, Pearson Australia, 2011 (or better).

Note: The Little Penguin Handbook may be cited as one of the primary sources for many of your queries on the subject and the assignments; particularly: the structure, harvard notation, grammar, data organisation, etc. Equally, The Little Penguin Handbook can be used in your professional life and is therefore considered a desirable addition to your professional bookshelf.

References

As part of this subject, you will need to make use of various electronic sources of information such as IEEE Xplore and the ACM digital library. In order to gain full access to these resources, you will need to access them through the UTS library web page and login using your student number and UTS Webmail password.
Information about how to access electronic databases is provided on UTSOnline