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Monash University

FIT5095 Data warehousing - Semester 1, 2013

Managerial decision-makers often require information held in various organisational information systems to make improved strategic decisions. A data warehouse is designed to provide high quality data from a number of sources both inside and outside the organisation and is an example of a large-scale decision system. This unit presents students with coverage of several important aspects of data warehousing. These include the purpose of a data warehouse, data warehouse design, data warehouse architecture, data sourcing, implementing the data warehouse, organisational issues involved with designing and implementing a data warehouse, data warehouse governance and case studies.

Mode of Delivery

Caulfield (Day)

Contact Hours

2 hrs lectures/wk, 2 hr laboratory/wk

Workload requirements

You are expected to spend 12 hours per week on various activities including reading, communication with other students and unit lecturers, and preparation for learning tasks and formal assessments.

Unit Relationships

Prohibitions

IMS5026

Prerequisites

FIT9003

Chief Examiner

Campus Lecturer

Caulfield

Rob Meredith

Academic Overview

Learning Outcomes

At the completion of this unit students will:
  • have knowledge of the theories and principles of data warehousing;
  • understand the potential benefits of data warehousing;
  • understand the techniques and tools used to design a data warehouse;
  • understand the theories and principles of data warehousing with regard to the practice of decision support;
  • be able to design multi-dimensional data structures;
  • appreciate how to interact effectively with managers, consultants and vendors in the development of a data warehouse.

Unit Schedule

Week Activities Assessment
0   No formal assessment or activities are undertaken in week 0
1 Introduction to the unit and Data Warehouse concepts  
2 Data Warehousing as a process  
3 Data Warehouse Design 1 - Dimensional Modelling  
4 Data Warehouse Design 2 - Dimensional Modelling continued  
5 Physical Design  
6 Data Warehousing Architectures Assignment 1 due
7 Methodologies and Data Mining  
8 Organisational Issues and Cases  
9 Data quality and metadata management  
10 Data Warehouse technology decisions  
11 Data Warehouse Governance Assignment 2 due
12 Review and Conclusion  
  SWOT VAC No formal assessment is undertaken in SWOT VAC
  Examination period LINK to Assessment Policy: http://policy.monash.edu.au/policy-bank/
academic/education/assessment/
assessment-in-coursework-policy.html

*Unit Schedule details will be maintained and communicated to you via your learning system.

Assessment Summary

Examination (2 hours): 50%; In-semester assessment: 50%

Assessment Task Value Due Date
Assignment 1 - Data Warehouse Design 20% Week 6
Assignment 2 - Research Essay 30% Week 11
Examination 1 50% To be advised

Teaching Approach

Lecture and tutorials or problem classes
This teaching and learning approach provides facilitated learning, practical exploration and peer learning.

Assessment Requirements

Assessment Policy

Faculty Policy - Unit Assessment Hurdles (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/staff/edgov/policies/assessment-examinations/unit-assessment-hurdles.html)

Academic Integrity - Please see the Demystifying Citing and Referencing tutorial at http://lib.monash.edu/tutorials/citing/

Assessment Tasks

Participation

  • Assessment task 1
    Title:
    Assignment 1 - Data Warehouse Design
    Description:
    Using the multi-dimensional modelling technique, a logical design and requirements specification for a data warehouse will be produced by students for a given case study.
    Weighting:
    20%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Assignment 1 will be assessed according to the following criteria:

    1. Correctness of schema notation
    2. Quality of schema design in regards to elegance and support for all business requirements, and quality of justification of the design
    3. Quality of sample reports demonstrating user requirements
    4. Quality and professionalism of presentation, including layout, structure and grammar
    Due date:
    Week 6
  • Assessment task 2
    Title:
    Assignment 2 - Research Essay
    Description:
    A 3000 word essay on a data warehousing issue or topic.
    Weighting:
    30%
    Criteria for assessment:

    Assignment 2 will be assessed according to the following criteria:

    1. Logical structure
    2. Critical analysis and understanding of the topic
    3. Literature utilised, including range, relevance and number
    4. Conclusions drawn
    5. Quality of writing, including expression, presentation and citation technique
    Due date:
    Week 11

Examinations

  • Examination 1
    Weighting:
    50%
    Length:
    2 hours
    Type (open/closed book):
    Closed book
    Electronic devices allowed in the exam:
    None

Learning resources

Monash Library Unit Reading List
http://readinglists.lib.monash.edu/index.html

Feedback to you

Types of feedback you can expect to receive in this unit are:
  • Informal feedback on progress in labs/tutes
  • Graded assignments with comments
  • Other: Online discussion forums with comments

Extensions and penalties

Returning assignments

Resubmission of assignments

Assignments may not be resubmitted.

Referencing requirements

Students should use the APA 5th referencing style for their assignments.  See http://guides.lib.monash.edu/content.php?pid=88267&sid=656564 for the Library Guides for Citing and Referencing.

Note that the Library provides a free copy of the citation software EndNote, which will automatically format your bibliography for you in the correct style.  See http://guides.lib.monash.edu/endnote

Assignment submission

It is a University requirement (http://www.policy.monash.edu/policy-bank/academic/education/conduct/plagiarism-procedures.html) for students to submit an assignment coversheet for each assessment item. Faculty Assignment coversheets can be found at http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au/resources/student/forms/. Please check with your Lecturer on the submission method for your assignment coversheet (e.g. attach a file to the online assignment submission, hand-in a hard copy, or use an online quiz).

Online submission

If Electronic Submission has been approved for your unit, please submit your work via the learning site for this unit, which you can access via links in the my.monash portal.

Required Resources

Please check with your lecturer before purchasing any Required Resources. Limited copies of prescribed texts are available for you to borrow in the library, and prescribed software is available in student labs.

While no software is necessarily required, we will be making use of Microsoft SQL Server and Pentaho in the laboratories.

You will also find that a copy of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Visio will be of use during assignments.

All of this software is installed by default in the student laboratories, but copies can be borrowed and installed on your personal computer through the Faculty of IT's website (http://www.infotech.monash.edu.au).

Recommended text(s)

Kimball, R., Reeves, L., Ross, M., & Thornthwaite, W.. (1998 or later). The Data Warehousing Lifecycle Toolkit. (Any) John Wiley & Sons.

Kimball, R., & Ross, M.. (2002). The Data Warehouse Toolkit: The Complete Guide to Dimensional Modelling. () John Wiley & Sons.

Other Information

Policies

Graduate Attributes Policy

Student services

Monash University Library

Disability Liaison Unit

Students who have a disability or medical condition are welcome to contact the Disability Liaison Unit to discuss academic support services. Disability Liaison Officers (DLOs) visit all Victorian campuses on a regular basis.

Your feedback to Us

Previous Student Evaluations of this Unit

Based on student feedback laboratory sessions have been extended from one hour to two each week, and the exercises and topics covered have been revised.  A laboratory class dealing with ETL tools has been added.

If you wish to view how previous students rated this unit, please go to
https://emuapps.monash.edu.au/unitevaluations/index.jsp

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