Course Offerings

Infomet Courses 2005

Concepts and frameworks

IIM: Index to Infomet                              

This course outlines the Infomet Systems Methodology Framework, as it is applied to Business and Information Systems. It addresses the way in which System Methodologies have to be implemented in business organisations to ensure success.  The paracentric approach and the Infomet Meta Model are explained. It provides an Index to the full Infomet methodology and should not be viewed as just an introduction course.

The course ensures:

• that existing and future industry influences are understood
• that fundamental principles of business and system engineering requirements are understood.
• that course attendees understand the positioning of work methods and techniques, as well as the tools within the context of the  systems methodology framework
• that employees and managers understand the roles and responsibilities needed for implementing a methodology successful, and which training programmes to use to equip staff for their roles.
• that application and limitations of each method set are understood.
• that the attendees understand how the different engineering functions are organised by means of methodology subsystems.

Prerequisites:       A reasonable understanding of IT.

Duration:              1 Day

Attendees:             System Engineers, Business Analysts, System or Project Managers.

Management

EB: Executive Briefing of Business and Information System Engineering

The course explains system methodologies from an executive management perspective.  The need for, benefits and problems of an integrated business and system engineering approach are discussed.

It focuses on management roles and responsibilities in specifying and an understanding the most important business models used during and after the project.

This course highlights the importance of executive commitment to the process, by detailing involvement, benefits and risks associated with the use of a formal engineering approach.

Prerequisites:        None                     

Duration:               2 Hours

Attendees:             Senior and Executive Management.

Business Engineering

Business Engineering Programme:

Designed to teach business analysts and engineers advanced analysis and problem solving method sets, to assist in business architecture definition.  These methods interrelate with those used by System Specifiers.

BAN: Business Analysis

The course equips business analysts with the newest business modeling methods and techniques, enabling complete business area analysis and specification.  These methods and techniques ensure that business requirements and needs are accurately reflected in models produced.

The business analyst is also equipped to formally re-engineer business areas as well as being able to practically support system development projects.

The course consists of topics from various areas of the methodology, relevant to the Business Analyst, such as analysis and modeling methods, management methods and work session programmes.

Prerequisites:       IIM                                         

Duration:              3 Days

Attendees:             Business Analysts, Super Users.

BEN: Business Engineering

This course aims to skill the Business Engineer not only to understand, but to be able to fully model and specify systems at the business architecture level. The focus is on the technical aspects of business architecture.

The business engineer is a new profession, introduced by Infomet, to address the inadequate and deficient approaches used by business analysts for formally specifying the business architecture in a manner that correctly represents the business requirements on the one hand, but also provides a set of engineering specifications that conforms to system engineering requirements on the other.  A task, which when performed by technical staff, typically lead to a technically biased approach which ignored important business considerations.

The task of the business engineer is to co-operate closely with executive and middle management in order to ensure that:

• the requirements are translated into an architecture that correctly reflects business requirements
• the approach is practical and executable within the business parameters
• the desired architectural features is not compromised for short sighted short term benefits only.

Topics covered are strategy factor analysis, strategy management, modeling and specifying all of the dimensions of a system up to the full logical level. Situation analysis, impact analysis and tactical planning derived from the logical specifications. Business Process Re-engineering

Prerequisites:       IIM                                         

Duration:              3 Days

Attendees:             Business Analysts, Senior Users.

BEN/W: Business Engineering Workshop

This workshop provides additional practice, through case studies, in the topics covered during BEN.  The course consolidates the Work Methods and Techniques used in the Business Specification System of the Infomet methodology. 

The advantage of the Workshop is that the attendees are provided material, templates and a workbook in which they have to apply the methods techniques to build a proper and complete Case Study, based on real life scenarios.

Prerequisites:       IIM, BEN

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             Individuals who complete BEN

System Specifier

System Specifier Programmes:

Refined and enhanced mainstream specification method sets (data and function) are taught in conjunction with unique method sets (time, locality, responsibility, strategy, and operation) to enable the building of architecturally complete system specifications.

ASS/1: Application Specification System (1)

The course is aimed at equipping the system specifier to model a system at the existential, conceptual and logical levels. Because of the limited time allowed for the course, it focuses on the minimal principal work methods: function, data and system operation.  

Topics covered in this course are function analysis/­modeling (function structure diagrams), data analysis/­modeling (attribute dependency diagrams, normalization, data structure diagrams), and operational analysis/­modeling (system operation diagrams). 

The relevant work methods and techniques of each topic are lectured in detail and exercises are provided.  These work methods, in relationship to the paracentric approach, are explained and an introduction to Joint Application Development (JAD) and Joint Project Management (JPM) is given.              

Prerequisites:       IIM, BEN                                              

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Architects, System Specifiers, Technical Specialists.

ASS/2: Application Specification System

This course covers the remaining work methods in the paracentric model, not covered during ASS/1.  They are work methods for the strategy, organisation, time, locality and object dimensions.  Advanced modeling topics, relating to the data and function dimensions, are covered, as well as the transformation of logical to physical application specifications.

Prerequisites:       ASS/1                                    

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Architects, System Specifiers, Technical Specialists, Project Managers.

ASS/W: Application Specification System (Workshop)               

This workshop provides additional practice in the topics covered during ASS/1 and ASS/2, through case studies.  The course consolidates the work methods and techniques used in the Application Specification System of the Infomet methodology.  The Infomet Development Centre is used to illustrate the automated support of method rules, specification repository issues and benefits and automated system generation. 

Since it is impossible to complete the theoretical courses and be adequately proficient in the use of the methods, this workshop turns theory into practical capability.               

Prerequisites:       IIM         

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             Individuals who complete ASS/1 and ASS/2

Project Management

Project Management Programme:

Revolutionises traditional system's project management.  Unique method sets are taught to increase project productivity dramatically through exploiting Infomet's advanced specification methods.

PMS: Project Management System

This course teaches the project manager how to deploy the Infomet invented Project Management techniques in relation to formal project management practices.

System specification models contain valuable information which assists in the tasks of estimation, construction prioritisation (both technical and business bias), risk assessment and phased implementation planning. Valuable techniques have been developed by Infomet, which allow the project manager to extract this information from the system models, and to transform and depict it using conventional project management techniques such as PERT and GANTT charts.

Unique concepts such as configurable life cycles and parallel project phasing are also covered on the course.

Prerequisites:       IIM, BEN or ASS1               

Duration:              5 Days   

Attendees:             Project Managers/Leaders, System Managers, Methodology Implementers.

Additional workshops providing more practice are also available on demand.

JAD: JAD Facilitation / Management

This course teaches the Analyst as a JAD Facilitator to manage and facilitate interactive requirement analysis and specification work sessions with all the key participants. It teaches the facilitator how to plan a JAD schedule and sessions, how to manage the expectations, the issues, and how to extract the requirements from the participants and turn them into a formal models and specifications.

The JAD Facilitator is the bridge between the Business Managers and Users and the Technical Experts and  Developers. He needs to use a language that is clear and that everyone can relate to. He acts as a communicator and a translator. The course teaches when to facilitate and when to intermediate and how to establish / restore good communication between all the participants. The Facilitator is taught how to lead the sessions in a positive and constructive manner and how to collaborate closely with the Project Manager.

A significant amount of the time on the JAD course is spent in practical application of the theory. This re-enforce the theoretical JAD concepts, and to allow the course participants to experience the leading of a JAD session in a non threatening environment. Additional positive spin-offs occur as a result of the practical orientation of the course, these include:

• Practical application of Infomet Methodology.
• Ability to leverage the Paracentric approach.
• Ability as a JAD Session Facilitator.
• Practically experience in how to successfully deal with typical problems.
• Growth of confidence as a JAD leader

Prerequisites:       IIM, BEN or ASS1               

Duration:              3 Days

Attendees:             System Specifiers, Business Analysts, JAD Facilitators/Managers.

Work Session Participant Programmes:

Equips the end user to participate effectively in system projects, deploying the newest method sets and techniques.  An understanding of the relevant methods is provided, together with a comprehensive explanation of the role and responsibilities of user participants on system engineering projects

JAD Participant (User)

USR: User Participation programme

This course covers the user's role in the establishment of a system, and provides an understanding of business systems modeling and information system operation at a level relevant to the user.  It is imperative that a user accepts ownership of a system early in the development process.

The user is provided with knowledge which will enhance their ability to participate in specification and modeling work sessions.  This knowledge, together with the basic skills of model interpretation, equips the user to understand and fulfill their role on system projects completely and adequately.

The benefits are more productive work sessions, less time needed for specifications, precise and complete models, and very strong user acceptance and ownership of the system under development.

Prerequisites:       IIM                                         

Duration:              1 Day

Attendees:             Users involved with logical system specification (during modeling work sessions) and testing during the system establishment process.

Software Engineering

Software Engineering:

Teaches methods which will assist in eliminating the traditional programming function.  The principles of object oriented architectures, reusability, platform portability and automated application generation or construction are addressed

ABS: ApplicationBuilding System

This course is specifically aimed at teaching proper Software Engineering. The essence of this course is the design of applications using language and environment independent graphic design tools, representing clearly and unambiguously the intrinsic nature of the problem and constructs of the application solution.  The course deals primarily with constructing the physical models from the logical models, taking operating environment considerations into account.  Course participants will be equipped to:

• transform logical models into physical models
• understand the roles and responsibilities of the Software Engineer (Application Architect) and System Builder
• identify and define application primitives
• set up application standards.

The emphasis of the course is on interaction and student participation. Theory is substantiated with case studies and practical exercises.  Students need to have practiced the techniques taught in ASS/1 in order to gain maximum benefit from this course.

Prerequisites:       IIM, ASS/1                                            

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             Software Engineers or Application Architects, Technical Designers. 

BLD: Automated SystemBuilding

This course enables the programmer (or system builder) to productively build systems from the specifications provided by the system specifier (analyst).  It aims to eliminate redundant programming and implements a more formal and productive approach to building systems by teaching  Infomet's  Object Oriented and Application Primitive/Building Block approach.

Detailed exercises in the development of pseudo code, program structure diagrams, visual programming, and test matrices are provided.  The reusability of code is emphasised and object oriented programming techniques and the principles of application generator software are also taught.

Prerequisites:       IIM                                         

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Builders, Programmers.

DBA: Database Administration for Oracle/ MSSQL / DB2

These are 3 separate courses for each of the databases, aimed to teach the student the essential Database Administration Functions. It assumes fluency as a Database Developer using the appropriate SQL Procedural Language.

The course will teach the attendee how to:

• Install, setup, create and configure the Database properly
• Perform the DBA Administration Tasks
• Assess the performance of the Database and how to optimize it for different environments
• Manage the code, the backups and versioning thereof
• Manage the health of the database
• Deal with changes, migration and upgrade issues

Prerequisites:       IIM, ASS, DBD

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Builders, Programmers and Database Base Designers / Administrators.

DBD: Database Developer for Oracle/ MSSQL / DB2

These are 3 separate courses for each of the databases aimed to teach the student how to properly write Database Applications and Database Related Logic using the appropriate SQL Procedural Language as well as API and Component based Database Access. It assumes fluency as a programmer in at least one major programming language.

The course will teach the attendee:

• How to install and create a Database
• The full SQL Data Definition Language
• The full DML Data Definition Language
• How to write using all Database constructs:
• Stored Procedures
• Triggers, etc
• How to access the DBMS functionality through API’s as well as appropriate Database Components
• How to structure the code in the database
• How to read pseudo code and to program properly from it
• How to code for performance of the Database and how to optimize it for different environments
• How to manage the code, the backups and versioning thereof

Prerequisites:       IIM, ASS, DBD

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Builders, Programmers and Database Base Designers / Developers.

Object Orientation

Object Orientation Programmes:

Clarifies industry uncertainty regarding object orientation and practically demonstrates the powerful application of this paradigm.  The programme commences at the conceptual level and also embraces object orientation at the work method and practitioner level.

OOC: Object Orientation: Concepts and Philosophies

This course conceptually addresses fundamentals of object orientation within a system methodology framework.  It focuses on the need for, approach to, and benefits of object orientation from a business and system's perspective.  It further demonstrates how object oriented business specification methods (as well as application design and building methods) can vastly benefit managers and system specialists.  It also covers a practical approach to implementing object orientation in the organisation and the critical issues to be addressed.  The relevance of traditional data- and function oriented approaches in an object orientation environment are also addressed.

Prerequisites:       None                     

Duration:              2 Days.

Attendees:             Mainly System Manager or System Engineers

OOS: Object Orientation: Specification and Design

The course is an extension of the work methods taught on ASS/1 and ASS/2, (and integrates these methods with the object orientation method set).  The modelling notations are comprehensive, complete and consistent with other Infomet specification techniques.

Prerequisites:       ASS/2                                    

Duration:              5 Days

Attendees:             System Architects, Systems Analysts/Specifiers, Designers, Technical Specialists.

OOB: OO Development Java, C#dn VBdn

These are 3 separate courses for each of the Development Environments. This course uses a comprehensive case study, specified by means of the Infomet specification modelling techniques, and systematically develops it into a complete application system, using Java, or C#dn or VBdn as an implementation vehicle.  Emphasis is placed on constructing objects and classes correctly.  The course covers all the theoretical object orientation constructs and practically demonstrates how to build application systems.  The following is covered:

• To understand, develop and utilize the disciplines of a proper software architecture
• To understand and code from formal models and pseudo code
• To progress from application specification to software design and development.
• To apply Object-Oriented concepts to software design
• To build GUI/Web based applications
• To rapidly assemble applications from pre-developed classes
• To develop within the context of Layers and Tiers
• To interface correctly with application support classes for lower level functionality such as : imaging, reporting engines, collaboration, security etc.
• To leverage the use and re-use of class libraries
• To properly code and document applications in terms of:
• coding standards
• exception handling.
• To work productively with disciplined development teams

Prerequisites:       ASS/1 (Recommended)

Duration:              5 Days. 

Attendees:             Technical Specialists, System Designers, Programmers and System Builder

NB. Advanced courses to follow 4’Th Quarter 2005 and 2006

Technology Platform Programmes:

Teaches methods to ensure that platforms on which systems are established, are architecturally compatible and coherent, as specified  within the
Infomet Systems Framework.

Platform Engineering

PES: Platform Establishment System

This course covers the preparation of the physical environment for specified systems.  There are three main scenarios which are dealt with:

• where there is no operating environment in place.
• where an adequate operating environment exists, within which the system is to be implemented.
• where an operating environment exists, but needs to be expanded and enhanced to facilitate the implementation of an system at an acceptable level of performance.

The course provides the techniques that are needed to map logical specifications into the physical environment.  Techniques for determining suitable hardware and software components, package evaluation (a unique approach invented by Infomet) and performance prediction are also covered.  It is tailored to specific client needs and is scheduled as requested.

Prerequisites:       ASS/1                                    

Duration:              5 Days, dependent on client requirement

Attendees:             Platform Architects, Technology Consultants.

SQLW: SQL 2005 Readiness Workshops

SQL Server 2005 will have an impact on new and existing developments and it is important that development professionals understand the impact that the new release will have on their projects. There are 3 separate SQL Server 2005 workshops:

• For Decision-makers and planners (3Hrs) (SQLW1)
• For Developers (1/2 Day) (SQLW2)
• For DBAs (1/2 Day) (SQLW3)

The Workshops are presented using the latest release of SQL Server 2005 where the topics are presented using practical examples of new features and enhancements of SQL Server 2005.

The course will teach the attendee:

• What are the new features and enhancements of  SQL Server 2005.
• What impact SQL Server 2005 will have on their existing application architectures
• What may need to be re-worked on existing projects to migrate to SQL Server 2005
• What considerations need to be made for the platform.
• How to re-plan long running SQL Server projects if SQL Server 2005 is released during the development window

Prerequisites:       None

Duration:              Bundled over three weeks; 1/week

Attendees:             System Builders, Programmers and Database Base Designers / Developers, Project Managers, Data Centre Managers and Operators.

Terms and Conditions

1. All prices exclude VAT

2. 30% Discount for Upfront Payment (Not applicable where volume discounts are provided)

3. Volume discounts are provided (see table below)

4. Course bookings cannot be cancelled within 7 days   prior to the commencement of the Course

5. Add R 400.00 per person for training manual if not reproduced by client

6. Travel and accommodation costs are  excluded

7. Add R 180.00 per person per day for catering and facilities if course is held off-site

8. Infomet provides fully equipped notebooks for the students (Remains Infomet Asset)

9. Travel and accommodation for course lecturer must be negotiated if outside the Gauteng region

10. Payment is expected at registration

11. Cancellation and Transfers: 50% refund will be given for cancellation received in writing 8 days or more  before the booked course is due to commence

12. A Replacement is welcome should the candidate be unable to attend

13. Full refund will be given for cancellations received in writing two weeks prior to course commencement date

Duration and Cost
 

Student Certification

One of the major problems experienced by any Systems Manager when recruiting new staff is judging just how technically capable the candidate is.  Often, only after appointing someone, does it become apparent that the individual is not suitable for the position.

In view of this, Infomet has introduced a student certification programme.  Students will now have the opportunity to "qualify" themselves for a specific role by writing a bi-annual certification exam.  Those obtaining a CUM LAUDE pass will receive a gold certificate, a 1st class - a silver and a 2nd class - a bronze. 

Examinations will be set for the following job types:

- Project Manager

                -  Business Engineer

                -  System Engineer

                -  System Builder

                -  System Specifier

                -  Application Architect

                -  Platform Architect

Certain requirements must be met before being admitted to a certification examination.  Included below are the necessary specifications and requirements, per job description.

SYSTEM BUILDER (S.B.)

1.   Attend BLD course

2.   Acquire some practical experience as a S.B.

3.   Write S.B. certification exam.

SYSTEM SPECIFIER (S.S.)

1.   Basic experience as a S.B. and S.A.

2.   Attend all ASS course offerings (i.e. BSS/1/2 /W)

3.   Acquire some practical experience as a S.S.

4.   Write S.S. certification exam.

APPLICATION ARCHITECT (A.A.)

1.   Qualify as System Builder.

2    Attend ABS course.

3.   Acquire some practical experience as an A.A.

4.   Write A.A. certification exam.

PLATFORM ARCHITECT (P.A.)

1.   Qualify as S.S.

2.   Qualify as A.A.

3.   Attend PES course.

4.   Acquire some practical experience as an E.A.

5.   Write E.A. certification exam.

PROJECT MANAGER (P.M.)

1.   Acquire some practical experience as S.A.

2.   Acquire some practical experience as E.A.

3.   Acquire some practical experience as an S.S.

4.   Attend PMS course.

5.   Acquire some practical experience as a P.M.

6.   Write P.M. certification exam.

SYSTEM ENGINEER (S.E.)

1.   A formal degree in Computer Science

2.   Qualify as a S.S.

3.   Qualify as a P.A.

4.   Qualify as an A.A.

5.   Acquire some practical experience as an S.E.

6.   Write S.E. certification exam.

BUSINESS ENGINEER (B.E.)

1.   A formal master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA or MBL)

2.   Qualify as a System Specifier.

3.   Qualify as a Work Session Facilitator.

4.   Qualify as a Project Manager

5.   Acquire some practical experience as an B.E.

6.    Write B.E. certification exam.

Contact Information

Lans Malherbe
P.O. Box 781199, Sandton Square, Gauteng, 2146
       Ground Floor, 138 West Street, Sandton
Phone: (011) 523-9400
Fax: (011) 523-9465
E Mail: lans@infomet.com

These Course Offerings can also be viewed as a pdf file: Course Offerings 2005