INF5210 Information Infrastructure Class #14 Summary and Exam Dan Truong Le 20/11/2013
Plan for today • Course ▫ Briefly summarize the course • Exam ▫ Formalities ▫ Tips • Q&A
Summary of the course
INF5210: Aim of the course • Course content The course covers the development and use of large networks aimed at supporting collaborations within and between organisations and different sectors of society. Examples include large in-house corporate networks, public information networks at sector and national level, open electronic market places, digital libraries etc. The course considers various dimensions of such networks, crucial problems linked to their realisation and use, and key topics in current research. • Learning outcomes The course aims to provide students with a good understanding of important factors for successfully developing and using information infrastructures, and to enable students to assess how specific plans on establishing such networks can be realised.
Towards a Theory of Information Infrastructures A Theories of Information Infrastructures (Evolution & Design) Process Strategies Architecture Governance Assemblage Theory Actor Network Reflexive Complexity Science Theory Modernisation
Towards a Theory of Information Infrastructures A Theories of Information Infrastructures (Evolution & Design) Process Strategies Architecture Governance Assemblage Theory Actor Network Reflexive Complexity Science Theory Modernisation Lecture #5 interaction between the three
Towards a Theory of Information Infrastructures (NOTE: that the information presented here links concepts to areas of the course – it is a guide, you need to a wider range of concepts than this and in much greater depth) Information infrastructure as very large scale social-technical systems supporting colloborations within and between organisations: defined as "evolving, shared, open and heterogeneous installed base“ Examples: Health care systems, enterprise resource management systems, the internet A Theories of Information Infrastructures (Evolution & Design) • Evolution of installed base shaped by interactions between : • Design guidelines for cultivation of installed base: • Process Strategies, Architecture, Governance • Processes: scaling, adoption, innovation Issues come to the fore when: • • Simplicity of architecture & governance regime • Migrating installed base to new system Generatiive & Boot strappable - design with not against IB • • Integrating systems Process Strategies Architecture Governance Strategies: Modularisation Organisation – tight hierarchy vs. loose network • Bootstrapping • • • T-D, B-U, specification driven, • Degree – loose/tight coupling • Legal issues – licenses & contracts Gateways / • Experimental / learning driven • Open (Generaitive) vs Closed • Tools – PM & communication & info sharing Bridges • Incremental / Iterative • Layered, SOA, Inttegrated Vs Standards Complexity Science Actor Network Theory Reflexive Modernisation • Side effects (network effects) • Enrollment • Reflexivity & Boomerang effects • Path Dependencies • Alignment • Lock-In Inscription •
Assemblage of Theory / Basic Theory • Complexity Science (lecture # 2) ▫ For example concepts like: Side effects (network effects) Path Dependencies Lock-In • Actor Network Theory (lecture #3 and Class #2 and #3) • For example concepts like: Enrollment Alignment Inscription • Reflexive modernizations (Lecture #4 and Class #4) ▫ For example concepts like: Globalization Reflexivity: boomerang effects
Process Strategies • Bootstrapping • Top down processes vs. Bottoms up process • Specification driven, experimental/learning driven • Lecture #8, #10, and class #11
Architecture • Architectures: ▫ Institutional Interface Architecture [INA] ▫ Service Provider Architecture [SPA] ▫ Content Provider Architecture [CPA] ▫ Service Oriented Architecture [SOA] ▫ Characteristics: for example: loose/tight coupling • Generativity (open) VS closed ▫ Zittrain definitions • Platforms, applications and Architecture (Hanseth and Lyytinen 2010, class #10) • Architecture: Lecture #6 and Class #6, Generativity: class # 7
Governance regimes • Organizing • Tightly controlled hierarchy or loosely coupled informal network • involvement • Legal issues – • licenses & contracts • Traditional Approach vs. Regulatory Approach (Bygstad & Hanseth 2010) • Governance: Class #5 • If you want to learn more about IT governance: the course INF5890 IT management (Spring 2014)
Exam
Exam: • Examination system ▫ Approved compulsory exercise, essay, oral examination for some candidates ▫ Feedback on the third assignment will be on November 25 th . • Essay (Home exam) • Some students might be chosen for an oral examination
Formalities • Home exam (individual) • Handed out: November 27 th at 15.00 ▫ On email and will be published on the course page ▫ 2 weeks • Deadline: December 13 th , 15.00 ▫ Devilry (check devilry one week before the deadline) If you have problems contact the administration ▫ Studentweb (check studentweb one week before the deadline to find your exam number) ▫ The deadline is final !
Formalities • The exam format will be: ▫ Maximum 6000 word (examiner will stop reading after reading 6000 words) Excluding reference list It does not matter how much you write, but how good your content is. • It will involve 2-4 papers Papers may not be in the syllabus • Use Course theory
Formalities • Remember to write: ▫ Your exam number (do not write anything that can identify who you are) ▫ Course number and name ▫ How many words you have used ▫ How many pages
Formalities • How to prepare for the exam? ▫ Read the Curriculum Mandatory readings Additional readings ▫ Go through Lectures and class presentations ▫ The most important thing you can do is READ!
Formalities • Use proper referencing • Do not plagiarize (it will be checked)
Formalities • If you have any questions before the exam: Ben and I will be available for you ▫ 26 th November – if you want to have a chat about the course theories and concepts. • If you have any questions during the exam: ▫ Clarification about exam questions: ask Ole Hanseth ▫ problems and so on: talk with the ifi administration • Ben and I will be unavailable for you during the exam period.
Tips From someone who has taken the exam
Tips • Start early (don’t wait till last minute) • Read the questions carefully • be accurate and precise ▫ Focus on the exam question do not discuss things that are irrelevant. • Use course literature in the exam • Show you have an understanding of the course
Towards a Theory of Information Infrastructures A Theories of Information Infrastructures (Evolution & Design) Process Strategies Architecture Governance Assemblage Theory Actor Network Reflexive Complexity Science Theory Modernisation
Tips • Have a overview over what theory is in what paper • Take a look at the course page:
Tips: How to get a good grade • Easy points • Standard points • Advances points
Tips: EASY POINTS: ▫ referencing using the Harvard style ▫ page numbering ▫ clearly numbered and named section headings ▫ HINT: make the structure & lay out as easy to read for the examiner
Tips: EASY POINTS • Structure ▫ Process strategy The process strategy in this case consists of.. ▫ Architecture The Architecture presented in this case…. ▫ Governance The governance presented in this case…. ▫ Easier for the examiner to understand your text!
Tips: EASY POINTS: • Referencing ▫ See Ben’s lecture ▫ Justify your statement by using good references ▫ As Ben said “don’t bullshit” Don’t use referencing for references sake, use them to justify your statements
Tips: Standard POINTS • at the master's level, the key point of the exam is to show that you understand the theoretical content of the course and that you can analyze information and apply course theory appropriately • justify your statements • use theory to make your points
Tips: Advances points • show that you have read beyond the course material • apply additional theory not presented in the course syllabus in a relevant way (hint; other relevant reading in the curriculum (for example: last slide class #6) or google scholar) • "thinking outside the box" to demonstrate different or unconventional thinking, or to present a different perspective - remembering to justify your thinking!
Questions?
The End, Thank you for following this course and good luck with your exam
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