Unit:

Information Systems Analysis

Assignment title:
Infinity Games
Spring 2024 – Winter 2024

Important notes
• Please refer to the Assignment Presentation Requirements for advice on how
to set out your assignment. These can be found on the NCC Education
website. Click on ‘Policies & Advice’ on the main menu and then click on
‘Student Support’.
• You must read the NCC Education documents What is Academic
Misconduct? Guidance for Candidates and Avoiding Plagiarism and
Collusion: Guidance for Candidates and ensure that you acknowledge all the
sources that you use in your work. These documents are available on the
NCC Education website. Click on ‘Policies & Advice’ on the main menu and
then click on ‘Student Support’.
• You must complete the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work. The form
is available on the NCC Education website. Click on ‘Policies & Advice’ on the
main menu and then click on ‘Student Support’.
• Please make a note of the recommended word count as stated in the
brief. The maximum word count limit is the recommended work count
plus 10% leeway. Submissions which exceed the maximum word count
limit will be marked only up to the maximum word count limit. Any text
that exceeds the maximum word count limit will not be marked. You
must follow the note on word count as stated in the Submission
Requirements section of the brief.
• You must submit a paper copy and digital copy (on disk or similarly
acceptable medium). Media containing viruses, or media that cannot be run
directly, will result in a fail grade being awarded for this assessment.
• All electronic media will be checked for plagiarism.
Scenario
Company Overview

Infinity Games is a British game development company based in central London. Alex
Scott founded the company after he graduated with a degree in Game Design in 2018. As
the sole Director of the organisation, he provides leadership but also plays an active role in
the conceptualisation of new games. For each project, he decides with the Project
Manager, which employees should make up Development Teams. Since Infinity Games
was set up, it has established a strong reputation in the industry.

The Project manager oversees the overall development process of games and manages
the Development Team of Game Designers, Game Developers and Graphic Artists. The
Marketing team creates promotional campaigns, maintains a social media presence, and
collaborates with partners to promote new games. Sales representatives engage with
potential distributors, negotiate deals, and manage relationships with distribution partners.
A Player Support Specialist deals with player inquiries. Employee work structure includes
a mix of remote and hybrid arrangements.

Current Information System

1. Game Development Software: The Game Designers and Developers are the
primary users. The tools included enable the ability to design and build visuals,
realistic physics, and character animations. The current information system
integrates these tools, meaning that there is a seamless collaboration among the
development team.

2. Project Management System: To effectively manage multiple game projects

simultaneously, project management software is used, the Project Manager uses
this daily to keep track of progress across projects, manage resources and facilitate
task allocation. Development Teams can also access the software to coordinate
efforts and meet deadlines.

3. Asset Management: Infinity Games’ information system includes an asset

management module that centralises the organisation and storage of game assets,
such as 3D models, audio files, and animations. Its purpose is to allow easy access
to modules and simplify collaboration among the Game Designers, Game
Developers and Graphic Artists, improving productivity.

4. Customer Service/Issue Resolution: The Player Support Specialist uses this

software. She is responsible for providing support to players, addressing their
inquiries, troubleshooting technical issues, and resolving concerns. Liaison between
the Player Support Specialist and Game Developers is frequently needed for
reporting bugs and glitches. Player feedback on games is frequently fed back to the
Game Designers to allow for continuous improvement.

Page 2 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024
Concerns and Future Development

1. Increased Competition: Infinity Games is facing intense competition in the

gaming industry. With the market flooded with numerous game developers and
publishers, it becomes challenging for Infinity Games to stand out and
differentiate its offerings.

2. Talent Retention: As Infinity Games continues to grow, retaining top talent

becomes a critical challenge. The demand for skilled game developers,
designers, and artists is high, and other companies may attempt to poach Infinity
Games' talented employees.

3. Monetisation Strategy: Developing a successful monetisation strategy poses a

challenge for Infinity Games. While the company aims to create immersive and
enjoyable gaming experiences, it must also find effective ways to generate
revenue. Balancing in-game purchases, subscription models, or advertising
without compromising the player experience requires careful consideration and
strategic planning.

4. Adaptation to Technological Advancements: Staying up to date with the

latest hardware, software, and emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) or
augmented reality (AR) can be demanding and resource-intensive but is
necessary to ensure its games remain relevant and provide engaging
experiences for players.

Infinity Games was set up with limited funds, meaning a mixture of bespoke and off-the-
shelf software has been used in its Information System. The Director is concerned that the
current Information System in place may not meet the company’s expanding requirements.

Ensure that you have read the scenario several times before beginning these tasks.
You should complete each task in its numerical order.

Task 1: Information Systems Analysis - 15 Marks

Compare and contrast the advantages and disadvantages of the FOUR (4) methodologies
(Waterfall, Agile, Prototyping, and User-Centered Design) for creating a new
Information System for Infinity Games.

You should focus on how each methodology addresses the information gathering
process. Make sure to reference specific details/examples from the scenario to support
your analysis.

Write a conclusion recommending the most appropriate methodology for use based on
your findings.

Page 3 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024
Task 2: Approaches to System Analysis – 25 Marks

a) A soft approach, hard approach or combined approach could be adopted for the
development of a new system for Infinity Games. Assess how each approach considers
the social, cultural, organisational, and technical aspects of system development.

Give examples from the scenario to support your assessment.

Recommend (with justification) the most suitable approach (soft, hard, or combined) for
Infinity Games.
(15 marks)

b) Design a rich picture, followed by a primary task root definition for Infinity Games.
(10 marks)

Task 3: CATWOE- 10 Marks

CATWOE is used in a soft systems methodology to identify stakeholders, the purpose of
the system, underlying assumptions, and external factors, for effective problem-solving.

Apply CATWOE to analyse the different elements involved in the scenario. Examples
should be provided in each case.

Task 4: Process Oriented IS Methodology - 15 Marks

The Player Support Specialist is responsible for managing player tickets. Players submit
support tickets with details of their issue and then there is a triage, where tickets are
categorised automatically using built-in criteria rules. The Player Support Specialist then
takes ownership of a ticket and investigates the problem.

At this point, she may need to contact the Development team for troubleshooting. If it is a
query where additional help is not needed, she can simply provide a solution/guidance to
the player via email. If communication between the Player Support Specialist and the
Development Team is required, she will contact them by phone/email before emailing the
Player with a solution.

She will also update the Player Support database with details of new issues and
resolutions. Also, follow up with the player may be required. Once the issue is resolved,
the ticket status is updated and closed.

A process-oriented methodology can help to provide a structured approach to

understanding the processes within the Infinity Games System. POEM is a process-
oriented tool that focuses on modelling and analysing business processes within an
organisation.

Page 4 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024
Design a Business Process Model to show the sequence of business activities and
information flows needed in the Player inquiry ticket process discussed above.

Evaluate the use of a Process-Oriented IS Methodology against the use of a People-

Oriented IS Methodology for use with Infinity Games.

Task 5: PEST Analysis – 15 Marks

Discuss how the PEST (Political, Economic, Sociocultural, Technological) factors may
impact the competitive position and growth potential of Infinity Games in the gaming industry.

Considering the economic factors, discuss how might the potential impact of economic
downturns or changing market conditions influence the prioritisation of systems analysis
activities in Infinity Games.

Task 6: User Interface Design - 10 Marks

The Project Manager at Infinity Games has experienced issues with the current off the shelf
Project Management software that he uses. The company has decided to implement a
bespoke comprehensive project management dashboard.

The dashboard should provide real-time visibility into project progress, milestones, and key
metrics. It should consolidate data from various project management tools and systems used
by the development team, allowing the Project Manager to access critical project information
in one centralised location.

Key features of the dashboard should include:

Project Overview: The dashboard displays a summary of all ongoing projects, including
their status, timelines, and assigned teams.

Milestone Tracking: The Project Manager can track the completion of project milestones
and monitor progress against predefined timelines.

Resource Allocation: The dashboard provides insights into resource allocation, enabling
the Project Manager to effectively assign team members and manage workload distribution.

Task Management: The Project Manager can view and update task statuses, track
dependencies, and identify any bottlenecks or delays.

Design a suitable dashboard for a desktop/laptop screen. It should be annotated to show

how it meets the user’s requirements.

Page 5 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024
Task 7: Evaluation - 10 Marks

Evaluate the effectiveness of the tools used (Task 2: Rich Picture; Task 3: CATWOE; Task
4: Business Process Model) in this scenario. Make reasoned recommendations as to
which additional tools/methodologies could be used.

Submission requirements
• The report should be professionally presented, checked, and proofed. Also, the
report should be presented in an appropriate format and style.

• Your answers to the tasks should be combined in a single word-processed report

with an appropriate introduction. The report should be 1100 words +/- 10% in length
(excluding table, interface design and stakeholder matrix).

• Familiarise yourself with the NCC Education Academic Dishonesty and Plagiarism
Policy and ensure that you acknowledge all the sources which you use in your
work.

• You must avoid plagiarism throughout your work.

• All references and citations must use the Harvard Style.

• You must submit a paper copy and a digital copy (on disk or similarly acceptable
medium).

• Media containing viruses, or media which cannot be run directly, will result in a fail
grade being awarded for this assignment.

Word Count

The word count for this assignment is 1,100 words. Pay careful attention to the mark
allocation for each task so you don’t spend too much time on any ONE (1) section.

You MUST state the word count in the header of your assignment and declare the number
of words on your assignment cover sheet. You MUST confirm that you have not exceeded
the stipulated word limit by more than 10%.

Any words written beyond the stipulated limit will not be read by the examiners; no marks
will be awarded, and no feedback provided for any text beyond the prescribed limit.

In accordance with accepted academic practice, the notion of a word count includes the
following without exception:

• All titles or headings that form part of the actual text. This does not include the fly (or
cover) page or reference list.

Page 6 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024
 • All words that form the actual essay
• All words forming the titles for figures, tables, and boxes. However, this does not
include the text within boxes, tables, or figures themselves.
• All in-text (bracketed) references
• All directly quoted material.

Candidate checklist
Please use the following checklist to ensure that your work is ready for submission.

➢ Have you read the NCC Education documents What is Academic Misconduct?

➢ Guidance for Candidates and Avoiding Plagiarism and Collusion: Guidance for
Candidates and ensure that you have acknowledged all the sources that you have
used in your work.

➢ Have you completed the Statement and Confirmation of Own Work form and
attached it to your assignment? You must do this.

➢ Have you ensured that your work has not gone over or under the recommended
word count by more than 10%?

➢ Have you ensured that your work does not contain viruses and can be run directly?

Page 7 of 7
Information Systems Analysis © NCC Education Limited 2024