IN5320 – Development in platform ecosystems

Course content

In this course, you will learn the principles and practices of application design and development within platform ecosystems. Conceptually, you will learn about the socio-technical complexities related to large-scale information systems, and how platform architectures and ecosystems attempt to address these. Further, we look at how platform architectures and governance structures may enable distributed participation in the development of applications with user interfaces that are sensitive to local requirements within a larger system. Practically, you will develop web applications using modern, open-source frameworks and APIs.

The practical work is based on individual assignments and a major group project using the APIs of the open source platform DHIS2 (www.dhis2.org). Developed at the Department of Informatics, DHIS2 is a platform widely used for health, climate health, and education management. The group projects address real-world use-cases and needs from DHIS2 users.

Learning outcome

After you have completed this course you:

• will have an understanding of the socio-technical complexity related to large-scale information systems that span several use-cases and contexts.
• can reflect on how platform architectures, governance, and organisational models might enable distributed development of applications that are sensitive to local requirements within a larger system.
• can reflect critically on the organisational and social implications of digital platforms.
• can prototype and develop apps for a software platform, leveraging APIs and other platform resources.
• will have insight into the development of web-based software with JavaScript and HTML, using modern frameworks.
• will have experience with developing software in a team.

Admission to the course

The course number is limited to 140 students.

If the number of enrolled students is higher than 140, they will be ranked as followed:

1. Master students at the Department of Informatics who has the course approved in their study plan
2. Master students of the Design, Use, Interaction master program, Digital Economics and Leadership master program, Programming and System Architecture master program, Digitalisation in the health sector, informatics master program
3. Master students at the Department of Informatics
4. Others

Recommended previous knowledge

IN1000 - Introduction to Object-oriented Programming, IN1010 - Object-oriented Programming or similar programming experience is expected.

Overlapping courses

• 10 credits overlap with INF5750 – Open Source Development (continued).
• 10 credits overlap with INF9750 – Open Source Development (discontinued).

Teaching

2 hours of lectures and 2 hours of plenary exercise in selected weeks of the semester. The course requires both individual and substantial group-based work.

Both individual and group-based assignments are mandatory. Rules for mandatory assignments. The group-based assignment must be passed in the same semester as the exam.

Examination

Examination has two elements:

• Individual digital mid-term exam (15%

• Group-based presentation with oral exam (85%)

The group-based presentation with oral exam will result in one common grade for the whole group.

Group-based mandatory assignment, mid-term exam, and group oral exam have to be passed, in the same semester, to pass the course.

Examination support material

No examination support material is allowed.

Language of examination

The examination text is given in English, and you submit your response in English.

Grading scale

Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.

Resit an examination

Students who can document a valid reason for absence from the regular examination are offered a postponed examination at the beginning of the next semester. Re-scheduled examinations are not offered to students who withdraw during, or did not pass the original examination.

More about examinations at UiO

• Use of sources and citations
• Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
• Withdrawal from an exam
• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Explanation of grades and appeals
• Resitting an exam
• Cheating/attempted cheating

You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.