两门课程皆使用相同的授课顺序与阅读资料。15.565以具有较深的技术背景的同学，且主要以麻省理工的大学生、非商管学生、与工程系统组的学生为授课对象。15.578以具有较多策略和组织背景的同学，且主要以史隆管理学院的商管学生为授课对象。

本课程分为大致上等量的四个部份：

• 第一部份： 策略性连结 (架构和应用概论)
  
  一开始，我们将提出组织间与组织内沟通与连结的策略性优势及其意含，以及资讯整合的需求。
  
  
• 第二部份：实体连结 (资料通讯科技)
  
  此部份着重于新兴的基础通讯科技，例如硬件(例：光纤、电缆)、软件／协定(例：TCP/IP, ADSL, ATM)、以及架构(例：区域网络、广域网络)等用来连结不同系统的科技。
  
  
• 第三部份：逻辑连结 (数据库／人工智能／网站科技)
  
  此部份着眼于有助于连结的的科技，特别是文义和语义对照的需求。意即，当你从两处得到“盈利”的资料，但它们的计价方式不同。你要如何调整其差异，以达成有效的比较？此部份课程，将提出目前的发展，其大部份是异质性分散式数据库系统(Heterogeneous Distributed DBMS)、网页服务(Web Services)、和语意网络(Semantic Web)。
  
  
• 第四部份：组织性连结 (组织和政策因素)
  
  课程的最后一个部份，将焦点放在实际上有效地使用系统以扩展组织疆界时，可能遭遇到的管理政策挑战与组织意含。松散耦合(loosely-coupled)组织、标准发展等理论将于此部份提及。

作业：

• 本课程有三种作业：(1) 指定阅读资料，(2) 四个家庭作业(HW)，(3) 一个计算机专题(CP)或学期专题(TP)。
  
  
• 计算机专题(CP)或学期专题(TP)：参与15.565课程的学生，应该做计算机专题。大部份参与15.578课程的学生，应该做学期专题，但也可以选择做计算机专题
  
  
• 每一个作业都应在课程大纲所指定的日期，于课堂上缴交。缴交日期是不会改的。如果你觉得会有问题，请事先与授课人员联系。
  
  
• 由于分数是是采部分计分，因此交出仅完成一部份的作业，也比不交作业好。迟交作业将会扣分。这些作业是很重要的，因为：(1) 它们帮助你加强课堂上学到的概念，(2) 它们帮助你准备考试，(3) 它们占你期末分数中重要的部份。

测验：

• 课程大纲上注明了有期中考和期末考，两个考试都是开卷测验。

诚实：

• 所有的作业，除非有特别的指示，否则都是个人作业。
  
  
• 然而，学期专题和计算机专题应由团队合作。在此种情况下，所有的成员应做同样多的贡献。

课堂讨论：10%
家庭作业：20%
计算机／学期专题：25%
期中考：20%
期末考：25%

Both courses share a common lecture sequence and reading list. 15.565 assumes a deeper technical background and is primarily intended for MIT undergraduates, non-MBA's, and ESD students. 15.578 assumes more background in strategy and organization and is primarily intended for Sloan MBA's.

The course is divided into four, roughly equal, parts.

• Part 1: Strategic Connectivity (Overview Frameworks & Applications)
  
  We will start by addressing the strategic benefits and implications of intra- and inter- organizational communications and connectivity and the needs for information integration.
  
  
• Part 2: Physical Connectivity (Data Communications Technology)
  
  (This part will focus on basic and emerging communications technologies, such as hardware, (e.g., fiber optics, cable), software/protocols (e.g., TCP/IP, ADSL, ATM), and architectures (e.g. Local Area Networks, Wide Area Networks), needed to interconnect systems.
  
  
• Part 3: Logical Connectivity (Database / AI / Web Technology)
  
  This part will focus on new technologies to aid connectivity, especially to address the syntactic and semantic mapping requirements. That is, you get "profit" data from two divisions - but they do their accounting differently. How do you reconcile these differences to make effective comparisons? This part of the course will present recent developments, mostly from the fields of Heterogeneous Distributed Database Management Systems, Web Services, and the Semantic Web.
  
  
• Part 4: Organizational Connectivity (Organizational and Policy Factors)
  
  The final part of the course will focus on the organizational implications and management policy challenges encountered in actually making effective use of systems that span normal organizational boundaries. Theories of loosely-coupled organization and development of standards will be explored.

Assignments:

• There are 3 kinds of assignments in this class: (1) assigned readings, (2) 4 written homework assignments (HW), and (3) a computer project (CP) or term project (TP).
  
  
• Computer Project (CP) and Term Project (TP): 15.565 students are expected to do the Computer Project. Most 15.578 students will do the Term Project, but may select to do the Computer Project.
  
  
• Each assignment is due in class on the date indicated on the syllabus. These due dates are firm. If you anticipate a problem, see the instructor beforehand!
  
  
• Since partial credit is given, it is much better for you to turn in a partially complete assignment than to turn in nothing at all. Points will be subtracted for late homework. These assignments are important because: (1) they help to reinforce the concepts presented in class, (2) they prepare you for the examinations, and (3) they constitute a significant portion of your final grade.

Exams:

• In addition, there is a mid-term exam and final exam as indicated on the syllabus. Both exams are open book/notes exams.

Academic Integrity:

• All assignments, except if indicated otherwise, are to done individually.
  
  
• However, the Term Project and Computer Project are intended to be team efforts. In those cases, all members of the team are expected to contribute equally.

Class Discussion: 10%
Homework: 20%
Computer/Term Project: 25%
Mid-Term Exam: 20%
Final Exam: 25%