Lecture 1.b

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Lecture 1.b
ITEC 2010 Systems Analysis and Design, I

• Introduction to Systems Analysis. Basic
  Concepts

Prof. Peter Khaiter
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III. Systems Analysis and Design. Systems Analyst

• 1. The analyst as a business problem solver
• IS are crucial to the success of modern business
  organization, and new systems are constantly
  being developed to make businesses more
  competitive. The key to successful system
  development is thorough systems analysis and
  design.
• Def. Systems Analysis (SA) is the process of
  understanding and specifying in detail
• what the information system should do.
• Systems Design (SD) is the process of
  specifying in detail how the many
• components of the information system
  should be physically implemented.
• Systems Analyst (SAn) is a business
  professional who uses analysis and design
• techniques to solve business problems
  using information technology and who
• develops IS.
• Developing IS is not just about writing
  programs. IS are developed to solve problems for
  organizations, and systems analyst is often
  thought of as a problem solver rather than a
  programmer (see Figure 1-12).

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The analyst as a business problem solver (contd)
FIGURE 1-12 The analysts approach to problem
solving.
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The analyst as a business problem solver (contd)

• To thoroughly understand the problem, the
  analyst must learn everything possible about it
  who is involved, what business processes come
  into play, what data need to be stored and used,
  what other systems would be affected when solving
  this problem. Then the analyst needs to confirm
  for management that the benefits of solving the
  problem outweigh the cost.
• If solving the problem is feasible, the analyst
  develops a set of possible solutions and decides,
  in consultation with management, which possible
  solution is the best alternative overall.
• Once the systems analyst has decided which
  alternative to recommend and management has
  approved the recommendation, the details must be
  worked out. These details include databases, user
  interface, networks, operating procedures,
  conversion plans, and, of course, program
  modules. After that, the actual construction of
  the system can begin.
• Systems analysts need a great variety of
  special skills. First, they need to be able to
  understand how to build ISs, and this requires
  quite a bit of technical knowledge. Then, they
  have to understand business they are working for.
  Finally, the analyst needs to understand quite a
  bit about people and the way they work.

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2. Required skills of the system analyst

• Technical Knowledge and Skills
• No one person can be an expert at all types of
  technology there are technical specialist to
  consult for the details. But a systems analyst
  should understand the fundamentals about
• Computers and how they work
• Devices that interact with
  computers, including input devices, storage
  devices, and output devices
• Communications networks that connect
  computers
• Databases and database management
  systems
• Programming languages
• Operating systems and utilities

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Required skills (contd)

• A systems analyst also needs to know a lot about
  tools and techniques for developing
• systems.
• (1) Tools are software products that help develop
  analysis or design specifications and completed
  systems components. Some tools used in system
  development include
• Software packages such as Microsoft Access and
  PowerBuilder that can be used to develop systems
• Integrated development environment (IDEs) for
  specific programming languages, such as Sun Java
  Workshop or Microsoft C
• Computer-aided system engineering (CASE) tools
  that store information about system
  specifications created by analyst and sometimes
  generate program code
• Program code generators, testing
  tools,configuration management tools, software
  library management tools, documentation support
  tools, project management tools, and so on.

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Required skills (contd)

• (2)Techniques are used to complete specific
  system development activities. They include
• Project planning techniques
• System analysis techniques
• System design techniques
• Systems construction and implementation
  techniques
• System support techniques.
• Business Knowledge and Skills
• An analyst should understand business
  organization in general. It may include the
  following examples
• What activities and processes do organizations
  perform?
• How are organizations structured?
• How are organizations managed?
• What type of work goes on in organization
  finance, manufacturing, marketing, customer
  service, and so on?
• It is also important to understand a specific
  company, that is
• What the specific organization does?
• What makes it successful?
• What its strategies and plans are?
• What its traditions and values are?

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Required skills (contd)

• People Knowledge and Skills
• An analyst spends a lot of time working with
  people. It is critical that analyst understand
• How people think?
• How people learn?
• How people react to changes?
• How people communicate?
• How people work?
• Integrity and Ethics
• A systems analyst gets an access to information
  in many different parts of an organization. It
  might be
• very private information, such as salary,
  health, job performance.
• confidential corporate information about
  products, strategic plans or tactics
• top-secret information involving government,
  police, army, etc.
• A systems analyst is expected to have the
  integrity to keep this information and to uphold
  the highest ethical standards. Any appearance of
  impropriety can destroy an analysts career.

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3. The Environment Surrounding the Analyst

• Types of Technology Encountered
• Most students are familiar with personal
  computers. But not all business functions can be
  realized with desktop. IS in the real-world
  range from small desktop systems to huge database
  systems with thousands of users spread over
  hundreds of locations. We could mark out the
  following types of IS
• Desktop systems
• Networked desktop systems that share data
• Client-server systems
• Large-scale centralized mainframe systems
• Systems using Internet, intranet, and extranet
  technology
• The changes in technology are very rapidly. Thus,
  it is so important to upgrade knowledge and
  skills continually.

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The Environment (contd)

• Typical Job Titles and Places of Employment
• In fact, many different people do systems
  analysis and design work. They may have various
  job titles
• Programmer analyst
• Business systems analyst
• End-user analyst
• Business consultant
• Systems consultant
• System support analyst
• System designer
• Software engineer
• System architect
• Sometimes systems analysts might also be called
  project leader or project manager.

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The Environment (contd)

• Places of Employment
• Not all analysts work directly for the company.
  It may be different work arrangements, including
• Programmer analysts working for the company
• Systems analysts working for the company
• Independent contractors
• Outsource provider employees
• Consultants
• Software development firm employees

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The Environment (contd)

• Typical Job Ad Systems Analyst Distribution
  Centre
• We are the worlds leading manufacturer of
  womens apparel products. Our organization in the
  Far East has openings for a Systems Analyst
• Requirements
• Bachelors degree in Computer Science, Business
  Administration or closely related field with 5
  () years of working experience
• In-depth understanding of Distribution and
  Manufacturing concepts (Allocation,
  Replenishment, Floor Control, Production
  Scheduling)
• Working knowledge of project management and all
  phases of the software development life cycle
• Experience with CASE tools, PC and Bar Code
  equipment
• Working knowledge of AS/400 and/or UNIX
  environment with the languages C, RPG400 and/or
  COBOL are desirable
• The successful candidate will provide primary
  interface for all user problems, answer technical
  questions and requests within the applications
  development group work with user areas to
  establish priorities and provide recommendations
  and directions for process improvement through
  automation.
• Please forward your resume, along with salary
  expectations to

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4. The Analysts Role in Strategic Planning

• A systems analyst is not only someone who solves
  specific business problems by developing or
  maintaining IS. The analyst might also be
  involved alone with senior managers in strategic
  management problems. It happens in several ways
• Special Projects
• The analyst may be working to solve a problem
  that affects executives (e.g. designing an
  executive information system)
• The analyst may be involved in business process
  reengineering a technique that seeks to alter
  the nature of work done in a business function
  with the objective of radically improving
  performance. Therefore, the analyst might be
  asked to participate in a study of existing
  business processes and procedures and then to
  propose IS solution that can have a radical
  impact.
• Strategic Planning Processes
• A strategic plan typically covers five or more
  years in the future. It serves to answer
• fundamental questions about the company (e.g.
  where is it now, where does it want to be, what
  does it have to do to get there)
• A typical strategic planning process can take
  months or years and involve many people in the
  company
• Once set, the strategic plan drives all the
  organizations processes

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The Analysts Role (contd)

• Information Systems Strategic Planning
• The information systems strategic planning is one
  of the major components of the strategic plan.
• In most organizations today, nearly all planned
  changes involve new or improved information
  systems. Very often, the IS themselves drive the
  strategic plan. In the Internet era, many new
  companies have come to existence (Amazon.com,
  eToys.com, etc) and many others have changed the
  way they compete.
• Usually at the recommendation of the chief
  information systems executive, top management
  will authorize a major project to plan the IS for
  the entire organization.
• A consulting firm might be called to help with
  the project. Consultants can offer experience
  with strategic planning techniques and train
  managers and analysts to complete the planning
  project.
• Many documents and existing systems are reviewed
  to create a model of the organization in terms of
  the business functions it performs alone with
  another model that shows the types of data the
  organization uses.

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The Analysts Role (contd)

• Based on these two models, an application
  architecture plan is created
• a description of the integrated information
  systems needed for the organization to carry out
  its business functions. After that, the team
  outlines the sequence of steps needed to
  implement the required systems.
• Then, the team creates a technology architecture
  plan
• A description of the hardware, software and
  communications networks required to implement
  planned IS.
• Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
• an increasing number of organizations are
  applying an approach called enterprise resource
  planning by which an organization commits to
  using an integrated set of software packages for
  key information processing (e.g. PeopleSoft).
  Software vendors such as PeopleSoft offer
  package solutions for companies in specific
  industries. To adopt an ERP solution, the company
  must carefully study its existing processes and
  information needs and then determine which ERP
  vendor provides the best match.

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IV. Running Case Study Rocky Mountains
Outfitters (RMO)

• We will be using a system development project for
  a company named Rocky Mountain Outfitters (RMO)
  as a continuing example.
• Overview of the RMO
• Began in 1978 as dream of John and Liz Blankens
  of Park City, Utah
• First started as direct mail-order sales to
  customers using a small catalog (see Fig. 1-13)
• By the early 2000s has grown to a large
  regional sports clothing distributor in the Rocky
  Mountain and Western states a line of casual and
  active wear was added. The current catalog offers
  extensive selection (see Fig. 1-14)
• RMO now employs over 600 people and has almost
  100 million annually in sales
• Mail order is still the major source of revenue
  at 60 million
• In the early 1990s, a phone-order operation was
  added now it accounts for 30 million in sales.
• RMO was one of the first clothing distributors
  to provide a simple Web presence (on-line
  catalog, but placing the orders only by mail or
  by phone)
• In the late 1990s, considered to move to B2C
  (business-to-consumer) e-commerce.

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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-13 Early RMO catalog cover (Spring 1978).
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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-14 Current RMO catalog cover (Spring
2003).
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RMO Case Study (contd)

• Invited consulting firm recommended focusing on
  two key strategic issues
• Supply chain management
• Customer relationship management
• Supply chain management (SCM) is a process that
  integrates product development, product
  acquisition, manufacturing, and inventory
  management
• Customer relationship management (CRM) is
  processes that support marketing, sales, and
  service operations involving direct and indirect
  customer interaction
• Organization and location
• The RMO is still managed on a daily basis by
  John (as president) and Liz (as vice president of
  merchandising and distribution)
• Other top managers are William McDougal, vice
  president of marketing and sales, and JoAnn
  White, vice president of finance and systems. The
  systems department reports to JoAnn
• Fig.1-15 shows the RMOs organizational
  structure, Fig.1-16 shows the RMO locations.

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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-15 Organizational structure of the RMO.
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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-16 The RMO locations.
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RMO Case Study (contd)

• Information Systems Department at RMO
•   Headed by Mac Preston, an assistant vice
  president
• Includes nearly 50 employees (see Figure
  1-17)
• Organized into two areas
• System support (director Ann Hamilton)
• Includes telecommunications, database
  administration, operations and user support
• System development (director John MacMurty)
• 4 project managers, 6 systems analysts and 10
  programmer analysts.

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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-17 RMO IS Department staffing.
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RMO Case Study (contd)

• Existing Systems
• Small mainframe computer runs various tasks . The
  existing information technology includes
• Retail store system (a package with
  point-of-sale processing and overnight batch
  inventory update with the mainframe, implemented
  8 years ago)
• Office systems (a local area network with
  office software, Internet access and e-mail
  services , implemented 3 years ago)
• Merchandising/Distribution (a mainframe
  application using COBOL with DB2 database,
  implemented 12 years ago)
• Mail Order (a mainframe application using
  COBOL, implemented 14 years ago)
• Phone Order (a modest Windows application
  developed using VB and Oracle database,
  implemented 6 years ago)
• Human resources (an in-house application for
  payroll and benefits running on the mainframe,
  implemented 13 years ago)
• Accounting/Finance (a mainframe package,
  implemented 10 years ago)

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RMO Case Study (contd)

• The Information Systems Strategic Plan at RMO
• The strategic thrust of RMO is to build more
  direct customer contact. One strategy is to
  expand the phone-order capability, and the
  another one is to add direct customer access
  through the Internet. This strategic plan
  resulted in the following decisions
• Technology Architecture Plan
• Distribute business applications across
  multiple locations (move business applications to
  client-server architecture)
• Move towards conducting business via the
  Internet (first supporting supply chain
  management, next supporting direct customer
  ordering on the Web site, and finally supporting
  additional customer relationship management (CRM)
  functions that link internal systems and
  databases)
• Eventually move to intranet solutions for
  business functions such as human resources,
  accounting, finance and information management)

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RMO Case Study (contd)

• Application Architecture Plan
• Supply chain management (SCM) implement system
  that integrate product development, product
  acquisition, manufacturing, and inventory
  management in anticipation of rapid sales growth.
  Custom development.
• Customer Support System (CSS) implement an
  order-processing and fulfillment system that
  integrates with the SCM systems to support the
  three order-processing requirements mail order,
  phone order and direct customer access via the
  Internet. Custom development.
• Strategic information management system (SIMS)
  can extract and analyze SC and CS information for
  strategic and operational decision making and
  control. Package solution.
• Retail store system (RSS) integrates store
  management system with the CSS. Package solution
• Accounting/finance purchase a package solution
  with the client-server architecture
• Human resources purchase a package solution as
  intranet application
• Time frames are presented in Figure 1-18.

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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-18 The timetable for RMOs application
architecture plan.
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RMO Case Study (contd)

• The Customer Support System
• The application architecture plan detailed some
  specific objectives for the CSS, such as
• Customer inquiries/catalog requests
• Order entry
• Order tracking
• Shipping
• Back ordering
• Returns
• Sales analysis
• The memo on CSS is shown in Fig. 1-19.

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RMO Case Study (contd)
FIGURE 1-19
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Readings

• Chapter 1 The World of the Modern Systems
  Analyst (covered today)
• Next lecture Chapter 2 The Analyst as a
  Project Manager
• Lecture notes available at class web site
  (downloadable as PowerPoint slides)

Thank you !!!