Systems Investigation and Analysis

1
Chapter 12

• Systems Investigation and Analysis

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Participants in System Development
Systems Analysts Specialize in analyzing
designing business systems.
Stakeholders Benefit from the systems develop-
ment effort
Programmers Modify/develop programs to satisfy
user requirements.
Users Interact with the system regularly
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Typical Reasons for Initiating a Systems
Development Project
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Information System Planning
Information Systems Plan Translates strategic
organizational goals into systems development
initiatives.
Creative Analysis Investigates new approaches to
existing problems.
Critical Analysis Unbiased careful questioning
of whether system elements are related in the
most effective/ efficient ways.
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Establishing Objectives for Systems Development

• Performance
• Quality or usefulness of output
• Quality or usefulness of output format
• Speed at which output is generated
• Cost
• Development costs
• Costs related to the uniqueness of the
  application
• Fixed investments in hardware related equipment
• On-going operating costs

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Systems Development the Internet

• Applications being moved to the Internet
• Sales
• Order placement
• Access to product information
• Building a static Web site (much easier than
  dynamic Web site)
• Tools to help with Internet systems development

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Systems Development Life Cycle
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Systems Development Life Cycle
Systems Investigation ID problems opportunities
Systems Analysis Study existing systems work
processes
Systems Design Lays out how the system will do
what it will do
Systems Implementation Assemble components put
new/ modified system into operation.
Systems Maintenance and Review Ensures the system
operates is modified to keep up with business
changes.
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Prototyping The Iterative Life Cycle
Operational Prototype Accesses real data files,
edits input data, makes necessary computations
comparisons, produces real output
Non-operational Prototype A mockup or model that
includes output input specifications formats
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General Prototyping Model
Rapid Application Development (RAD) Employs
tools, techniques, methodologies designed to
speed application development, automates source
code generation, facilitate user involvement
in design development activities
Joint Application Development (JAD) Involves
group meetings in which users, stakeholders, IS
professionals work together to analyze existing
systems, propose solutions, define requirements
for a new or modified system
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Factors Affecting Systems Development Success
Managing Change Requires the ability to recognize
existing or potential problems deal with them
before they become a serious threat to the
success of the new/ modified system
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Factors Affecting Systems Development Success

• Use of project management tools
• Schedule
• Milestone
• Deadline
• Critical path
• Program Evaluation Review Technique (PERT)
• Gantt chart

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Computer-Aided Software Engineering (CASE) Tools

• Tools that automate many systems development
  tasks
• Upper CASE tools focus on activities associated
  with the early stages of systems development
• Lower CASE tools focus on the later
  implementation stages of systems development
• Integrated (I-CASE) tools combine upper/lower CASE

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Systems Investigation

• Identifies potential problems opportunities
  considers them in light of the companys goals

SI report summarizes results of systems
investigation the process of feasibility
analysis recommends a course of action
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Feasibility Analysis

• Technical Feasibility Can the hardware,
  software, other system components be acquired
  or developed to solve the problem?
• Operational Feasibility Can the project be put
  into action or operation?
• Schedule Feasibility Can the project be
  completed in a reasonable time?
• Economic Feasibility Does the project make
  financial sense?

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Internal External Sources of Data

• Internal sources
• Users, stakeholders, managers
• Organization charts
• Forms and documents
• Procedure manuals policies
• Financial reports
• IS manuals
• Other manuals business processes

• External Sources
• Customers
• Suppliers
• Stockholders
• Government agencies
• Competitors
• Outside groups
• Journals, media
• Consultants

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Data Collection

• Structured Interview
• Unstructured Interview
• Direct Observation
• Questionnaires
• Statistical Sampling

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Data Analysis

• Manipulating collected data so it is usable for
  development team members participating in systems
  analysis
• Data Modeling A commonly accepted approach to
  modeling organizational objects associations
  that employs both text graphics
• Activity Modeling A method to describe related
  objects,
• associations, activities
• Data Flow Diagram A diagram that models objects,
  
• associations, activities by describing how data
  can flow
• between around them

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Diagrams
Entity-Relationship Diagram (ERD)
Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
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Application Flowcharts

• Charts that show relationships among applications
  or systems

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Grid Charts

• A table that shows relationships among the
  various aspects of a systems development effort

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Requirements Analysis

• An assessment used to determine user,
  stakeholder, organizational needs

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The Systems Analysis Report

• Strength and weaknesses of existing system from a
  stakeholders perspective
• User/stakeholder requirements for the new system
• Organizational requirements
• Description of what new information systems
  should do to solve the problem

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Case study

• Case 1 FAA system development project, page 565