Module - 3

System Development Models and System Analysis and Design

3.1 Terminologies

3.11 Various Terminologies used in System Development Models and System Analysis and
Design are defined in below section.

3.12 System: A system is an orderly grouping of interdependent components linked together

according to a plan to achieve a specific objective.

3.13 Characteristics of a system: Organization, interaction, interdependence, integration and a

central objective.
3.14 Elements of a system: Input, processor(s), control, output, feedback, environment,
boundaries and interface.

3.15 Types of system:

3.15 a. Physical or abstract system

Physical Systems are tangible entities that may be static or dynamic in operation.
Abstract Systems are conceptual or non-physical entities.

3.15 b. Open or closed system.

An open system has many interfaces with its environment. It permits interaction across its
boundary. It receives inputs from and delivers outputs to the outside.
A closed system is isolated from environmental influences.

3.16 Systems Development: The activities that go into producing an information systems

solution to an organizational problem or opportunity. Systems development is a structured kind

of problem solving with distinct activities. These activities consist of recognition of need,

feasibility study, analysis, design, implementation, post-implementation, and maintenance.

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3.17 Systems Analysis: The analysis of a problem that the organization will try to solve with an

information system. It consists of defining the problem, identifying its causes, specifying the

solution, and identifying the information requirements that must be met by a system solution.

3.18 System Design: Details how a system will meet the information requirements as

determined by the systems analysts.

3.19 Logical Design: Lays out the components of the information system and their relationship

to each other, as they would appear to users.

3.20 Physical Design: The process of translating the abstract logical model into the specific

technical design for the new system.

3. 2 Concept of System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

3.21 Systems Development

• The activities that go into producing an information systems solution to an organizational
problem or opportunity.
• Systems development is a structured kind of problem solving with distinct activities. These
activities consist of recognition of need, feasibility study, analysis, design, implementation,
post-implementation, and maintenance.

3.22 Systems Analysis

The analysis of a problem that the organization will try to solve with an information system may
be termed as Systems Analysis. It consists of defining the problem, identifying its causes,
specifying the solution, and identifying the information requirements that must be met by a
system solution.

3.23The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

SDLC is a logical sequence of activities used to identify new systems needs and to develop new

systems to support those needs. SDLC is a model for reducing risk through planning, execution,

control, and documentation of key activities.

3.3 Various stages involved in SDLC

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 Recognition of need

Feasibility Study

Analysis

Design

Implementation

Post-Implementation

Maintenance

Figure 3.1 System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Table 3.1 various stages of System Development Life Cycle

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 Stage Key Question Result
1. Recognition of need: What is the problem or Statement of scope and objective
Preliminary survey / opportunity Performance criteria
Initial investigation

2. Feasibility study: What are the user’s Technical / behavioral feasibility

a) Evaluation of existing demonstrable needs? Cost/benefit analysis
system and procedures Is the problem worth solving? System scope and objectives
b) Analysis of alternative Statement of new scope and
candidate systems How can the problem be objectives
c) Cost estimates. redefined?

3. Analysis:
a) Detailed evaluation of What must be done to solve the Logical model of system
present system problem? E.g. data directory, data flow
b) Data Collection What are the facts? diagram
Pertinent data
4. Design:
General design In general, how must the Design of alternative solutions
specifications problem be solved? Find cost/benefit analysis
Detailed design Specifically, how must the Hardware specifications
specifications problem be solved? Cost estimates
Output What is the system Implementation specification
Input (processing) flow? Implementation schedule
Result Does the user approve the Approval of systems by user
system? programs

How well do individual Test plans

Program construction
programs/modules test out? Security, audit, and operating
Testing
How ready are programs for procedures
acceptance test? Actual hardware use
Unit testing
Formal system test
Combined module testing
User acceptance testing

5. Implementation: What is the actual operation?

Are user manuals ready? Training program
User training Are there delays in loading User-friendly documentation
File/System conversion files?
6. Post-implementation and
maintenance:
Evaluation Is the key system running? User requirements
Maintenance Should the system be User standards met
Enhancements modified? Satisfied user

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 Description of SDLC stages

3.3 Software Process Models

Development strategies to solve software problems are referred to as process models or

software process model. A process model for software is chosen based on the nature of the
project to be used, the controls and deliverables that are required.

3.31 Linear Model or Waterfall Model:

A classic SDLC first identified in 1970 as a formal alternative to the code-and-fix software
development method prevalent at that time.

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Strengths:
 Tackles complexity in an orderly way, working well for projects that are well understood
but still complex.
 It is easy to understand, with a simple goal-to complete required activities.
 It provides a template into which methods for analysis, design, code, test, and support can
be placed.
 It works well when quality requirements dominate cost and schedule requirements.
 It allows for tight control by project manager.
 Its milestones are well understood.
 It is easy to track the progress of the project using a time line or Gantt chart – the
completion of each phase is used as a milestone.
Weaknesses:
 It has an inherently linear sequential nature – any attempt to go back two or more phases
to correct a problem or deficiency results in major increases in cost and schedule.
 It does not handle the reality of iterations among phases so common in software
development.
 It can present a false impression status and progress – “35% done”
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 Integration happens in one big bang at the end.
 There is insufficient opportunity for a customer to preview the system until very late in the
life cycle. Users are involved while gathering requirements in the beginning and at the
end, during acceptance testing.
 Users cannot see quality until the end
 It is not possible for the user to get used to the system gradually. All training must occur at
the end of the life cycle.
 Each phase is a prerequisite for succeeding activities
 All requirements must be known at the beginning of the life cycle. The model is not
equipped to handle dynamic changes in requirements over the life cycle, as deliverables
are “frozen”
 It is document-driven, and the amount of documentation can be excessive.
 The entire software project is being worked at one time. There is no way to partition the
system for delivery of pieces of the system at one time.

When to use?
 The requirements and the implementation of those requirements are very well understood
 Stable product definition and well understood technical methodologies
 A project to build another of the same type or product (existing designs)
 New versions
 Porting an existing product to a new plateform
Essence:
 It progresses through the orderly sequence steps.
 It assumes that each subsequent phase will begin when activities in the current phase
have been completed.
 Each phase has defined entry and exit criteria: inputs and outputs.
 Transition from one phase to the next is accomplished by passing a formal review.
 At critical points on the waterfall model, base lines are established, the last of which is the
product base line. The final base line is accompanied by an acceptance review.
 Porting an existing product to a new platform

3.32 The Prototype Model

The Prototype Model

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Prototyping is more explicitly iterative and it actively promotes system design changes.Process

of building an experimental system quickly and inexpensively for demonstration and evaluation

so that end users can better determine information requirements. Prototyping replaces

unplanned rework with planned iteration, with each version more accurately reflecting user

requirements. Less formal, requirements are determined dynamically as the prototype is

constructed.

A customer defines a set of general objectives for software but does not identify detailed

input, processing, or output requirements or the developer may be unsure of the efficiency of an

algorithm, the adoptability of such system, or the form that human/machine interaction should

take. This serves as a mechanism for identifying (defining) software requirements. The

prototype can serve as “the first system”. Users get a feel for the actual system and developers

get to build something immediately.

Steps Involved in Prototype Model

1. Identify the user’s basic requirements

2. Develop a working prototype
3. Use the prototype
4. Revise and enhance the prototype

 Requirements gathering: Developer and customer meet and define the overall objectives
for the software, identify whatever requirements are known, and outline areas where further
definition is mandatory.
 A “quick design” then occurs which focuses on a representation of those aspects visible to
the customer/user (Eg. Input approaches and output formats).
 The quick design lends to the construction of a prototype.
 The prototype is evaluated by the customer/user and used to refine requirements for the
software to be developed.
 Iteration occurs as the prototype is tuned to satisfy the needs of the customer, while at the
same time enabling the developer to better understand what needs to be done.

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 The Prototyping Paradigm

Listen to Build/revise
customer mock-up

Customer
Test drives
Strengths: mock-up

 Most useful when there is some uncertainty about requirements or design solutions.
(Difficult to specify in advance or they may change substantially as implementation
progresses).
 Especially valuable for the design of the end-user interface of an Information System.
 When the system builders may be unsure of certain technical features of the design
solution
 Applications that are oriented to simple data manipulation and records management.
 Systems that are based on batch processing or that rely on heavy calculations and
complex procedural logic are unsuitable.
 Suitable for smaller applications

Weaknesses:
 Rapid prototyping can gloss over essential steps in system development
 Prototyping system to be fine tuned
 Hastily constructed systems may be difficult to maintain and support in regular production
 The customer sees what appears to be a working version of the software unaware that the
prototype is held together.
 When informed that the product must be rebuilt so that high levels of quality can be
maintained, the customer cries foul demands that “a few fixes” be applied to make a
prototype a working product and often s/w development management relents.
 The developer often makes implementation compromises in order to get a prototype
working quickly (algorithm, OS, PL).

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 The less-than ideal choice becomes an integral part of the system.
 Need to be tested and documented.

When to use?
 On systems that may be modularized and that are scalable.
 On systems with reasonably well-known requirements.
 When the end users can be involved throughout the life cycle.
 When users are willing to become heavily involved in the use of automated tools.
 On systems that can be time boxed to deliver the functionality in increments.
 When reusable parts are available through automated software repositories.
 When the project team is familiar with the problem domain, skilled in the use of the
development tools, and highly motivated.

3.33 Spiral Model

Spiral Model

 Introduced by Dr. Barry Boehm, 1988

 Is an evolutionary process model that couples the iterative nature of prototyping with the
controlled and systematic aspects of the linear sequential model
 It provides the potential for rapid development for incremental versions of the software
 Software is developed in a series of incremental releases
 During early iterations, the incremental release might be a paper model or prototype
 During later iterations, increasingly more complete versions of the engineered system are
produced
 The spiral model encompasses the strengths of the waterfall model while including risk
analysis, risk management, and support and management processes.
 It also allows for the development of the product to be performed using a prototype
technique or RAD through the use of 4 GLS

A spiral model is divided into a number of framework activities, also called task regions.
Typically, there are six task regions.

Planning Risk Analysis

Customer communication

Engineering 10
1. Customer Communication: Tasks required establishing effective communication between
developer and customer.
2. Planning: Tasks required defining resources, time lines, and other project related
information.
3. Risk Analysis: Tasks required to assess both technical and management risks.
4. Engineering: Tasks required building one or more representations of the applications.
5. Construction and release: Tasks required constructing, testing, installing, and providing
user support (Eg. Documentation and training).
6. Customer Evaluation: Tasks required obtaining customer feedback based on evaluation of
the software representations created during the engineering stage and implemented during
the installation stage.

Each of the regions is populated by a set of work tasks, called task set, that are adopted to the
characteristics of the project to be undertaken. For each iteration, determine objectives,
alternatives, and constraints; identify and resolve risks; evaluate alternatives; develop the
deliverables for that iteration and verify that they are correct; plan the next iteration; and commit
to an approach for the next iteration as shown in figure 3.3. The idea is to minimize risk through
successive refinements of user requirements. Each “mini-project” (travel round the spiral)
addresses one or more major risks, beginning with the highest. Risks include poorly understood
requirements, poorly understood architecture, potential performance problems, and problems in
the underlying technology.

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 Figure 3.3 Spiral Model of System Development Process

Strengths:
 The spiral model allows users to see the system early, through the use of rapid
prototyping in the development life cycle
 It provides early indications of insurmountable risks, without much cost
 It allows users to be closely tied to all planning, risk analysis, development, and evaluation
activities
 It splits a potentially large development effort into small chunks in which critical, high-risk
functions are implemented first
 The model allows for flexible design by embracing the strengths of the waterfall model
while allowing for iteration throughout the phases of that model
 It does not rely on the impossible task of getting the design perfect
 Management control of quality, correctness, cost, schedule, and staffing is improved
through reviews at the conclusion of each iteration
 It enhances predictability through clarification of objectives
 All the money needed for the project need not be allocated up-front
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 Takes the advantage of the strengths of the incremental model with incremental releases
Weaknesses:
 If the project is low-risk or small, this model can be an expensive one. The time spent
evaluating the risk after each spiral is costly
 The model is complex, and developers, managers, and customers may find it too
complicated to use
 The spiral may continue indefinitely, generated by each of the customer’s responses to
the build initiating a new cycle, closure (convergence on a solution) may be difficult to
achieve
 Considerable risk assessment expertise is required
 Use of the model may be expensive and even unaffordable – time spent on planning,
resetting objectives, doing risk analysis, and prototyping may be excessive
 Developers must be reassigned during non-development-phase activities
 It can be hard to define objective, verifiable milestones that indicate readiness to proceed
through the next iteration
 Industry has not had as much experience with the spiral model as it has with others
When to use?
 For projects that represent a medium to high risk
 When it is unwise to commit to a long-term project due to potential changes in economic
priorities, and when these uncertainties may limit the available time frame.
 When the technology is new and tests of basic concepts are required.
 When users are unsure of their needs
 When requirements are complex
 When significant changes are expected as with research or exploration
 For organizations that cannot afford to allocate all the necessary project money up-front,
without getting some feed back along the way
 When benefits are uncertain and success is not guaranteed
 With computation-intensive systems, such as DSS
 With business projects as well as aerospace, defence, and engineering projects
 On long projects that may make managers or customers nervous
 To demonstrate quality and attainment of objectives in short period of time

3.34 Alternatives to SDLC methodologies

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The traditional SDLC approach works best on projects in which users have a clear idea about
their requirements. Projects that require major changes in existing processes, through
reengineering or development of new processes or those that build upon inter-organizational
and international systems using Web technologies indicate a need for alternatives or
supplements to conventional SDLC methodologies.

Some alternatives:

– Prototyping
– Joint application design (JAD)
– Rapid application development (RAD)
– Object-oriented development (OO)
– Extreme Programming (XP)
– Component-based development

Prototyping (evolutionary development):

• Instead of spending a lot of time producing very detailed specifications, the developers
find out only generally what the users want. The developers do not develop the complete
system all at once.
• Instead they quickly create a prototype, which either contains portions of the system of
most interest to the users, or is a small-scale working model of the entire system.
• After reviewing the prototype with the users, the developers refine and extend it. This
process is continued until the final specifications.

Joint application design (JAD)

• A group-based method for collecting user requirements and creating system designs. It
is used within the systems analysis and design stages of the SDLC.
• Unlike the traditional SDLC, where the analysts interview individual users of the new
information system to understand their needs JAD has a meeting in which all users meet
simultaneously with analysts. During the meeting, all users jointly define and agree upon
systems requirements.

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Rapid application development (RAD)

• Rapid application development (RAD) methodologies and tools make it possible to

develop systems faster, especially systems where the user interface is an important
component.

– GUI development environment: the ability to create many aspects of an ap-

plication by “drag-and-drop” operations.
– Reusable components: a library of common, standard “objects” such as buttons
and dialog boxes.
– Code generator. After the developer drags-and-drops the standard objects into
the design, the package automatically writes computer programs to implement
the reports, input screens, buttons, dialog boxes, and so forth.
– Programming language: such as BASIC, Object Pascal, or C.

Object-oriented development (OO)

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Object-oriented development (OO) is a fundamentally different view of computer systems than
that found in traditional SDLC approaches. It begins not with the task to be performed, but with
the aspects of the real world that must be modeled to perform that task.

Extreme programming (XP)

• Extreme programming (XP) is a discipline of software development based on values of

simplicity, communication, and feedback.
• XP teams use a simple form of planning and tracking to decide what should be done
next. Focused on business value, the team produces the software in a series of small,
fully integrated releases that pass all the tests the customer has specified.

Component Based Development

• Component-based development is the evolution beyond objects. They are self-contained

packages of functionality that have clearly defined, open interfaces that offer high-level
application services.
• These business objects provide major chunks of application functionality (e.g., pre-
programmed work flow, transaction processing, and user event notification) that can be
connected together to create complete business applications.

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3.4 Structured Analysis

Terminologies used in Structured Analysis are defined in this section.

Top-down refers to an approach that progress from the highest, most abstract level to the
lowest level of detail – from the general to the specific.

Structured refers to the fact that techniques are instructions that are carefully drawn up, often
step-by-step, with each step building upon a previous one.

Structured Analysis: Top-down method for defining system inputs, processes, and outputs,
and for partitioning systems into sub-systems or modules that show a logical graphic model of
information flow.

Data Flow Diagram (DFD): Also known as bubble chart”. Data flow diagrams show how data
flow to, from and within an information system and the processes that transform the data. DFD
are constructed using four basic symbols. These symbols consist of the following:

1. The data flow symbol, an arrow showing the flow of data

2. The process symbol, rounded boxes or bubbles depicting processes that transform the data
3. The data short symbol, an open rectangle indicating where data are stored
4. The external entity symbols either a rectangle or square, indicating the sources or
destination of data.

Data Flows: The movement of data between processes, external entities, and data stores in a
DFD.

Processes: Portray the transformation of input data flows to output data flows in a DFD. Each
has a unique reference number and is named with a verb-object phase.

Data Stores: Manual or automated inventories of data. They consist of computer files or data
bases, file cabinets, card files, microfiche, or a binder of paper reports. The name of the data
store is written inside the data store symbol.

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External Entities: Originators or receivers of information outside the scope of the system
portrayed in the data flow diagram. Some time called outside interfaces.

Source or destination of data

OR (External Entity)

OR Data Flow

Process that transforms data Flow

OR

OR Data Store

Data Dictionary: An automated or manual tool for storing and organizing information about the
data maintained in a database. A data dictionary is a structured repository of data about data. It
is a set of rigorous definitions of all DFD data elements and data structures.

Decision Tables: A decision table is a table of contingencies for defining a problem and the
actions to be taken. It is a single representation of the relationships between conditions and
actions.

A decision table consists of two parts: Stub and entry. The stub part is divided into an upper
quadrant called the condition stub and a lower quadrant called the action stub. The entry part is
divided into an upper quadrant, called the condition entry and a lower quadrant called the action
entry.

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 Table 3.2 Elements and Definitions in a Decision Table.

Elements Location Definition

Condition stub Upper left Sets forth in question form the condition that
quadrant may exist

Action stub Lower left Outline in narrative form the action to be taken
Quadrant to match each condition.

Condition entry Upper right Provides answers to questions asked in the

quadrant condition stub quadrant.

Action entry Lower right Indicates the appropriate action resulting from
quadrant the answers to the condition in the condition
entry.

Context Diagram: The context diagram always depicts an entire system as a single process
with its major inputs and outputs. Subsequent diagrams can then break the system down into
greater levels of detail.

3.50 Systems Design

Systems Design

Details how a system will meet the information requirements as determined by the systems and
users. It consists of all the specifications that give the system its form and structure.
Information systems design is an exacting and creative task demanding imagination, sensitivity
to detail and expert skills.

Objectives:

1) The systems designer is responsible for considering alternative technology configuration for
carrying out and developing the system as described by the analyst. This may involve analysis
of the performance of different process of hardware and software, security capabilities of
systems, network alternatives, and the portability or changeability of systems hardware.

2) Designers are responsible for the management and control of the technical realization of
systems. Detailed programming specifications, coding of data, demonstration, testing and trial,

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the actual procurement of the hardware, software, components are all the responsibility of the
designers

3) The systems designer details the system specifications that will deliver the functions
identified during systems analysis. These specifications should address all of the managerial,
organizational, and technological components of the systems solutions.

Logical Design: Lays out the components of the information system and their relationship to
each other as they would appear to the users. It shows what the system solution will do as
opposed to how it is actually implemented physically. It describes inputs and outputs,
processing functions to be performed, business procedures, data models, and controls -
controls specify standards for acceptable performance and methods for measuring actual
performance in relation to these standards.

Physical Design: The process of translating the abstract logical model into the specific
technical design for the new system. It produces the actual specifications for hardware,
software, physical databases, input/output media, manual procedures, and specific controls.
Physical design provides the remaining specifications that transform the abstract logical design
plan into a functioning system of people and machines.

Structured Design: Encompasses a set of design rules and techniques that promotes program
clarity and simplicity, thereby reducing the time and effort required for coding, debugging, and
maintenance. The main principle of standard design is that a system should be designed from
the top down in hierarchical fashion and refined to greater levels of detail.

The design should first consider the main function of a program or system, then break this
function into sub functions and decompose each sub function until the lowest level of detail has
been reached. In this manner, all high level logic and the design model are developed before
detailed program code is written. If structured analysis has been performed, the structured
specification document can serve as input to the design process.

Structured Chart: System documentation showing each level of design, the relationship
among the levels, and the overall place in the design structure. It can document one program,
one system, or part of one program.

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Walk through: A review of specification or design document by a small group of people
carefully selected based on the skills needed for the particular objectives being tested.
Data Flow Diagram – An Example

Transactions

Employees
Employees 1 2
Collect Payroll
Data Prgm.
Payroll
Cheques
Reports

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A/C Distribut.
Receivables cheques

3.60 System Analyst

System Analyst

An Analyst is a person who conducts a methodical study and evaluation of an activity such as
business to identify its desired objectives in order to determine procedures by which these
objectives can be gained. The task of the systems analyst is to eliminate needs and resource
constraints and to translate these into a viable operation. A system analyst is one who facilitates
the study of the problems and needs of a business to determine how the business system and
information technology can best solve the problems and accomplish improvements for the
business. An analyst must possess various skills to extensively carry out the job. They may be
divided into two categories.

A system analyst is one who facilitates the study of the problems and needs of a
business to determine how the business system and information technology can best solve the
problems and accomplish improvements for the business processes, improved information

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systems, or new or improved computer application. Most of the time it is the combination of all
the three.

When information technology is used, the analyst is responsible for the efficient capture
of data from its business source, the flow of that data to the computer, the processing and
storage of that data by the computer, and the flow of useful and timely information back to the
business and its people.

Information technology is a contemporary term that describes the combination of

computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data,
image, and voice networks).

3.61 Various skills required for a system analyst.

For accomplishing all the things stated above, an analyst must possess various skills.
They may be divided specifically into two categories namely interpersonal skills and technical
skills. Both are required for system development. Interpersonal skills deal with relationships and
the interface of the analyst with people in business. They are useful in establishing trust,
resolving conflict, and communicating information. Technical skills, on the other hand, focus on
procedures and techniques for operations analysis, systems analysis and computer science.

Interpersonal Skills:
 Communication: Having the ability to articulate and speak the language of the user, a “flare”
of mediation, and a knack of working with all managerial levels in the organization.
 Understanding: Identifying problems and assembling their ramifications, having a group of
company goals and objectives, and showing sensitivity to the impact of the system on
people at work.
 Teaching: Educating people in use of computer systems, selling the system to the user,
and giving support when needed.
 Selling: Selling ideas and promoting innovation in problem solving using computers.

Technical Skills:
 Creativity: Helping users model ideas into concrete plans and developing candidate
system to match user requirements.

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  Problem solving: Reducing problems to their elemental levels for analysis, developing
alternative solutions to a given problem, and delineating the pros and cons of candidate
system.
 Project Management: Scheduling, performing well under time constraints, coordinating
teams and managing costs and expenditures.
 Dynamic Interface: Blending technical and non-technical considerations in functional
specifications and general design.
 Questioning attitude and inquiring mind: Knowing the what, when, why, where, who, and
how a system works.
 Knowledge of computers and the business function.
 A candidate system is a newly developed system designed to replace the current
system.
Multifaceted Role of System Analyst

Among the roles an analyst performs are change agent, monitor, architect, psychologist,
marketing man, motivator, and politician.

Marketing Man:
Marketing the system takes place at each step in the system life cycle. Marketing skills and
persuasiveness are crucial to the success of the system. Let us see how important the
marketing skills are, with an illustration.
In the feasibility study phase, the outcome, i.e. the feasibility report is a g good written
presentation documenting the activities involving the candidate system. The pivotal step in
marketing the proposed change. Invariably an analyst is expected to give an oral presentation to
the end use.
The presentation must aim at informing, confirming, or persuading (marketing skills!).
Informing: This simply means communicating the decisions already reached on system
recommendations and the resulting action plans to those who will participate in the presentation.
Confirming: A presentation with this purpose verifies facts and recommendations already
discussed and agreed upon. Presentation should be complete. Confirming is itself part of the
process of securing approval. It should reaffirm the benefits of the candidate system and
provide a clear statement of results to be achieved.
Persuading: This is a presentation pitched toward selling ideas – attempts to convince
executives to take action on recommendations for implementing a candidate system.

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Politician:

A candidate system must be well designed and acceptable to the user. System acceptance is

achieved through user participation in its development, effective user training and proper

motivation to use the system. The analyst’s role as a motivator becomes obvious during the first

few weeks after implementation and during times when turnover results in new people being

trained to work with the candidate system.

In implementing a candidate system, the analyst tries to appease all parties involved.

Diplomacy and finesse is what the analyst requires. In as much as a politician must have the

support of his/her constituency, so is the analyst’s goal to have the support of the user’s staff.

He/she represents their thinking and tries to achieve their goals through computerization.

3.62 Database Administrator (DBA)

Database Administrator (DBA)

3.62. 1 Role of DBA

1. In charge of enterprise database development

2. Improves the integrity and security of organizational databases

3. Uses Data Definition Language (DDL) to develop and specify data contents,

relationships, and structure

4. Stores these specifications in a data dictionary

or a metadata repository

3.62.2 The functions of the Database Administrator (DBA)

The functions of the Database Administrator (DBA) include the following:

1. Schema Definition: The DBA creates the original Database Schema by writing a set of
definitions that is translated by the Data Definition Language (DDL) compiler to a set of
tables that is stored permanently in the data dictionary.

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2. Storage: Structure and access method definition; The DBA creates appropriate storage
structures and access methods by writing a set of definitions which is translated by the data
storage and data definition language compiler.

3. Schema and Physical Organization Modification: Programmers accomplish the relatively

rare modification either to the database schema or to the description of the physical storage
organization by writing a set of definitions that is used by either the DDL compiler or the data
storage and data definition language compiler to generate modifications to the appropriate
internal system tables (Eg. Data Dictionary).

4. Granting of authorization for data process: The granting of different types of authorization
allows the database administrator to regulate which parts of the special system structure
that is consulted by the database system whenever access to the data is attempted in the
system.

5. Integrity constraint specification: The data values stored in the database must satisfy
certain consistency. For eg. The number of hours an employee may work in one week may
not exceed a specified by the DBA. The integrity constraints are kept in a special system
structure that is consulted by the database system.

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