INSY55-SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

MODULE 1: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN CONCEPT

What is Data?

 Raw facts
 Distinct pieces of information usually formatted in a special way. 
 Can exist in a variety of forms – as numbers or text on pieces of paper, as bits
and bytes stored in electronic memory, or as facts stored in a person's mind.

What is Information? 
 A collection of facts organized in such a way that they have additional value
beyond the value of the facts themselves. 
Characteristics of Valuable Information: 
 Accurate 
 Complete 
 Reliable 
 Relevant 
 Simple 
 Timely 
 Accessible 
 Secure 

What is the System?

 A set of detailed methods, procedures, and routines established or formulation to

carry out a specific activity perform a duty, or solve a problem.

System Analysis

 The dissection of a system into its component pieces to study how those
components pieces interact and work.

o Survey and Planning

o Study and Analysis
o Definition
System Design

 The process of defining the architecture, components, modules, interfaces, and data
for a system to satisfy specified requirements.

Needs for System Analysis and Design

 Installing a system without proper planning leads to great user dissatisfaction and
frequently causes the system to fall into disuse.
 Lends structure to the analysis and design information systems.
 A series of processes systematically undertaken to improve a business through the
use of computerized information systems

System Stakeholder

 Any person who has interests in an existing or proposed information system

Stakeholders may include both technical and non-technical workers. They also may
be the internal ones or maybe the external ones.

a) System Owner

 An individual responsible for the overall procurement, development, integration,

modification, operation, maintenance, and retirement of an information system. The
System Owner is a key contributor in developing system design specifications to
ensure the security and user operational needs are documented, tested, and
implemented.

b) System Users 

 A person who interacts with a system, typically through an interface, to extract

some functional benefit. 

Internal System Users 

 Clerical and Service workers 

 Technical and professional staffs 
 Supervisors, Middle managers, and executive managers 

External System User 

 Customers 
 Suppliers 
 Partners 
 Employees 
c) System Designers 

 Person in-charge of the system’s architectural, logical, and physical design to

satisfy specified requirements. 

o Database Administrators 
o Network Architects 
o Web Architects 
o Graphics Artists 
o Security Experts 
o Technology specialists 

d) System Builders 

 Persons involved in designing and writing computer programs that allow the
computer hardware to interface with the programmer and the user, leading to the
effective execution of application software on the computer system. 

o Computer Programmer/Software Developer 

o Databases Programmers 
o Network Administrators 
o Security Administrators 
o Webmasters 
o Software Integrators

e) System Analyst 

 A professional who specializes in analysing, designing, and implementing

information systems. A person who uses analysis and design techniques to solve
business problems using information technology. 

Roles of the System Analyst 

 The analyst plays a key role in information system development projects.

 Must understand how to apply technology to solve business problems.
 An analyst may serve as change agents who identify organizational improvement.  
Qualities of the System Analyst 

 Problem Solver 
 Communicator 
 Strong personal and professional ethics 
 Self-disciplined and self-motivated 

Operational Level 

 Support the day-to-day operations of the company. 

Transaction Processing System

 It is a process of large amounts of data for routine business transactions. 

Example: Payroll Processing, Inventory Management 

Knowledge Level 

Office Automation System (OAS)

 Supports data workers who share information, but do not usually create new
knowledge. 
Example: Word Processing, Spread sheets  

Knowledge Work System (KWS)

 Supports professional workers such as scientists, engineers, and doctors.  

Example: Computer-aided design systems, Virtual Reality System 

Higher Level 

Management Information System (MIS)

 An organized collection of people, procedures, software, databases, and devices

used to provide routine information to managers and decision makers. 

Example: University MIS 

Decision Support System (DSS)

 Aids decision makers in the making of decision

Example: Financial Planning with what-if analysis 

Expert System

 Captures and uses the knowledge of an expert for solving a particular problem

which leads to a conclusion or recommendation. 

Example: MYCIN (an early expert system that used Artificial Intelligence) 

Strategic Level 

Executive Support System (ESS)

 Helps executives to make unstructured strategic decisions in an informed way. 

Example: drill-down analysis 

Group Decision Support System (GDSS)

 permit group members to interact with electronic support 

Example: E-mail, Lotus Notes 

Computer-Supported Collaborative Work System (CSCWS)

 It may include software support called “groupware” for team collaboration via
network computers.

Example: Videoconferencing, a Web survey system 

System Proposal 

 Sometimes refers to "Business Case". It should be comprehensive yet easy to

understand.  It should describe the project clearly, provide the justification to
proceed, and estimate the project’s financial impact. The business case should
answer questions such as the following: 
o Why are we doing this project? 
o What is the project about? 
o How does this solution address key business issues? 
o How much will it cost and how long will it take? 
o Will we suffer a productivity loss during the transition? 
o What is the return on investment and payback period? 
o What are the risks of doing the project? What are the risks of not doing the
project? How will we measure success? 
o What alternatives exist?
 MODULE 2: SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGY

What is the System Development Methodology? 

• System Development Methodology is a framework that is used to structure, plan, and

control the process of developing an information system. 

What is the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)? 

• Is a standard step when developing systems such as planning, analysis, design,

implementation, and maintenance.

SDLC Planning Phase 

• Process of defining clear, discrete activities, and the work needed to complete
each activity within a single project. 

Primary Objectives: 

 Identify the scope of the new system 

 Ensure that the project is feasible 
 Develop a schedule, resource plan, and budget for the remainder of the project. 

Activities: 

 Define the problem 

 Confirm project feasibility 
  Produce the project schedule 
 Staff the project 
 Launch the project 

SDLC Analysis Phase 

 Understand and document the business needs and the processing requirements of
the new system. 

Activities: 

 Gather information 
 Define system requirements 
 Build prototypes for the discovery of requirements 
 Prioritize requirements 
 Generate and evaluate alternatives 
 Review recommendations with management

SDLC Design Phase 

 Design the solution system based on the requirements defined and decisions
made during the analysis phase. 

Activities: 
 Design the application architecture 
 Design the user interfaces 
 Design the system interfaces 
 Design and integrate the database 
 Prototype for design details 
 Design and integrate the system controls 

 SDLC Development Phase 

 Specifically targets the system creation process: the developers write code
and build the app according to the finalized requirements and specification
documents. In other words, it includes the front end and back end developing
processes. Along with the core functions the software should feature, it
includes the UX/UI design of the application – all the basic qualities the
product must provide for its end-users. 
  Developers can utilize the list of different tools and programming
environments using C++, PHP, Python, and other languages, that fully comply
with the project specifications and requirements. 
 Though this phrase may seem a little bit straightforward, it’s still possible to
implement the minor changes and improvements if there are any. However,
the efficiency of the finalized version of the system created can be analysed
only in the next stage. 

SDLC Integration and Testing Phase 

 After the software is built, it’s even more important to make sure all its
features work correctly and coherently, and cannot negatively affect the user
experience. This process involves detecting the possible bugs, defects, and
errors, searching for the various vulnerabilities, etc., and can sometimes take
up even more time compared to the app-building stage. 
 In the end, developers usually come up with a testing report that forms up a
test case by listing all the issues detected and fixed. Once the product is ready
to go, it’s time to integrate it into the specific environment, which usually
means its install. At this stage, the software completes the final testing
through the training environment, after which it’s ready for the presentation
on the market.

SDLC Implementation Phase

 Ensure that the users are all trained and that the organization is ready to benefit
as expected from the use of the system. 

Activities: 
 Construct software components 
 Verify and test 
 Convert data 
 Train users and document the system 
 Install the system 

SDLC Maintenance Phase 

 Keep the system running productively during the years following its initial
installation.
 Upgrades or enhancements may be carried out to expand the system’s
capabilities 
Activities: 
  Maintain the system  
 Enhance the system 
 Support the users

Some Approaches to System Development

a) Traditional Waterfall Model

b) Agile Methodology

c) Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD)

Traditional Waterfall Model

 This structure describes a development method that is linear and sequential.

 Based on the metaphor that when one phase was finished, the development
proceeds to the next phase and there is no going back.
 After each activity/phase, a milestone has been reached a document is produces to
be approved by the stakeholders before moving to the next activity.
 Does not accept the expected changes and revisions that become necessary with
most projects.
Agile Methodology

 Agile methodologies attempt to capture and use the dynamics of change inherent in
software development in the process itself rather than resisting the ever-present
and quickly changing environment. Communication is critical.

Object-Oriented Analysis and Design (OOAD) 

 Looks at the system from the bottom-up view. 

 The procedure of identifying software engineering requirements and
developing software specifications in terms of a software system's object model. 
 Must specify some data organization of attributes and procedural description of
each operation.
• Wang's study showed that there was a long learning curve associated with object-
oriented analysis.

• However comparing the three approaches; traditional, agile, and object-oriented

approach, there is no clear answer as to which is the best approach since they all have
different advantages and disadvantages. Depending on the need and willingness of
business to make investments on their particular project. It is difficult to tell which
approach would bring the best outcome. In all, SDLC can be viewed as tools, whether it
works or not depends on your company, people, processes, procedures, and everything
else.
MODULE 3: METHODS OF DATA GATHERING

Importance of Data Collection  

 Data is one of the most important and vital aspects of any research study.
 Researchers conducted in different fields of study can be different in methodology
but every research is based on data that is analysed and interpreted to get
information.
 Data is the basic unit in statistical studies. 

Data Collection Methods 

a) Observation 

b) Survey or Interview 

c) Examining Record (documentary analysis) 

d) Focus Group Discussion 

e) Case Studies 

Observation

• Involves observing people/conditions through rapid assessment or case studies (either

participation or non – participation) with the use of one's senses, camera, or recording
instrument.

• Costly because the researcher has to spend a long period of time studying the subject.

Survey or Interview

• Involves the collection of data through interviews of respondents.

• Respondents are asked to recall certain information or data which the researcher records.

Face – to – face / Online Interview

  Person – to – person contact asking either closed-ended or open-ended questions.

Telephone Interview

 Data is collected by the interviewer through telephone.

Mailed Questionnaire

 Sending interview forms or questionnaires by mail.

Examining Records

 Records were kept by the respondents.

 Records of data from experiments.
 And records of agencies or institutions can be examined to gather relevant
information.

Focus Group Discussion

• Selected and knowledgeable persons (Normally groups of men and women are
interviewed as a group)

• The targeted group of individuals

Data Collection Instrument

Questionnaire

 Series of a prepared written question to solicit answers to the needed information

about the research problem.
 It is self-administered.

Interview Schedule

 A structured set of questions which are usually asked orally and recorded by the
interviewer in writing, or with the use of audio or video recorders

Interview Guide / Checklist

 Contains keywords or questions that the interviewer will ask the respondents
which are predominantly open-ended