What is System Analysis?

System analysis is the process of examining and understanding an existing system or designing
a new system to solve specific problems. It focuses on determining the system’s requirements,
its current state, and how it can be improved or developed to meet user needs effectively.

Systems design? is a crucial phase in the development of an information system, where the
architecture and components of a system are defined and structured to meet specified
requirements. It is the process of translating requirements into a blueprint for building the
system, ensuring that the system will function efficiently, be scalable, and meet the user and
business needs.

2. Key Objectives of System Analysis

 Understand user needs: Gather and analyze user requirements to understand the
problems and needs of stakeholders.

 Identify system requirements: Define what the system must do, including hardware,
software, and organizational needs.
 Evaluate existing systems: Study the current system to identify inefficiencies, limitations,
and areas for improvement.

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  Design alternatives: Propose and analyze various design options for the system to meet
objectives.

 Key Differences

Aspect System Analyst Business Analyst Developer Analyst Data Analyst

System design, Software Data collection,
Business processes,
Primary Focus functionality, development and analysis, and
requirements
architecture implementation insights
Analyze and
Identify business
design systems, Collect and
problems, gather Develop software,
Key gather analyze data,
and document write code, debug,
Responsibilities requirements, generate
requirements, optimize
ensure reports
improve processes
functionality
Communication, Data analysis
Technical
business process Programming, tools (Excel,
knowledge of
Skills modeling, debugging, system SQL, Python),
system design,
requirements implementation statistical
DFD, UML
gathering analysis
Works with
Works with both Collaborates
Bridges the gap business and IT
Interaction with technical teams mainly with system
between business teams to
Stakeholders and users to analysts and
and IT teams provide data-
design systems business analysts
driven insights
System designs, Requirement
Data reports,
technical documentation, Working software,
Output dashboards,
specifications, business process source code
and analytics
flow diagrams models
Summary
 System Analysts are focused on the overall architecture and design of systems, ensuring
that they function as intended from a technical perspective.
 Business Analysts focus on understanding business needs, gathering requirements, and
ensuring that IT solutions align with business goals and improve processes.
 Developer Analysts focus on building, coding, and maintaining software based on
system and business requirements.
 Data Analysts focus on working with data to extract valuable insights that inform
decision-making and business strategies.

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Key Differences Between Systems Analysis and Systems Design:

Aspect Systems Analysis Systems Design

Understanding the problem

Creating the solution and
Focus and defining the
blueprint for the system.
requirements.

To gather information and

To design the system that will
Objective analyze the system's needs
solve the identified problems.
and problems.

Requirement gathering, High-level and low-level

Key
feasibility analysis, system design, database design,
Activities
modeling. interface design.

Data Flow Diagrams (DFD), Unified Modeling Language

Tools Used Entity-Relationship Diagrams (UML), wireframes, database
(ERD), use cases. schema.

Requirements specification, System architecture, detailed

Outcome feasibility report, system designs, prototypes, and
models. documentation.

Business analysts, system System designers, architects,

Who is
analysts, stakeholders, and developers, and sometimes
Involved
users. UI/UX designers.

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) and SAD

Systems Analysis and Design typically takes place within the Systems Development Life
Cycle (SDLC), which is a structured approach for developing information systems. The
stages of SDLC include:
SDLC life cycle:

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 1. Requirement Analysis/planning:

 Purpose: The goal of this phase is to define the scope of the project, resources required,
and the project’s overall feasibility.
Activities:
 Project scope definition
 Resource planning
 Budget estimation
 Risk analysis

Example: Online Bookstore System

Background: A bookstore chain wants to develop an online platform to sell books, manage
inventory, process orders, and provide a seamless shopping experience for customers.

Requirement Analysis Process:

 Stakeholder Identification:
o Identify stakeholders involved in the project, including bookstore
managers, customers, IT staff, and administrators.
 Gathering Requirements:
o Conduct interviews and workshops with stakeholders to understand their
needs and expectations for the online bookstore system.
o Gather functional requirements (e.g., browsing books, adding to cart,
checkout process) and non-functional requirements (e.g., security,
scalability, performance).

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  Analysis and Documentation:
o Analyze the requirements gathered to identify common themes,
dependencies, and potential conflicts.
o Document the requirements in a clear and structured manner using tools
like requirement specification documents, user stories, use cases, and
wireframes.
 Validation:
o Review the documented requirements with stakeholders to ensure they
accurately reflect their needs and expectations.
o Validate the requirements against criteria such as feasibility, relevance,
and alignment with business goals.
 Prioritization:
o Prioritize requirements based on their importance, criticality, and impact
on the project's success.
o Identify must-have requirements for the initial release and those that can
be deferred to future phases.
 Requirement Traceability:
o Establish traceability between requirements to ensure that each
requirement is linked to its source and can be tracked throughout the
development process.
o Trace requirements to design elements, test cases, and implementation to
maintain consistency and alignment.
 Sign-off:
o Obtain formal sign-off from stakeholders on the documented requirements
to confirm their agreement and commitment to the project scope.
o Ensure that any changes to requirements are properly managed through a
change control process.

2. Feasibility Study: The feasibility study phase involves evaluating the technical, economic,
and operational feasibility of the project. This step helps determine whether the project
is worth pursuing and if it can be completed within the given constraints.

3. System Design:

 Purpose: This phase involves creating the system’s architecture and design
specifications.

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 Activities:
 High-level system architecture- This stage involves designing the entire system
and its elements, including high-level design (HLD) and (LLD)low-level design.

 Database design
 User interface design
 Detailed design documentation

4. Implementation: The implementation phase involves coding, unit testing, and

integrating system components to build the software. Developers follow the design
specifications to write code and create the software product.

 Purpose: The actual creation and coding of the system takes place in this phase.
Activities:
 Coding based on the design specifications
 Unit testing
 Development of individual components/modules
5. Testing:

Purpose: Validate that the system meets the original requirements and works correctly.
Activities:
 System testing (e.g., functional, security, performance)
 Bug fixes and troubleshooting
 User acceptance testing (UAT)

6. Deployment: Once the software has been tested and approved, it is deployed to the
production environment. This involves installing the software, configuring it for end-
users, and ensuring that it works as expected in the live environment.
7. Maintenance: The maintenance phase involves ongoing support and maintenance of
the software. This includes fixing bugs, implementing updates, adding new features, and
addressing user feedback to ensure the software remains functional and relevant over
time.

Information systems analysis and design

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An organizational improvement process whereby computer-based information systems are
developed and maintained to add values to the organization’s process of creating, producing,
and supporting its products and services.
identify problems, opportunities, and objectives systematically;
analyze information flows in organizations;
design computerized information systems (Figure 1.1) to solve problems

Roles of a Systems Analyst

The three primary roles of the systems analyst are: consultant, supporting expert, and agent of
change
1. Consultant
2. Change agent
3. Support expert

4. Problem solver

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Critical Success Factors of a Systems Analyst
1.Interpersonal skills (communication, work alone and with a team, facilitating groups,
managing expectations)
2.Analytical skills (systems thinking, organizational knowledge, problem identification, problem
analyzing and solving)
3.Management skills (resource management, project management, risk management, change
management)
4.Technical skills (understand how technologies work, their potential and limitations; stay
versatile and up-to-date; understand technical concepts rather than specific tools)

Analytical skills
1. Systems thinking (Figures 2.1, 2.2, 2.3)
2. Organizational knowledge: culture and subculture
Management skills
1.Levels of management (Figure 2.13)

Technical skills
1. Integrating technologies: Web, ERP, m-commerce
2. CASE tools

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 Benefits of using CASE
1. Increase productivity

2. Improve communication
3. Integrate activities
4. Assess maintenance changes

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System Theory is a multidisciplinary framework used to understand and analyze complex
entities, known as systems, which are composed of interrelated components working together
to achieve common goals. The theory suggests that a system is more than just the sum of its
parts; rather, the interactions and relationships between components influence the overall
behavior and functionality of the system. System theory is applicable across various fields,
including engineering, biology, sociology, economics, and information systems.
Core Concepts of System Theory

1. System Definition
A system is a set of interrelated or interacting elements that work together to achieve a
common purpose. These elements can include processes, people, data, or objects, and the
system operates as a whole by coordinating the actions of its components.
Key Characteristics of a System:
 Boundaries: The system is defined by its boundaries, which separate the system from
the external environment.
 Components: These are the parts that make up the system, such as subsystems or
elements.
 Interaction: Components interact with each other in various ways, influencing the
system's overall behavior.
 Purpose or Goal: Every system has an overarching purpose or goal it is designed to
achieve.

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2. Open vs. Closed Systems
 Open System: An open system interacts with its environment and exchanges
information, energy, or matter with it. For example, a business organization is an open
system because it interacts with its customers, suppliers, competitors, and other
external factors.
Examples of Open Systems in System Analysis:

o System Example: An ERP system for an organization processes orders from

customers (input) and provides data for inventory management, sales forecasts,
and financial reporting (output), all while adapting to external market
conditions, customer feedback, and regulatory changes.

 Closed System: A closed system does not interact with its environment. It operates in
isolation, with little to no exchange of information or resources. In reality, most systems
are open to some degree.
Example of closed system: Blood Analysis Machines

 How it works: A blood analysis machine in a clinical laboratory that processes and
analyzes blood samples according to preset programs. It may not communicate with
external systems unless explicitly designed to do so for reporting or storing data.
o

3. Subsystems and Hierarchy

A system is often composed of smaller subsystems, which are individual systems in their own
right but are part of a larger system. For example, an organization's finance department can be
a subsystem of the overall organization system.
Hierarchy of Systems:
 A complex system can have a hierarchical structure where subsystems are nested within
larger systems.
 This hierarchy helps organize and simplify the understanding of complex systems.

4. System Components

System theory identifies several essential components that make up a system:

 Inputs: Resources, information, or materials that enter the system from the
environment.

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  Processes (Transformations): The activities or operations within the system that
transform inputs into outputs.
 Outputs: The results or products produced by the system that are sent to the
environment.
 Feedback: Information about the output that is fed back into the system to help control
and adjust the system's processes.
 Environment: Everything outside the system that affects its functioning, such as external
factors, stakeholders, and regulations.

5. System Boundaries

A system boundary defines what is included and excluded from the system. The boundary
separates the system's components and processes from external elements, allowing analysts
to understand the system's scope and its interactions with the environment. The boundaries
can be physical (e.g., a building) or conceptual (e.g., organizational policies or objectives).

6. Inputs, Outputs, and Feedback

 Inputs: Data, resources, or information that the system processes or consumes to
produce its output. In a business system, inputs could include raw materials, human
resources, or customer requests.
 Outputs: The results or products generated by the system after processing inputs. In a
business context, outputs might be products, services, reports, or decisions.
 Feedback: Feedback loops provide information on the system's output and help adjust
the system's processes. Positive feedback encourages change or growth, while negative
feedback seeks to maintain equilibrium and stability.

7. Homeostasis and Equilibrium

 Homeostasis: The ability of a system to maintain internal stability or balance despite
external changes. This is especially important in biological and ecological systems but is
also relevant in organizational and social systems.
 Equilibrium: A state where inputs and outputs balance, resulting in a steady and stable
condition. A system can reach equilibrium through feedback and adjustment of
processes.

8. System Dynamics

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System dynamics refers to the study of how systems evolve and change over time. It focuses on
understanding how elements within a system interact and how those interactions drive the
system's behavior. In systems theory, it's essential to recognize that:
 Change: Systems are dynamic, meaning they change over time due to internal and
external factors.
 Feedback Loops: Positive and negative feedback loops shape the system’s behavior.
Positive feedback amplifies changes, while negative feedback counteracts changes to
maintain stability.

9. Emergent Properties
A key principle of systems theory is that systems exhibit emergent properties. These are
characteristics or behaviors of the system that arise from the interactions of its components
and cannot be predicted or understood solely by analyzing the individual components.
For example, in a social system, the collective behavior of individuals may create patterns (like
groupthink or collaboration) that cannot be reduced to individual behaviors alone.

Types of Systems
1. Physical Systems: Tangible systems that involve physical components. Examples include
machines, transportation systems, or ecosystems.
2. Abstract Systems: Conceptual systems that focus on processes, structures, and
relationships rather than physical components. For example, an organization's structure
or a computer program.
3. Living Systems: Biological systems that adapt and respond to their environment, such as
human bodies, ecosystems, or species.
4. Social Systems: Systems involving people and their interactions, such as families,
communities, or business organizations.
5. Information Systems: Systems designed to collect, process, store, and distribute
information. Examples include database systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP)
systems, or software applications.

Applications of System Theory

System theory has applications in many fields:
 Engineering: To design and optimize complex machines, electrical circuits, or
mechanical systems.

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  Business: To understand organizational behavior, supply chain management, and
product development.
 Biology: To understand ecosystems, living organisms, and cellular processes.
 Social Sciences: To model interactions in societies, organizations, or communities.
 Computer Science: In systems design and development, particularly when analyzing and
designing software systems, networks, or databases.

Advantages of Systems Theory

 Holistic Approach: Encourages viewing systems as a whole, rather than focusing only on
individual components, which helps in solving complex problems.
 Interconnectedness: Helps recognize the interdependencies and relationships between
system components, leading to better understanding and problem-solving.
 Adaptability: Emphasizes the need for systems to adapt and change over time to remain
functional and efficient.
 Feedback Loops: Provides a framework to understand how feedback influences system
behavior, enabling better management and decision-making.

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