Systems Analysis

The
The aim
aim of
of the
the module
module is:
is:
 Understanding the main concept of Information System
 Understanding various elements of systems development’s
life cycle
 Determining information system requirements, modelling
and structuring them
 Designing an information system solutions to satisfy user
requirements
 Developing and implementing information systems adapting
these principles to modern system development
environments, particularly the web environment
 Using enterprise scale information system modelling and
development tools
 Systems Analysis and Design


 Module
Module Structure
Structure
• Systems Analysis life cycle

•Systems analysis tools and techniques

• System Investigation

• Process and Data modeling

 Administrations
 Lectures (to gain theoretical understanding of the
material)
 Scheduled lab sessions (to build practical experience in
Systems Analysis and Design).
 Systems Analysis and Design

REQUIRED
REQUIRED COURSE
COURSE MATERIALS
MATERIALS For
For Semester(1)
Semester(1)
Text Book: Valacich, J. S., George, J. F., & Hoffer, J. A.,  2004.
Essentials of Systems Analysis & Design, 2nd edition.
Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, NJ.  ISBN: 0-13-101605-9

Alternative
Alternative COURSE
COURSE MATERIALS
MATERIALS

Systems Analysis and Design

by Yeates D
(Pitman Publishing, 1994)
ISBN:0273600664
 Systems Analysis and Design

Grading
 Coursework
–
• Coursework 100 %
– Document 1 : System Requirements
– Document 2 : System Design (ERD, DFD)
Introduction to Systems Analysis and
the Role of the Systems Analyst

Lecture
Lecture 11
 Learning Objectives

 Define systems analysis and design

 Discuss the modern approach to systems analysis
and design
 Describe the Systems Development Life Cycle
(SDLC)
 Describe the role of the systems analyst
Reading Material
 Primary
 Primary book:
book:
-- Chapter
Chapter 1-2
1-2
 Systems and Information Systems
• To talk about systems analysis and design, need to
understand what is meant by “system”
– A system is an interrelated set of business procedures
used within one business unit working together for a
purpose
• A system has nine characteristics
• A system exists within an environment
• A boundary separates a system from its environment

• Examples:
– Universe; Human Body; Economic System;
Transportation System; Stereo System; Computer
System; Software Applications (Payroll System;
Inventory System)
 Characteristics of a System

• Components
• Interrelated Components
• Boundary
• Purpose
• Environment
• Interfaces
• Constraints
• Input
• Output
 Important System Concepts
• Decomposition
– The process of breaking down a system into smaller
components
– Allows the systems analyst to:
• Break a system into small, manageable subsystems
• Focus on one area at a time
• Concentrate on component pertinent to one group of users
• Build different components at independent times
 Information Systems
Development
• Point of discussing systems is to understand
how we build systems
• What do we mean by information systems?
 Systems
• Systems are automated subsystems of organizational
systems
– Organizational systems are:
• Interrelated procedures
• Used within one organizational unit (e.g., Customer Service)
• With identifiable boundary
• Working together for a purpose
• System—turns data into information and includes:
– Application Software
– Hardware and system (OS / middleware) software
– Documentation and training materials
– Job roles associated with the system
– Controls to prevent theft or fraud
– The people who use the software to perform their jobs
 Information Systems Analysis and Design

• A method used by companies to create and

maintain systems that perform basic business
functions

• Main goal is to improve employee efficiency by

applying software solutions to key business tasks

• A structured approach must be used in order to

ensure success
 Information Systems Analysis and Design
 A process used to create an information system consists of:
– Methodologies
• Comprehensive, multi-step approaches to systems development
• Collection of models, tools, and techniques
– Models
• Representation of an important aspect of real world, but not same as real
thing
• Abstraction used to separate out aspect
• Diagrams and charts
• Project planning and budgeting aids

– Techniques
• Processes that are followed to ensure that work is well thought-out, complete
and comprehensible to others on the project team
– Tools
• Computer programs to assist in application of techniques to the analysis and
design process
Some Techniques Used in System Some Models Used in System
Development Development

Why use a methodology?

To introduce structure into design and make it more manageable

To make the analysis and design process more accessible to non-experts

Some Tools Used in System Development

 Data and Processes
• Three key components of an information system
– Data
– Data Flows
– Processing Logic
• Data vs. Information
– Data
• Raw facts
– Information
• Derived from data
• Organized in a manner that humans can
understand
 Data and Processes
• Data
– Understanding the source and use of data is key to good system design
– Various techniques are used to describe data and the relationship
amongst data
• Data Flows
– Groups of data that move and flow through the system
– Include description of sources and destination for each data flow
• Processing Logic
– Describe steps that transform data and events that trigger the steps
 Approaches to Systems Development

• Process-Oriented Approach
– Focus is on flow, use and transformation of data in an information
system
– Involves creating graphical representations such as data flow
diagrams and charts
– Data are tracked from sources, through intermediate steps and to
final destinations
– Natural structure of data is not specified
– Disadvantage: data files are tied to specific applications

• Data-Oriented Approach
– Shows ideal organization of data, independent of where and how data
are used
– Data model describes kinds of data and business relationships among
the data
– Business rules show how organization captures and processes the
data
 System Development
Project is a planned undertaking that has a
beginning, an end, and which produces a
predetermined result or product usually specified
in terms of cost, schedule and performance
requirements

System development project is a planned

undertaking that produces an IS

Activities in development of any new system:

Analysis – to understand information needs
Design – define the system architecture (based on needs)
Implementation – the actual construction of the system
 System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
• The systems development life cycle (SDLC) is a general
term used to describe the method and process of
developing a new information system
• Without the structure and organization provided by SDLC
approach projects are at risk for missed deadline, low
quality etc
• SDLC provides
– Structure
– Methods
– Controls
– Checklist

• Needed for successful development

 Systems Development Life Cycle
• Series of steps used to manage the phases of development
for an information system
• Consists of six phases:
– Project Identification and Selection
– Project Initiation and Planning
– Analysis
– Design
– Implementation
– Maintenance

• Phases are not necessarily sequential

• Each phase has a specific outcome and deliverable
• Individual companies use customized life cycles
 Phases of the Systems Development Life
Cycle
• Project Identification and Selection
– Two Main Activities
• Identification of need
• Prioritization and translation of need into a development schedule

– Helps organization to determine whether or not resources should be dedicated

to a project.

• Project Initiation and Planning

Primary objectives are to:
identify the scope of the new system,
ensure that project is feasible,
develop a schedule,
allocate resources, and
budget for the remainder of the project.

The project planning phase includes five activities:

Define the problem.
Confirm project feasibility.
Produce the project schedule.
Staff the project.
Launch the project.
 Systems Development Life Cycle

• Analysis
The primary objective is to understand and document the
business needs and the processing requirements of the
new system

The analysis phase includes six activities:

Gather information (e.g. interview, read, observe etc.)
Define system requirements (reports, diagrams etc.)
Build prototypes for discovery of requirements
Prioritize requirements
Generate and evaluate alternative solutions
Review recommendations with management
 Systems Development Life Cycle
• Design
The primary objective is to convert the description of the recommended
alternative solution into system specification
– Logical Design
• Concentrates on business aspects of the system
– Physical Design
• Technical specifications
The design phase includes seven activities:
Design and integrate the network
Design the application network
Design the user interfaces
Design the system interfaces
Design and integrate the database
Prototype for design details
Design and integrate the system controls
 Systems Development Life Cycle

• Implementation
Primary objectives are to ensure that:
System is built, tested and installed (actual programming of the system)
The users are all trained
The business is benefiting
The implementation phase includes six activities:
Construct software components
Verify and test
Develop prototypes for tuning
Convert data
Train and document
Install the system
 Systems Development Life Cycle
• Support & Maintenance
Primary objective is to to keep the system running after
its installation

The support phase includes two activities:

Provide support to end users
Help desks
Training programs
Maintain and enhance the computer system
Simple program error correction
Comprehensive enhancements
Upgrades
 Approaches to System Development
Linear Sequential model (Waterfall)
Waterfall Approach Characteristics
 specific activities, techniques and outcomes are associated with each
stage;
 progression between stages is orderly and proceeds in a linear
fashion;
 monitoring and control takes place at the end of each stage;
 involvement of end users is typically passive and principally in the
analysis stage.

System / Information
Engineering
Analysis Design Code Test

Linear Sequential model (Pressman 1997)

 Approaches to System Development
Problems with the Waterfall Approach
• Real projects rarely follow the sequential process illustrated -
iteration through the cycles is required.
• It is often difficult for the customer to state all requirements
explicitly at the start of the development lifecycle.
• With this approach, the customer must be patient - a working
version is not usually available until late in the development
lifecycle.
 Approaches to System Development
Prototyping
• The developer and customer define the overall objectives for the
software. A quick design focuses on what the customer will see. From
this, a prototype is constructed. The user evaluates it and
improvements are made. This continues in an iterative fashion until a
satisfactory product is achieved.

Listen to Build /
customer revise
mock-up

Customer
test-drives
mock-up
 Approaches to System Development
Problems with prototyping
• The customer sees a working version and expects the finished product
to be available in a short time. This puts pressure on the developer to
take short cuts, at the expense of quality and maintainability.

• The developer may make compromises for speed.

• Inappropriate tools may be used or inefficient algorithms may be used,

which then become integral parts of the system.

• If the user isn’t focused on what they want, the system may never be
completed.
 Approaches to System Development
The RAD model
• Rapid Application Development is a linear sequential software
development process model that emphasises an extremely short
development cycle.

• A component-based construction approach is used.

• To use this approach, the project scope must be constrained and the
requirements should be well understood.

• A task that should take no more than ninety days to complete is

modelled, generated and implemented.

• There can be several teams working on different components during

this ninety day time-box.
 Approaches to System Development
Problems with RAD
• For large, scalable projects, RAD requires sufficient human resources to
create the right number of RAD teams
• RAD requires developers and customers who are committed to the rapid-fire
activities necessary to complete a system in this time frame, or failure will
result.
• RAD is not suitable for many project types.
 Approaches to System Development
The Spiral model
• Boehm’s (1988) spiral model couples the iterative nature of prototyping with the
controlled and systematic aspects of the linear sequential model.
• Software is developed in a series of incremental releases.
• During the early releases, there may be just a paper model, but the system
becomes increasingly more complete.
• There are a number of framework activities (Customer communication, Planning,
Risk analysis, Engineering, Construction and release, Customer evaluation).
• Unlike any of the other models, this model keeps revisiting the system
throughout its lifetime.
 Organizational Responsibilities in Systems Development
• Systems Analysts work in teams
– Project Based
– Includes
• IS Manager
• Programmers
• Users
• Other specialists
– Characteristics of Successful Teams
• Diversity of backgrounds
• Clear and complete communication
• Trust
• Mutual Respect
• Reward structure that promotes shared responsibility
• IS Manager
– May have a direct role in systems development if the project is small
– Typically involved in allocating resources to and overseeing system
development projects.
• Systems Analyst
– Key individuals in the systems development process
– uses analysis and design techniques to solve business problems with
information technology
 Required Skills of the Systems Analyst

• An analyst should have fundamental technology knowledge

of:
– Computers / peripheral devices (hardware)
– Communication networks and connectivity
– Database and database management systems (DBMS)
– Programming languages (for example: VB.NET or Java)
– Operating systems and utilities
 Technical Knowledge and Skills
• Analyst uses tools:
– Software productivity packages (MS Office)
– Integrated development environments (IDEs) for
programming languages
– CASE tools / coding, testing, and documentation support
packages

• Analyst understands SDLC phase techniques:

– Project planning
– Systems analysis, systems design
– Construction, implementation, systems support
 Business Knowledge and Skills
• Analyst must understand:
– Business functions performed by organization

– Organizational structure

– Organization management techniques

– Functional work processes

• Systems analysts typically study business

administration in college
 People Knowledge and Skills
• Systems analysts need to understand how people:
– Think
– Learn
– React to change
– Communicate
– Work (in a variety of jobs and levels)

• Interpersonal and communication skills are crucial to:

– Obtaining information
– Motivating people
– Getting cooperation
– Understanding the complexity and workings of an organization in order
to provide necessary support
 Integrity and Ethics
• Analyst has access to confidential information such
as salary, an organization’s planned projects,
security systems, etc.
– Must keep information private
– Any impropriety can ruin an analyst’s career
– Analyst plans security in systems to protect
confidential information
 Summary
• Information systems analysis and design
– Process of developing and maintaining an information system
• Modern approach to systems analysis
– Process-Oriented
– Data-Oriented

• Four types of information systems

– Transaction Processing (TPS)
– Management Information Systems (MIS)
– Decision Support (DSS)
– Expert Systems (ES)
 Summary
• Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
– Systems Planning and Selection
– Systems Analysis
– Systems Design
– Systems Implementation
• Alternatives to Systems Development Life Cycle
– Prototyping
– Rapid Application Development (RAD)
– Joint Application Design (JAD)

• Role of Systems Analyst