CSC 307

SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND

DESIGN

Prepared by: Dams Gabriel: March, 2019

Kaduna State University
 CHAPTER 1:
Overview Of A System,
Analysis And Design

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 Topics Overview
• What is a System?
• What is Analysis?
• What is Design?
• What is System Analysis?
• What is System Design?
• What is SAD?

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 What is a System?
• A collection of parts that work together
to achieve a goal/task. Examples
– Solar system
– Digestive systems
– Public transport system
– Central heating system
– Computer system
– Information system
• It is also defined as “an orderly
grouping of interdependent
components linked together according
to a plan to achieve a specific goal”.
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 Constraints of a System
• A system must have three (3) basic
constraints:
1. A system must have some structure and
behavior which is designed to achieve a
predefined objective.

2. Interconnectivity and interdependence

must exist among the system
components.

3. The objectives of the organization have

a higher priority than the objectives of
its subsystems.
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 Properties of a System
• A system has the following
properties:

• Organization
– Organization implies structure and order.
It is the arrangement of components that
helps to achieve predetermined
objectives.
• Interaction
– It is defined by the manner in which the
components operate with each other.
E.g., in an organization, purchasing
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 Properties of a System Contd..
• Interdependence
– Deals with how the components of a
system depend on one another. For
proper functioning, the components are
coordinated and linked together
according to a specified plan. The output
of one subsystem is the required by other
subsystem as input.
• Integration
– Deals with how a system components are
connected together. It means that the
parts of the system work together within
the system even if each part performs a Slide 7
CSC 307: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN Prepared by Dams G. L.
 Properties of a System Contd..
• Central Objective
– The objective of system must be central.
It may be real or stated. It is not
uncommon for an organization to state an
objective and operate to achieve another.
The users must know the main objective
of a computer application early in the
analysis for a successful design and
conversion.

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 Characteristics of a System
• The system as mentioned before now
is made up of different but
interrelated components.
• The characteristics of a system are:
– Components
– Interrelated components
– Boundary
– Purpose
– Environment
– Interfaces
– Constraints
– Input and output
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 Characteristics of a System
•
contd..
Components—Subsystem – an
irreducible or aggregate parts in a
system.

• Interrelated components- dependence

of one part of the system to the other
[components are interrelated]

• Boundary- the limits of a system,

separating it from other systems.

• Purpose– the overall goal/ function of

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 Characteristics of a System
•
contd..
Environment— A system exists within
an environment—everything outside the
system’s boundary that influences the
system

• Interfaces-- Point of contact where a

system meets its environment or where
subsystems meet each other

• Constraint– a limit to what a system can

accomplish
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 Characteristics of a System
•
contd..
Input–System takes input from its
environment

• Output-System returns output to its

environment as a result of its
functioning to achieve the purpose.
Output from individual subsystems may
be inputs to other subsystems.

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 Characteristics of a System
contd..
• Control
– The control element guides the system.

– It is the decision–making subsystem that

controls the pattern of activities
governing input, processing, and output.

– The behavior of a computer System is

controlled by the Operating System and
software. In order to keep system in
balance, what and how much input is
needed is determined by Output
Specifications.
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 Characteristics of System
Contd..

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 Elements of System

• Outputs and Inputs

– The main aim of a system is to produce
an output which is useful for its user.

– Inputs are the information that enters

into the system for processing.

– Output is the outcome of processing.

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 Elements of System Contd..
• Processor(s)
– The processor is the element of a system
that involves the actual transformation of
input into output.
– It is the operational component of a
system. Processors may modify the input
either totally or partially, depending on
the output specification.
– As the output specifications change, so
does the processing. In some cases, input
is also modified to enable the processor
for handling the transformation.
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 Elements of System Contd..
• Feedback
– Feedback provides the control in a
dynamic system.

– Positive feedback is routine in nature that

encourages the performance of the
system.

– Negative feedback is informational in

nature that provides the controller with
information for action.

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 System Concepts
• A system can be said to be standing
on four (4) concepts namely:
1. Decomposition
2. Modularity
3. Coupling
4. Cohesion
• These are concepts that a system
analyst (prospective system analyst)
needs to know!!
• They are techniques used in system
analysis & design.
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 System Concepts Contd..
• Decomposition
– Process of breaking down a system into
its smaller components. These
components may themselves be systems
(subsystems) and can be broken down
into their components as well.
– This technique allows the system analyst
to do three (3) things:
1. Break a system into smaller manageable
and understandable subsystems.
2. Focus attention on one area (subsystem) at
a time without interference from other
areas.
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 System Concepts Contd..
• Modularity
– This is a direct result of decomposition.

– This refers to dividing a system into

chunks or modules of a relatively uniform
size.

– The technique makes it easier to redesign

and rebuild.

– E.g. each of the separate subsystem

modules for the MP3 player shows how
decomposition makes it easier to
CSC 307: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN Prepared by Dams G. L. Slide 20
 System Concepts Contd..
• Coupling
– Subsystems are dependent on each other.
– Subsystems should be independent as
much as possible. If one subsystem fails
and other subsystems are highly
dependent on it, the others will either fail
themselves or have problems functioning.
– Components of a portable MP3 player is
an example of tightly coupled system.
– Consider the control system = printed
circuit board (PCB) + chips. Failure of one
component will lead to the replacement of
the entire board.
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 System Concepts Contd..
• Coupling Contd..
– Attempting to isolate the problem on the
board and fixing it isn’t cost effective.
– In a home stereo system (HSS), the
components are loosely coupled because
the subsystem such as the speakers,
amplifier, receiver and the CD player are
all physically separate and function
independently. If the amplifier in the HSS
fails, only the amplifier needs to be
repaired.

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 System Concepts Contd..
• Cohesion
– Extent to which a subsystem performs a
single function, represents the degree to
which a part of a system forms a
logically single, atomic unit.
– Take our MP3 player example, supplying
power is a single function.

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 System Concepts Illustration

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 What is System Analysis?
• The process of collecting & interpreting
facts, identifying the problems, and
decomposition of a system into its
components.
• System analysis is conducted for the
purpose of studying a system or its parts in
order to identify its objectives.
• It is a problem solving technique that
improves the system and ensures that all
the components of the system work
efficiently to accomplish their purpose.
•
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 What is System Design?
• The process of planning a new business
system or replacing an existing system by
defining its components or modules to
satisfy the specific requirements.

• Before planning, you need to understand

the old system thoroughly and determine
how computers can best be used in order
to operate efficiently.

• NOTE: System Design focuses on how to

accomplish the objective of the
system.
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 System Analysis and Design
(SAD)
• System Analysis and Design (SAD)
mainly focuses on:

– Systems
– Processes
– Technology

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 Approach to System
Development
• There are three (3) strategies of
Information System (IS)
development:

1. Process-oriented approach
2. Data-oriented approach
3. Object-oriented approach.

• Process-oriented approach
– An strategy to IS development that
focuses on how and when data are
moved through and changed by an IS
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 Approach to System
Development Contd..
• Data-oriented approach
– An strategy to IS development that
focuses on the ideal organization of data
rather than where and how data are
used. [Key Strategy: focuses on Data].

• Object-oriented approach
– A system development methodology and
technique based on objects rather than
data or process. [Key Strategy: focuses
on Object].
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 Why Study System Analysis &
Design?
• To improve organizational
systems through developing or
acquiring application software that
can help employees accomplish key
business tasks more easily and
efficiently

• To create and maintain

information systems that perform
basic business functions
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 Who Studies System Analysis
& Design?
• The systems analyst is a key
person who analyzes the business,
identifies opportunities for
improvement, and designs
information systems to implement
these ideas.

• It is important to understand and

develop through practice the skills
needed to successfully design and
implement new information
CSC 307: SYSTEM ANALYSIS AND DESIGN Prepared by Dams G. L. Slide 31
 Q&A

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