Basic concepts and fundamentals
1.What is information systems analysis and design?
2.What are the roles of a systems analyst?
3.What are the critical success factors of a systems analyst?
4.What are the different systems development methodologies?
5.What are involved in the first phase of SDLC, i.e., project identification?

Information systems analysis and design

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.

nidentify problems, opportunities, and objectives systematically;

nanalyze information flows in organizations;

ndesign computerized information systems (Figure 1.1) to solve problems 


 
 
Types of IS
Purpose
Example
Technology
TPS
Recording
ATM
Data collection, e.g., Bar code scanner
OAS
KWS
Supporting
MS Office
Data manipulation
MIS
Reporting
Transcript office at the Registrar
Report generation, e.g., SQL
DSS
Analyzing
GDSS at U of Arizona
Brainstorming, Alternatives evaluation
ES
Reasoning
MYCIN
AI
ESS
Strategizing
SAP
Integrating

Roles of a Systems Analyst

  1. Consultant
  2. Change agent
  3. Support expert
  4. Problem solver
Role
Assumptions
Contributions
Support expert
  • Developers are experts in technology, tools, system design methods, and project management.
  • Developers are neutral and objective.
  • Helps to make systems development more formal and rational.
  • Less reliance on human intuition, judgment, and politics.
Consultant/Facilitator
Complexity of reality renders universal laws and principles ineffectively.
Stimulate reflection, cooperation, and experimental learning.
Change agent/Labor partisan
Developers use technology to enhance workers’ skills and benefits
Participative approach
Problem solver/Emancipator
Developers use human reason to suggest improvements
Emphasis what could be rather than what is

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
Types of CASE tools
Users
Example
Upper CASE
Analysts
DFD, ER
Lower CASE
Programmers
Code generator

Benefits of using CASE

  1. Increase productivity
  2. Improve communication
  3. Integrate activities
  4. Assess maintenance changes

Actual CASE use in the US (JIT, vol.8, 1993)

Factors affecting CASE usage and effectiveness (CACM v.39, 1996)


Systems development methodologies

1.Traditional Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

2.Rapid Application Development (RAD)/Prototyping

3.Object-Oriented Analysis and design

4.Project champion

5.Soft Systems Methodology

6.Multiview

7.Reverse engineering (Figure 1.8)

• Methodology: a comprehensive guideline for systems development.

• Technique: a step-by-step instructions for completing various activities in systems development, e.g., project management, user-interviewing, data-modeling, structured analysis, structured design, software-testing.
• Tool: a software support that helps create models of system components required in systems development, e.g., CASE, DBMS, MSOffice
7 phases of SDLC (the waterfall model)

 
 
Phases
Purposes
Tools used
Deliverables
Project identification
Identify business problems, opportunities and objectives
Feasibility impact grid
Feasibility report
Systems planning & requirements analysis
Study the current systems and understand user needs
Interview
Data sampling 
Questionnaire 
Observation
Current system description
Systems analysis
Study system needs and propose alternative solutions
DFD
Data dictionary 
Structured English 
Decision tree/table
System proposal
Systems logical design
Describe the functional features (independent of any computer platform) of the system 
DFD
ERD 
System flowchart
System specifications
Systems physical design
Transform the logical design into technology-specific details
Structure chart
N-S chart 
Pseudocode
·Procedure manuals
·Program codes
Systems implementation
Test and install the system
TQM
·Training manuals
·Implementation plan
Systems evaluation
Repair and improve the system
IS utility
New and improved systems

1st phase of the SDLC -- Project identification
 
 
Activities
What
How
Goal
Initiation
Problems
Figure 3.1
Improvement opportunities
Selection
Project proposals
  • Management support
  • Timing 
  • Effectiveness 
  • Practicality
  • Opportunity cost
  • Well-conceived
  • Well-accepted
Feasibility
Projects screening
Feasibility impact grid (Figure 3.2 & 3.3): to understand and assess impacts of improvements to exsiting systems
Figure 3.4
  • Operational 
  • Technical 
  • Economical
Planning
Project activities
A structured approach (Figure 3.5 & 3.6)
Project success

àto define the objective/scope and feasibility of the new system
 
 
Elements of feasibility Specific considerations
Technical
  • Can current technology be upgraded or added to?
  • Is particular technology available?
    		•
    Economic • How much time is needed from analysts, team members, and users?
    • How much is the cost of a full systems study?
    • How much is the cost of hardware?
    • How much is the cost of software?
    Operational • How satisfied the users are with the current systems?
    • Will the systems be used when installed?