System Analysis and Design

Enterprise SWOT analysis usually begins with these questions:

-What are our strengths, and how can we use them to achieve our business goals? -What are our weaknesses, and how can we reduce or eliminate them? -What are our opportunities, and how do we plan to take advantage of them? -What are our threats, and how can we assess, manage, and respond to the possible risks?

Factors That Affect Priority

-Will the proposed system reduce costs? Where? When? How? By how much? -Will the system increase revenue for the company? Where? When? How? By how much? -Will the systems project result in more information or produce better results? How? Are the results measurable? -Will the system serve customers better? -Will the system serve the organization better? -Can the project be implemented in a reasonable time period? How long will the results last? -Are the necessary financial, human, and technical resources available?

What functions do business support systems provide?

-analyze transactional data -generate information needed to manage and control business processes -provide information that enables better decision making

Examples of TP Systems

-customer order processing -accounts receivable -warranty claim processing

The Economy

In a period of economic expansion, firms need to be ready with scalable systems that can handle additional volume and growth. Predicting the business cycle is not an exact science, and careful research and planning are important.

Properties

In object-oriented (O-O) analysis, characteristics that objects inherit from their class or possess on their own

inference rules

Instructions that direct a knowledge management system to identify data patterns and relationships.

Decision Support System (DSS)

Models information to support managers and business professionals during the decision-making process

Competitors

New product research and development, marketing, sales, and service all require IT support.

Agile Methods

Systems development methods that attempt to develop a system incrementally by building a series of prototypes and constantly adjusting them to user requirements. Also called adaptive methods

Knowledge Management Systems

Systems for managing knowledge in organizations, supporting creation, capture, storage, and dissemination of information.

Waterfall Model

an SDLC approach that assumes the phases can be completed sequentially with no overlap

Strategic Plan

an organization's broadest plan, developed as a guide for major policy setting and decision making

B2B (business-to-business)

applies to businesses buying from and selling to each other over the internet

data center

are physical or virtual infrastructures used by enterprises to house computer, server and networking systems and components for the company's IT (information technology) needs

Methods

built-in processes that can change an object's properties

Project Management

a systemized, phased approach to defining, organizing, planning, monitoring, and controlling projects

Fishbone diagram

a visual aid that helps organize cause and effect relationships for "things gone wrong"

service request management system

captures, manages, and routes requests to systems analysts based on definable business rules

information system

combines technology, people, and data to provide support for business functions such as order processing, inventory control, human resources, accounting, and many more

B2C (business-to-consumer)

commercial exchange between business and consumers conducted over the Internet.

Suppliers

critical relationships using EDI, JIT, and blockchain technologies

Business Process

description of specific events, tasks, and desired results

Government

directly affect the design of corporate information systems. (compliance and reporting)

knowledge workers

employees whose main contribution to the organization is specialized knowledge, such as knowledge of customers, a process, or a profession

How do TP systems protect data integrity?

ensure that if any single element of a transaction fails, the system does not process the rest of the transaction.

Top Managers

guide the performance of the organization as a whole or of one of its major parts

five key components of an information system

hardware software data processes people

Customers

implement customer relationship management (CRM) systems that integrate all customer-related events and transactions, including marketing, sales, and customer service activities

user productivity systems

include e-mail, voice mail, fax, video and Web conferencing, word processing, automated calendars, database management, spreadsheets, desktop publishing, presentation graphics, company intranets, and integrated mobile computing systems

Enterprise computing

information systems that support company-wide operations and data management requirements

Processes

tasks and business functions that users, managers, and IT staff members perform to achieve specific results

systems support and security

the IT staff maintains, enhances, and protects the system.

Information Technology (IT)

the combination of hardware, software, and services that people use to manage, communicate, and share information

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)

the computer-to-computer exchange of business documents from a retailer to a vendor and back

supply chain

the connected chain of all of the business entities, both internal and external to the company, that perform or support the logistics function

Big Data

the exponential growth in the volume, variety, and velocity of information and the development of complex, new tools to analyze and create meaning from such data

Moore's law

the number of transistors on an integrated circuit chip would double about every 24 months

Stakeholders

the people whose interests are affected by an organization's activities

Economic Feasibility

the projected benefits of the proposed system outweigh the estimated costs usually considered the total cost of ownership (TCO), which includes ongoing support and maintenance costs, as well as acquisition costs

business case

the reasons, or justification, for a proposal.

Why are TP systems effecient?

they process a set of transaction-related commands as a group rather than individually

Requirements Engineering

used in the systems planning phase of the SDLC. It involves using various fact-finding techniques, such as interviews, surveys, observation, and sampling, to describe the current system and identify the requirements for the new system.

What does the success or failure of an information system usually depend on?

whether it meets the needs of the users

What three major trends shape business today?

- rapidly increasing globalization - technology integration for seamless information access across a wide variety of devices - rapid growth of cloud-based computing software and services

Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

-People, including IT staff and users -Hardware and equipment -Software, including in-house development as well as purchases from vendors -Formal and informal training, including peer-to-peer support -Licenses and fees -Consulting expenses -Facility costs -The estimated cost of not developing the system or postponing the project

constraint

1. A limit to a design process. Constraints may be such things as appearance, funding, space, materials, and human capabilities. 2. A limitation or restriction.

7 main functions of technical support

1. Application Development 2. Systems support and security 3. User Support 4. Database Administration 5. Network Administration 6. Web Support 7. Quality Assurance

4 parts of a feasibility study

1. Operational Feasibility 2. Economic Feasibility 3. Technical Feasibility 4. Schedule Feasibility

6 main reasons for system requests

1. Stronger Controls 2. More Support 3. Improved Service 4. B1etter Performance 5. More Information 6. Reduced Cost

What are the five stages of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)?

1. Systems planning 2. Systems analysis 3. Systems Designs 4. Systems Implementation 5. Systems support and security.

Five main steps in a preliminary investigation

1. Understand the problem or opportunity 2. Define the project scope and constraints 3. Perform fact-finding -Analyze organization charts -Review documentation -Observe operations -Conduct a user survey 4. Study usability, cost, benefit, and schedule data 5. Evaluate all aspects of feasibility -Operational -Technical -Economic - Schedule

horizontal system

A basic system, such as an inventory or payroll package that is commonly used by a variety of companies.

Company Finances

A company's financial status

Business Profile

A definition of a company's overall functions, processes, organization, products, services, customers, suppliers, competitors, constraints, and future direction.

Spiral Model

A development model with a series of iterations, or revisions, based on user feedback.

Mission Statement

A document or statement that describes the company for its stakeholders and briefly states the company's overall purpose, products, services, and values.

system design specification

A document that presents the complete design for the new information system, along with detailed costs, staffing, and scheduling for completing the next SDLC phase, systems implementation. Also called the technical design specification or the detailed design specification.

business process model (BPM)

A graphical representation of one or more business processes.

object-oriented (O-O) analysis

A more recent approach, that many analysts prefer, which views the system in terms of objects that combine data and processes.

Deliverable

A polished, final product, suitable for its intended use. End products or deliverables often coincide with the completion of each SDLC phase

knowledge base

A popular systems development technique that uses a group of users, managers, and IT professionals who work together to gather information, discuss business needs, and define the new system requirements.

Personal Digital Assistant (PDA)

A program that responds to user requests through a natural interface, such as regular speech, to provide assistance to general-purpose queries. Often embedded in devices such as Internet-connected speakers and smartphones.

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID)

A small computer chip that is attached to the item. The tag contains product information such as price, style, model number, etc., and allows channel members to track the item's movement from the time it leaves the production line to the point of purchase

class

A term used in object-oriented modeling to indicate a collection of similar objects.

structured analysis

A traditional systems development technique that uses phases to plan, analyze, design, implement, and support an information system. Processes and data are treated as separate components.

Process Model

A visual model or representation of the sequential flow and control logic of a set of related activities or actions.

Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Activities and functions that systems developers typically perform, regardless of how those activities and functions fit into a particular methodology. The SDLC model includes five phases: (1) systems planning, (2) systems analysis, (3) systems design, (4) systems implementation, and (5) systems support and security.

application lifecycle management (ALM)

Activities that cover the entire SDLC, including requirements, design, development, testing, and deployment and management of software applications.

Iterative Development

An adaptive method typically uses a spiral development model, which builds on a series of iterations.

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM)

An advanced software technology that helps manage the lifecycle of a product from concept through manufacture

integrated development environments (IDE)

An application for building other software applications. Typically includes a visual code editor, an integrated compiler, a debugger, a configuration management system, and a test framework.

Machine Learning

An application of computer science and artificial intelligence that uses automated approaches to pattern recognition and predictive analytics based on large datasets.

Systems evaluation

An assessment conducted during the systems implementation phase to determine whether the system operates properly and if costs and benefits are within expectations

prototype

An early, rapidly constructed working version of the proposed information system.

mission-critical system

An information system that is vital to a company's operations.

preliminary investigation

An initial analysis to clearly identify the nature and scope of the business opportunity or problem. Also called a feasibility study.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)

Business management software, usually a suite of integrated applications, that a company can use to collect, store, manage and interpret data from many business activities.

intangible costs or benefits

Costs or benefits that are difficult to measure in monetary terms

Tangible Costs/Benefits

Costs or benefits that can be easily measured in dollars

Information

Data converted into a meaningful and useful context

NoSQL databases

Databases that can manipulate structured as well as unstructured data and inconsistent or missing data; are useful when working with Big Data.

system requirements document

Deliverable, or end product, of the systems analysis phase. describes management and user requirements, costs, and benefits and outlines alternative development strategies.

vertical system

Designed to meet the unique requirements of a specific business or industry

data

Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis

systems request

Formal way of asking for IT support and starting point for most projects

external factors

Government Technology Suppliers Economy Competitors Customers

systems review committee

Group of key managers and users responsible for evaluating systems requests

Business Rules Analysis

How a system handles data and produces useful information. Business rules, also called business logic, reflect the operational requirements of the business.

format of a preliminary investigation report

Introduction—the first section is an overview of the report. The introduction contains a brief description of the system, the name of the person or group who performed the investigation, and the name of the person or group who initiated the investigation. Systems Request Summary—the summary describes the basis of the systems request. Findings—the findings section contains the results of the preliminary investigation, including a description of the project's scope, constraints, and feasibility. Recommendations—a summary of the project request and a specific recommendation. Management will make the final decision, but the IT department's input is an important factor. Project Roles—this section lists the people who will participate in the project and describes each person's role. Time and Cost Estimates—this section describes the cost of acquiring and installing the system, and the total cost of ownership during the system's useful life. Intangible costs also should be noted. Expected Benefits—this section includes anticipated tangible and intangible benefits and a timetable that shows when they are to occur. Appendix—an appendix is included in the report if supporting information must be attached. For example, the interviews conducted might be listed, the documentation reviewed, and other sources for the information obtained. Detailed interview reports do not need to be included, but those documents that support the report's findings should be retained for future reference.

Existing Systems and Data

Patchwork legacy systems incapable of supporting business needs

CASE tools

Powerful software used in computer-aided systems engineering to help systems analysts develop and maintain information systems.

discretionary projects

Projects where management has a choice in implementing them

nondiscretionary projects

Projects where no choice exists. An example of such a project is adding a report required by a new federal law.

Systems analysis and design

Step-by-step process for developing high-quality information systems

internal factors

Strategic Plan Top Managers User Requests IT Department Existing Systems and Data Company Finances

case for action

Summary of a project request and a specific recommendation

Critical Success Factors

The crucial steps companies make to perform to achieve their goals and objectives and implement strategies

systems planning phase

The first phase of the SDLC. During this phase the systems project gets started. The project proposal is evaluated to determine its feasibility. The project management plan is formulated, with the help of CASE tools where appropriate.

systems implementation phase

The fourth phase of SDLC. During this phase the new system is constructed, programs are written, tested, and documented, and the system is installed.

strategic plans

The long-range plans that define the corporate mission and goals. Typically defined by top management, with input from all levels

Hardware

The machines, wiring, and other physical components of a computer or other electronic system

systems analyst

The organizational role most responsible for the analysis and design of information systems.

Model Based Systems Engineering (MBSE)

The practice of developing a set of related system models that help define, design and document a system under development. These models provide an efficient way to explore, update, and communicate system aspects to stakeholders, while significantly reducing or eliminating dependence on traditional documents.

project creep

The process by which projects with very general scope definitions expand gradually, without specific authorization.

E-commerce (electronic commerce)

The process of conducting business online for purposes ranging from fund-raising to advertising to selling products.

Strategic planning

The process of identifying long-term organizational goals, strategies, and resource.

systems analysis phase

The second SDLC phase. The purpose of this phase is to build a logical model of the new system.

systems design phase

The third SDLC phase. The purpose of systems design is to create a blueprint for the new system that will satisfy all documented requirements, whether the system is being developed in-house or purchased as a package.

Data Breach

The unintended release of sensitive data or the access of sensitive data by unauthorized individuals.

Project Scope

The work that must be performed to deliver a product, service, or result with the specified features and functions.

Groupware

Umbrella term for specialized collaborative software applications.

Operational Feasibility

a proposed system will be used effectively after it has been developed

management information systems (MIS)

a business function which moves information about people, products, and processes across the company to facilitate decision making and problem solving

Data Flow Diagram (DFD)

a graphical description of the flow of data within an organization, including data sources/destinations, data flows, transformation processes, and data storage

Modeling

a graphical representation of a concept or process that systems developers can analyze, test, and modify.

business model

a graphical representation of business functions that consist of business processes, such as sales, accounting, and purchasing

System software

manages the hardware components, includes the operating system, security software that protects the computer from intrusion, device drivers that communicate with hardware such as printers, and utility programs that handle specific tasks such as data backup and disk management. System software also controls the flow of data, provides data security, and manages network operations. In today's interconnected business world, network software is vitally important.

schedule feasibility

measures the project time frame to ensure it can be completed on time

legacy systems

older information systems that remain in use because they still function and are costly to replace

Supply Chain Management (SCM)

planning and coordinating the movement of products along the supply chain, from the raw materials to the final consumers

Transaction processing (TP) systems

process data generated by day-to-day business operations

software

programs that control the hardware and produce the desired information or results.

Application software

programs that support day-to-day business functions and provide users with the information they need, includes order processing systems, payroll systems, and company communications networks. On a smaller scale, individual users can boost productivity with tools such as spreadsheets, presentation software, and database management systems.

Business Support Systems

provide job-related information support to users at all levels of a company

Technology

rapid and evolving technology changes affect business plans

Technical Feasibility

refers to the technical resources needed to develop, purchase, install, or operate the system

User Requests

requests from end users for IT service and support

message

requests specific behavior or information from another object

Information Technology Department

responsible for managing the technology used throughout the business

System

set of related components that produces specific results

business process modeling notation (BPMN)

standard set of terms and graphical notations for documenting business processes

SWOT analysis

strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats