IT101 Chapter 12: Implementing Business/IT Solutions

Systems Implementation

- Acquire (or develop) hardware and software. - Test the system, and train people to operate and use it. - Convert to the new business system. - Manage the effects of system changes on end users.

Systems Analysis

- Analyze the information needs of employees, customers, and other business stakeholders. - Develop the functional requirements of a system that can meet business priorities and the needs of all stakeholders. - Develop logical models of current system

Systems Investigation

- Determine how to address business opportunities and priorities. - Conduct a feasibility study to determine whether a new or improved business system is a feasible solution. - Develop a project management plan and obtain management approval.

Systems Design

- Develop specifications for the hardware, software, people, network, and data resources, and the information products that will satisfy the functional requirements of the proposed business information system. - Develop logical models of new system.

seeing the system context means:

1- See the Interrelationships among the systems rather than linear cause-and-effect chains 2- See the Process of change among the systems rather than discrete 'snapshots' of change

The keys to successful implementation of a new business system are:

1- Testing 2- Data Conversion 3- Documentation 4- Training

The Prototyping Process

are developed quickly for trial by users to obtain user feedback

Initiation and Defining

state the problem and identify objectives and resources, explore costs/benefits

Testing

testing and debugging are important, does the system work as it should?

Economic Feasibility

the extent to which the proposed system will provide positive economic benefits to the organization

Postimplementation Activities - Use and Maintenance

the longest and most costly phase of a system's life; correct errors, improve performance, adapt to changes in the business environment

Systems development can be very costly, investigations (Feasibility Studies) are made to determine whether to proceed, Feasibility Studies are:

1- Operational Feasibility 2- Technical Feasibility 3- Human Factors Feasibility 4- Economic Feasibility 5- Legal/Political Feasibility

specific steps in solving any problem

1- Recognize/Define a Problem or Opportunity 2- Develop and Evaluate Alternative System Solutions 3- Select the Best System Solution 4- Design the Selected System Solution 5- Implement and Evaluate the Success of the Designed System

systems orientation

Use a ________ to defining and solving problems and opportunities

Encapsulation

concealing all the properties inside the object

Object-Oriented Design (OOD)

create solutions using objects

Prototyping

create working models of the proposed system

User Interface Design

critical because the interface is the part of the systems closest to the user

System Conversion Strategies

cutting over to the new system with 4 ways: Direct, Parallel, Pilot, and Phased (Modular)

Select the Best System Solution

decide which alternative is best

Technical Feasibility

degree to which current technical resources can be applied to the new system

Design the Selected System Solution

design the system for the chosen solution

Polymorphism

different behavior based on conditions

Controlling

ensure project objectives and deadlines are met

Postimplementation Review

ensure the new system meets established business objectives

Corrective

fix errors

Analysis of the Present System

"those who fail to study history are doomed to repeat it", a complete understanding of the current system is critical

The four basic categories of Systems maintenance:

(1) corrective, (2) adaptive, (3) perfective, (4)preventive .

Cost/Benefit Analysis

do the benefits justify the costs?

Examples of how Legal/Political Feasibility measure the feasibility

• No patent or copyright violations. • Software licensing for developer side only. • No governmental restrictions. • No changes to existing reporting authority.

Systems Maintenance

Use a post implementation review process to monitor, evaluate, and modify the business system as needed.

The Prototyping Process:

1- Identify an End User's Business Requirements 2- Develop Business System Prototypes 3- Revise the Prototypes to Better Meet End-User Requirements 4- Use and Maintain the Accepted Business System

Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) paradigms:

1- Inheritance. 2- Modularity 3- Polymorphism 4- Encapsulation

The Process of Project Management - five phases:

1- Initiation and Defining 2- Planning 3- Executing 4- Controlling 5- Closing

Conversion can be:

- Parallel - Pilot - Phased - Plunge (direct)

Implementation process or Implementation activities

1- Acquisition of Hardware, Software, and Services 2- Software Development or Modification 3- Data Conversion 4- End-User Training 5- Conversion

Examples of how Technical Feasibility measure the feasibility

Capability, reliability, and availability of Web store hardware, software, and management services.

Performance must be demonstrated and evaluated: there are 3 evaluation Factors ..

Hardware, Software, and Services

Examples of how operational Feasibility measure the feasibility

How well a proposed e-commerce system fits the company's plans for developing Web-based sales, marketing, and financial systems.

End-User Development

IS professionals act as consultants while user do their own application development

What Is a Project?

a set of activities with a beginning and an end, has goals and tasks, may have constraints (limitations)

Evaluation factors for IS services.

Performance, Systems Development, Maintenance, Conversion, Training, Backup, Accessibility, Business Position, Hardware, Software

Logical Analysis

WHAT the system does without regard to HOW

Systems Approach

You should apply the _____ to IS development

The Systems Development Life Cycle

a multistep, iterative process to designing systems, very popular, 5 Phases: Investigation, Analysis, Design, Implementation, Maintenance مهم

Modularity

a series of interlinked yet stand-alone modules

Inheritance

ability to inherit properties of a higher-order object

Adaptive

adding new functionality

Documentation

an important means of communication, often overlooked, that's whay we need to document

Objects

anything a programmer wants to manage or manipulate

Human Factors Feasibility

assess the degree of approval/resistance to the new system

Tangible Costs/Benefits

can be calculated/quantified (hardware, software, increase in payroll)

Phased (Modular)

gradual conversion one module at a time, combines best of both direct and modular while minimizing risks

Intangible Benefits

hard to calculate (customer approval, political feedback)

Planning

identify and sequence objectives/activities

Feasibility Studies

identify needs, resources, costs, benefits

Perfective

improve performance

End-user development should focus on the basic information processing activity components of an information system, which are:

input, processing, output, storage, control

Closing

install deliverables, release resources, end the project

Systems Approach

is a systematic way to develop a solution to a problem

Object-oriented programming (OOP)

is the programming paradigm that uses "objects" to design applications and computer programs.

Software Evaluation Factors

similar to evaluating hardware: Quality, Efficiency, Flexibility, Security, Connectivity, Maintenance, Documentation, Hardware, performance, cost, reliability, availability, compatibility, modularity, technology, ergonomics, scalability, and support characteristics

Pilot

let only a select few users use the new system until they are happy, then implement the new system for everyone; best user representation can be selected for the trials

System Specifications

listing of elements that formalize the design

Systems Maintenance or change requests or change orders

making changes to the system by 4 ways

Doing End-User Development

may discover new or improved ways to do the job

Object-Oriented Analysis (OOA)

modeling the problem domain as an object-oriented system

Parallel

most expensive but safest, run both systems until everyone is satisfied, then turn off old system

Data Conversion

new implementations often require replacing software and databases

Hardware Evaluation Factors

physical and performance characteristics: like Performance, Cost, Reliability, Compatibility, Technology, Ergonomics, Connectivity, Scalability, Software, and support characteristics

Direct

simplest but most dangerous method, turn off the old system and turn on the new one

Executing

put plans into motion

Implement and Evaluate the Success of the Designed System

put the solution into effect and monitor results for the outcome

Recognize/Define a Problem or Opportunity

recognize that it exists

Preventative

reduce chances of future system failure

Systems Thinking - the "Fifth Discipline"

seeing the system context

Evaluating IS Services

services may be provided by suppliers of hardware/software or by third parties

Training

training users is vital, usually under-budgeted, and expensive

Functional Requirements Analysis and Determination

what Information is required for each business activity and what Processing is required in the system

Develop and Evaluate Alternative System Solutions

what are the different ways to solve this problem?

Legal/Political Feasibility

what are the legal/political ramifications of the new system?

Operational Feasibility

will the proposed system fit existing business environment and objectives?

Organizational Analysis

you must have a thorough understanding of the organization to make the system work well

Examples of how Human Factors Feasibility measure the feasibility

• Acceptance of employees. • Management support. • Customer and supplier acceptance. • Staff developers have necessary skills.

Example Activities: Executing

• Commit resources to specific tasks. • Add additional resources/personnel if necessary. • Initiate project work.

Example Activities: Controlling

• Establish reporting obligations. • Create reporting tools. • Compare actual progress with baseline. • Initiate control interventions if necessary.

Example Activities: Planning

• Identify and sequence activities. • Identify the "critical path." • Estimate time and resources needed for completion. • Write a detailed project plan.

Example Activities: Closing

• Install all deliverables. • Finalize all obligations/commitments. • Meet with stakeholders. • Release project resources. • Document the project. • Issue final report.

Examples of how Economic Feasibility measure the feasibility

• Savings in labor costs. • Increased sales revenue. • Decreased investment in inventory. • Increased profits. • Acceptable return on investment.

Example Activities: Initiation and Defining

• State the problem(s)/goal(s). • Identify the objectives. • Secure resources. • Explore costs/benefits in feasibility study.