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.