BUS171 Chapter 1: Introduction to Systems Analysis and Design

Modeling Business Operations

*Business Profiles* = an overview of a company's mission, functions, organization, products, services, customers, suppliers, competitors, constraints, and future direction - a systems analyst usually needs to do additional research and fact-finding - starting point for the modeling process *Business Processes* = a specific set of transactions, events, and results that can be described and documented - Business Process Model (BPM) = graphically displays one more business processes such as handling an airline reservation, filling a product order, or updating a customer account - Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN) = includes standard shapes and symbols to represent events, processes, workflows and more

Business in the 21st Century

*Business in the 21st century will be shaped by three major trends:* 1) Rapidly increasing globalization 2) Technology integration for seamless information access 3) The rapid growth of cloud-based computing and services *The Internet Model* = E-Commerce or I-Commerce = internet-based commerce - Internet-based systems involve various hardware and software designs - A typical model is a series of Web pages that provides a user interface, which communicates with database management software and a Web-based data server - E-Commerce includes two main sectors: 1) B2C (business-to-consumer) = to carry out transactions on the Internet, the company must develop an online store and deal with totally different set of marketing, advertising, and profitability issues 2) B2B (business-to-business) = the volume of B2B transactions is many times greater than B2C transactions - Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) = a data sharing arrangement that is used between two companies over private telecommunications lines - standard protocols, universal availability, and low communication costs - Supply Chain Management (SCM) = all the companies who provide materials, services, and functions needed to provide a product to a customer (due to the complexity of SCM, specialized software helps businesses manage inventory levels, costs, alternate suppliers, and much more) *What's Next* - IT Companies were identified as product-oriented or service-oriented - Product-Oriented Firms = manufactured computers, routers, or microchips - Service-Oriented Firms = included consultants, vendors, software developers, and service providers - Most successful IT companies offer a mix of products, services, and support - Digital delivery is fast, convenient, and can be consumed on everything from mobile phones to large wall-mounted TVs

Information System Components

*HARDWARE* = consists of everything in the physical layer of the information system (i.e. servers, workstations, networks, telecommunications equipment, fiber-optic cables, mobile devices, scanners, digital capture devices, and other technology-based infrastructure) *Server Farm* = a large concentration of servers working together *Moore's Law* = the number of transistors on an integrated circuit chip would double about every 24 months (1965 Gordon Moore) - This law has remained valid for almost 50 years *SOFTWARE* = refers to the programs that control the hardware and produce the desired information or results - System software - Application software *System Software* = manages the hardware components, which can include a single workstation or a global network with many thousands of clients (controls the flow of data, provides data security, and manages network operations) - Operating System - Security Software = protects the computer from intrusion - Device Drivers that communicate with hardware such as printers - Utility Programs = handle specific tasks such as data backup and disk management *Application Software* = consists of programs that support day-to-day business functions and provide users with the information they need - Enterprise Applications = include order processing systems, payroll systems, and company communications networks 1) Horizontal System = a system such as an inventory or payroll application, that can be adapted for use in many different types of companies 2) Vertical System = designed to meet the unique requirements of a specific business or industry, such as a Web-based retailer, a medical practice, or an auto dealership 3) Legacy Systems = older systems - when planning an information system, a company must consider how a new system will interface with older systems *DATA* = the raw material that an information system transforms into useful information - Information systems can store data in various locations called tables *PROCESSES* = describe the tasks and business functions that users, managers, and IT staff members perform to achieve specific results - building blocks of an information system bc they represent actual day-to-day business operations *PEOPLE (Stakeholders)* = people who have an interest in an information system - management group responsible for the system - users inside and outside the company who will interact with the system - IT staff members = systems analysts, programmers, and network administrators who develop and support the system - the success or failure of the system depends on whether it meets the needs of its users

What Is Information Technology?

*Information Technology (IT)* = refers to the combination of hardware, software, and services that people use to manage, communicate, and share information. *Systems Analysis and Design* = step-by-step process for developing high-quality information systems

Systems Development Tools

*Modeling* - business model = describes the information that a system must provide - requirements model - data model - object model - network model - process model *Prototyping* - early working version of an information system - speeds up the development process significantly - important decisions might be made too early, before business or IT issues are thoroughly understood - a prototype based on careful fact-finding and modeling techniques can be an extremely valuable tool *Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE) Tools = provide an overall framework for systems development and support a wide variety of design methodologies such as: 1) Structured Analysis = traditional method for developing systems, organized into phases 2) Object-Oriented Analysis = more recent method for developing systems, objects represent actual people, things, or events 3) Agile/Adaptive Methods = latest trend in software development, team-based effort broken down into cycles 4) Other Development Models = consists of IT staff, users, and managers *1) Structured Analysis* - time-test and easy to understand - predictive approach - uses process models to describe a system graphically - *Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)* = preliminary analysis, system analysis, system design, programming, testing, implementation, maintenance 1) Systems Planning 2) Systems Analysis 3) Systems Design 4) Systems Implementation 5) Systems Security and Support *Systems Planning* (feasibility study) - systems request - begins the process and describes problems or desired changes - purpose of this phase is to perform a preliminary investigation - a critical step - key part of preliminary investigation is a feasibility study *Systems Analysis* (deliverable is a system requirements document) - build a logical model of the new system - perform fact-finding techniques - build business models, data and process models, and object models - deliverable is the system requirements document *Systems Design* (deliverable is a system design specification) - create a physical model that satisfies all documented requirements - design user interface - identify outputs, inputs, and processes - management and user involvement is critical - deliverable is the system design specification *Systems Implementation* (deliverable is a completely functioning and documented information system) - new system is constructed - programs are written and tested - system is installed - testing and programming is before this *Systems Support and Security* - a well-designed system must be secure, reliable, maintainable, and scalable - most information systems need to be updated significantly or replaced after several years of operation *2) Object-Oriented Analysis* - combines data and the processes that act on the data into things called objects - objects are members of a class, which is a collection of similar objects - built-in processes, called methods, can change an object's properties - this methodology provides easy transition to object oriented programming languages like Java *3) Agile Methods* - newest development technique as systems are developed incrementally - a series of prototypes are built and adjusted to meet user requirements - as the process continues, developers revise, and extend, and merge earlier versions into the final product - these methods emphasizes continuous feedback (iterative development) - published the Agile Manifesto - Spiral model *4) Other Development Methods* - Joint Application Development (JAD) = focuses on team-based fact-finding - Rapid Application Development (RAD) = a compressed version of the entire development process

The Systems Analyst

*Role* = analysts build a series of models, diagrams, and decision tables and uses other descriptive tools and techniques - an analyst's most valuable skill is the ability to listen - an effective analyst will involve users in every step of the development process *Knowledge, Skills and Education* - technical knowledge - communication skils - business skills - critical thinking skills - education - certification *Career Opportunities* = companies will need systems analysts to apply new information technology, and the explosion in e-commerce will fuel IT job growth

What Information Do Users Need?

*Top Managers* - develop long-range strategic plans, which define the company's overall mission and goals - need information on economic forecasts, technology trends, competitive threats, and government issue *Middle Managers and Knowledge Workers* - provide direction, necessary resources, and performance feedback to supervisors and team leaders - need more detailed information than top managers *Supervisors and Team Leaders* - oversee operational employees and carry out day-to-day functions - need decision support information, knowledge management systems, and user productivity systems *Operational Employees* - rely on TP systems to enter and receive data they need to perform their jobs - need information to handle tasks and make decisions previously made by supervisors

Business Information Systems

- IT managers identified an information system based on its primary users (i.e. administrative staff used office systems, middle managers used decision support systems, and top managers used executive information systems) - These labels no longer apply (i.e. all employees including top managers, use office productivity systems to do their jobs) - Now it makes more sense to identify a system by its functions and features, rather than by its users 1) Enterprise Computing Systems 2) Transaction Processing Systems 3) Business Support Systems 4) Knowledge Management Systems 5) User Productivity Systems *Enterprise Computing Systems* = refers to information systems that support company-wide operations and data management requirements (i.e. Walmart's inventory control systems, Boeing's enterprise computing systems) - main objective is to integrate a company's primary functions (such as production, sales, services, inventory control, and accounting) to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and help managers make key decisions - improves data security and reliability *Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)* = cost-effective support for users and managers throughout the company (i.e. a car rental company can use ERP to forecast customer demand for rental cars at hundreds of locations) - Disadvantage: ERP systems generally impose an overall structure that might or might not match the way a company operates *Transaction Processing (TP) Systems* = process data by day-to-day business operations (i.e. customer order processing, accounts receivable, and warranty claim processing) - perform a series of tasks whenever a specific transaction occurs - verifies the customer's data, checks the customer's credit status, checks the stock status, posts to accounts receivable, adjust the inventory level, and updates the sales file - typically involves a large amount of data and are mission-critical systems bc the enterprise cannot function without them *Business Support Systems* = provide job-related information support to users at all levels of a company - these systems can analyze transactional data, generate information needed to manage and control business processes, and provide information that leads to better decision making - Management Information Systems (MIS) = new business computer systems (managers were the primary users) --> today, employees at all levels need information to perform their jobs, and they rely on information systems for that support - works hand in hand with a TP system - Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) = newest development in data acquisition, which uses high-frequency radio waves to track physical objects *Knowledge Management* = uses a large database called a knowledge base that allows users to find information by entering keywords or questions in normal English phrases - Inference Rules = used in a knowledge management system, which are logical rules that identify data patterns and relationships *User Productivity* = 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 - Groupware = programs that enable users to share data, collaborate on projects, and work in teams (i.e. Google Docs *Systems Integration* = most large companies require systems that combine transaction processing, business support, knowledge management, and user productivity features - Example: suppose an international customer makes a warranty claim (a customer service representative enters the claim into a TP system, which updates two other systems: a knowledge management system that tracks product problems and warranty activity, and a quality control system with decision support capabilities.

The Information Technology Department

Depending on its size, an IT department might have separate organizational units for these functions, or they might be combined into a smaller number of teams *Seven Main Functions the IT Group Provides Technical Support In:* 1) *Application Development* = systems are developed by teams consisting of users, managers, and IT staff members - Knowledge, Skills, and Education = need technical knowledge, strong oral and written communication skills and analytic ability, an understanding of business operations, and critical thinking - Certification = important credential 2) *Systems Support and Security* = provides vital protection and maintenance services for system hardware and software, including enterprise computing systems, networks, transaction processing systems, and corporate IT infrastructure 3) *User Support* = provides users with technical information, training and productive support 4) *Database Administration* = involves data design, management, security, backup, and access systems 5) *Network Administration* = includes hardware and software maintenance, support, and security - network administrators install, configure, manage, monitor, and maintain network applications 6) *Web Support* = design and construct web pages, monitor traffic, manage hardware and software, and link web-based applications to the company's information systems 7) *Quality Assurance* = team that reviews and tests all applications and systems changes to verify specifications and software quality standards

Objectives

• Describe the impact of information technology • Define systems analysis and design and the role of a systems analyst • Define an information system and describe its components • Explain how to use business profiles and models • Explain Internet business strategies and relationships, including B2C and B2B • Identify various types of information systems and explain who uses them • Distinguish among structured analysis, object-oriented analysis, and agile methods • Explain the waterfall model, and how it has evolved • Discuss the role of the information