CH 1 Systems Analysis & Design Key Terms

Systems Planning & Selection

1st phase of the SDLC in which an organization's total information system needs are analyzed & arranged, and in which a potential information systems project is identified and an argument for continuing or not continuing with the project is presented.

Prototyping

Building a scaled-down version of the desired information system.

Repository

a centralized database that contains all diagrams, forms and report definitions, data structures, data definitions, process flows and logic, and definitions of other organization and system components; it provides a set of mechanisms and structures to achieve seamless data-to-tool and data-to-data integration.

System

a group of interrelated procedures used for a business function, with an identifiable boundary, working together for some purpose.

Constraint

a limit to what a system can accomplish

Systems development methodology

a standard process followed in an organization to conduct all steps necessary to analyze, design, implement, and maintain information systems.

Joint Application Design (JAD)

a structured process in which users, managers and analysts work together for several days in a series of intensive meetings to specify or review system requirements.

Participatory Design (PD)

a systems development approach that originated in northern Europe, in which users and the improvement of their work lives are the central focus.

Component

an irreducible part or aggregation of parts that make up a system, also called a subsystem.

Agile Methodologies

current approaches to systems development that focus on adaptive methodologies, people instead of roles, and an overall self-adaptive development process.

Interrelated

dependence of one part of the system on one or more other system parts.

Modularity

dividing a system up into chunks or modules of a relatively uniform size.

Environment

everything external to a system that interacts with the system.

Systems implementation and operation

final phase of SDLC in which the information system is coded, tested, and installed in the organization, and in which the information system is systematically repaired and improved.

Systems Analyst

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

Systems Analysis

phase of the SDLC, in which the current system is studied and alternative replacement systems are proposed.

Systems Design

phase of the SDLC, in which the system chosen for development in systems analysis is first described independently of any computer platform and is then transformed into technology-specific details from which all programming and system construction can be accomplished.

Interface

point of contact where a system meets its environment or where subsystems meet each other.

Application Software

software designed to process data and support users in an org. Examples include spreadsheets, word processors, and database management systems.

Computer-aided software engineering (CASE)

software tools that provide automated support for some portion of the systems development process.

Rapid application development (RAD)

systems development methodology created to radically decrease the time needed to design and implement information systems.

Cohesion

the extent to which a system or subsystem performs a single function.

Coupling

the extent to which subsystems depend on each other.

Boundary

the line that marks the inside and outside of a system and that sets off the system from its environment.

Purpose

the overall goal or function of a system

Decomposition

the process of breaking the description of a system down into small components; also known as functional decomposition.

Information Systems Analysis & Design

the process of developing and maintaining an information system.

Systems development life cycle (SDLC)

the series of steps used to mark the phases of development for an information system.