TOPIC 1: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN • Knowledge workers are a subset of information

workers whose responsibilities are based on a

specialized body of knowledge.
A Framework for Systems Analysis and Design

System System Owners

• not just created by the system system • An information system’s sponsor and executive
• Every system that has been develop has purpose advocate, usually responsible for funding the project of
• A group of interrelated components that function developing, operating, and maintaining the information
together to achieve a desired result. system.
Information System Systems Users

• Arrangement of people, data, processes, and • A “customer” who will use or is affected by an
information technology that interact to collect, process, information system on a regular basis – capturing,
store, and provide as output the information needed to validating, entering, responding to, storing, and
support an organization. exchanging data and information.
Information technology
Internal System Users
• Contemporary term that describes the combination of • Clerical and service workers
computer technology (hardware and software) with • Technical and professional staff
telecommunications technology (data, image, and voice • Supervisors, middle managers, and executive
networks). managers

External System Users

• Customers
Types of Information Systems • Suppliers
• A transaction processing system (TPS) is an • Partners
information system that captures and processes data • Employees
about business transactions. (systems that is use on ➢ Remote users – users who are not physically
daily basis) located on the premises but who still requires
• A management information system (MIS) is an access to information systems.
information system that provides for management- ➢ Mobile users – users whose location is
oriented reporting based on transaction processing and constantly changing but who requires access
operation of the organization. (system which is being to information systems from any location
used by the management) (utilize by manager)
• A decision support system (DSS) is an information
system that either helps to identify decision-making System Designers and System Builders
opportunities or provides information to help make
decisions. (system that aids in decision-making of the System designer
users)
• A technical specialist who translates system users’
Types of Information Systems (cont.) business requirements and constraints into technical
solution. She or he designs the computer databases,
• An expert system is an information system that inputs, outputs, screens, networks, and software that
captures the expertise of workers and then simulates will meet the system users’ requirements.
that expertise to the benefit of non-experts. (Use by
higher managers) System builders
• A communications and collaboration system is an
information system that enables more effective • A technical specialist who constructs information
systems and components based on the design
communications between workers, partners,
specifications generated by the system designers.
customers, and suppliers to enhance their ability to
collaborate. Systems analyst
• An office automation system is an information system
that supports the wide range of business office activities • A specialist who studies the problems and needs of an
that provide for improved workflow between workers. organization to determine how people, data, processes,
(support the daily activities of the office daily) and information technology can best accomplish
improvements for the business.
• A programmer/analyst (or
Stakeholders: Players in the Systems Game analyst/programmer) includes the
responsibilities of both the computer
• A stakeholder is any person who has an existing programmer and the systems analyst.
or proposed information system. Stakeholders can • A business analyst focuses on only the non-
be technical or non technical workers. They may technical aspects of systems analysis and
also include both internal and external workers. design.
(someone who has interest in the system)
The Systems Analysts as a Problem-Solver
• Information workers are those workers whose
jobs involve the creation, collection, processing, By “Problems” that need solving, we mean:
distribution, and use of information.
• Problems, either real or anticipated, that require
corrective action.
 • Opportunities to improve a situation despite the Type of e-commerce and e-business
absence of complaints.
• Directives to change a situation regardless of whether • Marketing of corporate image, products, and services
anyone has complained about the current situation. • Business-to-customer (B2C)
• Business-to-business (B2B)
Skills Needed by the Systems Analyst
Impact on information systems
• Working knowledge of information technology
• Computer programming experience and expertise • Most new information systems are being designed for
• General business knowledge an Internet (or intranet) architecture
• General problem-solving skills • Since the only client-side software is a web browser, the
• Good interpersonal communication skills choice of client operating system is becoming less
important.
• Good interpersonal communication skills
• Good interpersonal relations skills Security and Privacy
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Character and ethics Security

• How will the business continue I the even of a security

breach, terrorist attack, or disaster?
Other Stakeholders • How can the business protect its digital assets from
outside threats?
External Service Provider
Privacy
• A system analyst, system designer, or system builder
who sells his or her expertise and experience to other • Consumer demands for privacy in e-commerce
businesses to help those businesses purchase, • Government requirements
develop, or integrate their information systems
solutions; may be affiliated with a consulting or services Impact on information systems
organization.
• Need to incorporate stringent security and privacy
Project Manager controls

• An experienced professional who accepts responsibility

for planning, monitoring, and controlling projects with
respect to schedule, budget, deliverables, customer Collaboration and Partnership
satisfaction, technical standards, and system quality.
Organizations seek to break down the walls that separate
organizational departments and functions.

Business Drivers for Today’s Information Systems Organizations collaborate with outside business partners and
even competitors.
• Globalization of the Economy
• Electronic Commerce and business Impact on information systems
• Security and Privacy
• Need to provide secure, external access
• Collaboration and Partnership
• Need to pass data between different information
• Knowledge Asset Management
systems.
• Continuous Improvement and Total Quality
Management
• Business Process Redesign
Knowledge Asset Management

Data – raw facts about people, places, events and things that are
Globalization of the Economy importance in an organizations.

Global Economy brings Information – data that has been processed or reorganized into a
more meaningful form for someone.
• New and expanded international markets
• New international competitors Knowledge – data and information that is further refined based on
the facts, truths, beliefs, judgments, experiences, and expertise
Impact on information systems of the recipient.
• Require support of multiple languages, currency Knowledge Asset Management
exchange rates, business cultures
• Require consolidation of international data • Recognizes that data, information, and knowledge are
• Demand for players who can communicate, orally and critical business resources
in writing with management and users that speak • Asks: “How can the organization manage and share
different languages knowledge for competitive advantage?”
• Strives to integrate the data and information that can
Electronic Commerce and Business create and preserve knowledge.
E-Commerce – the buying and selling of goods and services by Continuous Improvement and Total Quality Management
using the internet.
Business Processes – Tasks that respond to business events
E-Business – the use of the Internet to conduct and support day- (e.g., an order). Business processes are the work, procedure, and
to-day business activities. rules required to complete the business tasks, independent of any
information technology used to automate or support them.
Continuous process improvement (CPI) – The continuous • E-mail
monitoring of business processes to effect small but measurable • Instant messaging
improvements in cost reduction and value-added. • Groupware
• Work flow
Total quality management (TQM) – a comprehensive approach to
facilitating quality improvements and managaements within a Enterprise Applications
business. • Virtually all organizations require a core set
of enterprise applications
Business Process Redesign - Financial mgmt, human resources, sales, etc.
- Frequently purchased
Business process redesign (BPR) is the study, analysis and - Frequently need to have custom elements
redesign of fundamental business presses to reduce costs and/or added
improve value added to the business.
• Systems Integration - the process of building
• More substantial changes and improvements than CPI a unified information system out of diverse
• Usually complemented by CPI components of purchases software, custom-built
software, hardware, and networking.

Technology Drivers for Today’s Information Systems Enterprise Applications – ERP

• Networks and the Internet Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) – a software application that
• Mobile and Wireless Technologies fully integrates information systems that span most or all of the
• Object Technologies basic, core business functions.
• Collaborative Technologies
• Enterprise Applications An ERP solution is built around a common database shared by
common business functions.
Networks and the Internet
Representative ERP vendors:
Networks include mainframe time-sharing systems, network • SSA
servers, and a variety of desktop, laptop, and handheld client
• Oracle/Peoplesoft
computers.
• SAP AG
The most pervasive networking technologies are based on the
Internet. Enterprise Applicatoins – CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) – a software
• XHTML and XML
application that provides customers with access to a business’s
• Scripting languages
processes from initial inquiry through postsale service and
• Web-specific programming languages
support.
• Intranets
• Extranets
Representative CRM vendors:
• Portals
• Web services • SAP
• BroadVision
Mobile and Wireless Technologies • E.piphany
Some mobile and wireless technologies • Kana
• PDAs
• Smart phones • Amdocs
• Bluetooth • Oracle/Peoplesoft
• Wireless networking • Siebel
Impact on information systems Enterprise Applications – EAI
• Wireless connectivity must be Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) – the process and
assumed technologies used to link applications to support the flow of data
• Limitations of mobile devices and information between those applications.
and screen sizes must be accommodated
Middleware – software (usually purchased) used to translate and
Object Technologies route data between different applications.
Object technology – a software technology that defines a
system in terms of objects that consolidate data and behavior Representative EAI vendors:
(into objects). • BEA Systems
• Objects are reusable • IBM (MQSeries)
• Objects are extensible
• Mercator Software
• Object-oriented programming languages include C++,
Java, Smalltalk, and .NET • TIBCO Software

Object-oriented analysis and design – a collection of tools and System Development Process
techniques for systems development that will utilize object
technologies to construct a system and its software. System development process – a set of activities,
methods, best practices, deliverables, and automated tools
Agile development – a system development strategy in which that stakeholders use to develop and maintain
system developers are given the flexibility to select from a variety information systems and software.
of tools and techniques to best accomplish the tasks at hand.
A general problem-solving approach
1. Identify the problem.
Collaborate Technologies 2. Analyze and understand the problem.
3. Identify solution requirements or expectations.
Collaborate technologies are those that enhance interpersonal 4. Identify alternative solutions and choose the “best”
communications and teamwork. course of action.
 5. Design the chosen solution. Focuses for Information Systems
6. Implement the chosen solution.
7. Evaluate the results. If the problem is not solved, return Knowledge – the raw material used to create useful information.
to step 1 or 2 as appropriate.
Process – the activities (including management) that carry out the
System Development Process Overview mission of the business.
System initiation – the initial planning for a project to define
initial business scope, goals, schedule, and budget. Communication – how the system interfaces with its users and
other information systems.
System analysis – the study of a business problem domain to
recommend improvements and specify the business Views of KNOWLEDGE
requirements and priorities for the solution.
• System owners’ view
System design – the specification or construction of a technical, - Interested not in raw data but in information
computer-based solution for the business requirements identified that adds new business knowledge and
in a system analysis. helps managers make decisions.
- Business entities and business rules.
System implementation – the construction, installation, testing, • System users’ view
and delivery of a system into production. - View data as something recorded on forms,
stored in file cabinets, recorded in books
and spreadsheets, or stored on computer.
Project and Process Management - Focus on business issues as they pertain to
data.
Project management – the activity of defining, planning, - Data requirement – a representation of
directing, monitoring, and controlling a project to develop an users’ data in terms of entities, attributes,
acceptable system within the allotted time and budget. relationships, and rules independent of data
technology.
Process management – the ongoing activity that defines,
improves, and coordinates the use of an organization’s chosen
methodology (the “process”) and standards for all Views of KNOWLEDGE (cont.)
system development projects.
• System designers’ view
- Data structures, database schemas,
fields, indexes, and constraints
of particular database management system
TOPIC 2: INFORMATION SYSTEM BUILDING BLOCKS
(DBMS).
• System builders’ view
Front – and Back – Office Information Systems
- SQL
• Front-office information systems support business - DBMS or other data technologies
functions that extend out to the organization’s
customers (or constituents). Views of PROCESS
- Marketing
- Sales • System owners’ view
- Customer management - Concerned with high-level processes
• Back-office information systems support called business functions.
internal business operations of an organization, as well - Business function – a group of related
as reach out to suppliers (of materials, processes that support the business.
equipment, supplies, and services). Functions can be decomposed into other
• Human resources subfunctions and eventually into processes
• Financial management that do specific tasks.
• Manufacturing - A cross-functional information system – a
• Inventory control system that supports relevant business
processes from several business functions
without regard to traditional organizational
Information Systems Architecture boundaries such as divisions, departments,
Information systems architecture - a unifying framework into centers, and offices.
which various stakeholders with different perspectives
can organize and view the fundamental building blocks of Views of PROCESS (cont.)
information systems.
• System users’ view
High – Level Goals of System Owners and System Users
- Concerned with work that must be performed
to provide the appropriate responses to
• Improve business knowledge business events.
• Improve business processes and services - Business processes – activities that respond
• Improve business communication and people to business events.
collaboration - Process requirements – a user’s
expectation of the processing requirements
Technology Perspective of Sytsme Designers & System for a business process and its information
Builders systems.
- Policy – a set of rules that govern a
• Database technologies that support business business process.
accumulation and use of business knowledge - Procedure – a step-by-step set of instructions
• Software technologies that automate and support and logic for accomplishing a business
business processes and services process.
• Interface technologies that support business - Work flow – the flow of transactions
through business processes to ensure
communication and collaboration
appropriate checks and approvals are
implemented.
 • System designers’ view TOPIC 3: Information Systems Development
- Concerned with which processes to automate
and how to automate them Process of System Development
- Constrained by limitations of
application development technologies being System development process – a set of activities, methods, best
used practices, deliverables, and automated tools that stakeholders
- Software specifications – the (topic 1) use to develop and continuously improve information
technical design of business processes to systems and software.
be automated or supported by
computer programs to be written by system Life Cycle versus Methodology
builders.
• System builders’ view • System life cycle – the factoring of the lifetime of
- Concerned with programming logic an information system into two stages, (1)
that implements automated processes systems development and (2) systems operation
- Application program – a language- and maintenance.
based, machine-readable representation of • System development methodology – a
what a software process is supposed to do, or formalized approach to the systems development
how a software process is supposed to process; a standardized development process that
accomplish its task.
defines (as in CMM Level 3) a set of activities, methods,
- Prototyping – a technique for quickly building
best practices, deliverables, and automated tools that
a functioning, but incomplete model of
the information system using rapid system developers and project managers are to use to
application development tools. develop and continuously improve information systems
and software.
Views of COMMUNICATION
System owners’ view Principle of System Development
•
- Who (which business units,
employees, customers, and partners) must • Get the system users involved
interact with the system? • Use a problem-solving approach
- Where are these business units, • Establish phases and activities
employees, customers, and partners located? • Document through development
- What other information systems will the • Establish standards
system have to interface with? • Manage the process and projects
• Justify systems as capital investments
• System users’ view
Concerned with the information system’s • Don’t be afraid to cancel or revise scope
-
inputs and outputs. • Divide and conquer
• Design systems for growth and change

Views of COMMUNICATION (cont.) Use a Problem – Solving Approach

• System designers’ view
- Concerned with the technical design of both Classical Problem-Solving approach
the user and the system-to-system
communication interfaces. 1. Study and understand the problem. Its context, and its
- Interface specifications – technical designs impact
that document how system users are to 2. Define the requirements that must be met by any
interact with a system and how a system solution
interacts with other systems. 3. Identify candidate solutions that fulfill the requirements,
- User dialogue – a specification of how the and select the “best” solution.
user moves from window to window or page to 4. Design and/or implement the chosen solution
page, interacting with the application 5. Observe and evaluate the solution’s impact, and refine
programs to perform useful work. the solution accordingly

• System builders’ view Manage the Process and Projects

- Concerned with the construction, installation,
testing and implementation of user and Process management – an ongoing activity that documents,
system-to-system interface solutions. manages, oversees the use of, and improves an
- Middleware – utility software that organization’s chosen methodology (the “process”) for system
allows application software and systems development. Process management is concerned with
software that utilize differing technologies phases, activities, deliverables, and quality standards should
to interoperate. be consistently applied to all projects.

Project management is the process of scoping, planning,

staffing, organizing, directing, and controlling a project to
develop an information system at a minimum cost, within a
specified time frame, and with acceptable quality.

Justify Information Sytems as Capital Investments

Cost-effectiveness – The result obtained by striking

a balance between the lifetime costs of developing,
maintaining, and operating an information system and the
benefits derived from that system. Cost-effectiveness is
measured by a cost-benefit analysis.

Strategic information systems plan – a formal strategic

plan (3-5 years) for building and improving an
 information technology infrastructure and the information include project charter, project plan, and service-level
system applications that use that infrastructure. agreement.

Strategic enterprise plan – a formal strategic plan (3-5 Requirements Analysis Phase
years) for an entire business that defines its mission, vision, • What capabilities should the new system provide for
goals, strategies, benchmarks, and measures of progress its users?
and achievement. Usually, the strategic enterprise plan • What data must be captured and stored?
is complemented by strategic business unit plans that define • What performance level is expected?
how each business unit will contribute to the enterprise plan. • What are the priorities of the various requirements?
The information systems plan is one of those unit-level plans.
Logical Design Phase
Don’t Be Afraid to Cancel or Revise Scope Logical design – the translation of business user
Creeping commitment – a strategy in which feasibility and requirements into a system model that depicts only the
risks are continuously reevaluated throughout a project. business requirements and not any possible technical design
Project budgets and deadlines are adjusted accordingly. or implementation of those requirements. Common synonyms
include conceptual design and essential design.
Risk management – the process of identifying, evaluating,
and controlling what might go wrong in a project before it System model – a picture of a system that represents reality
becomes a threat to the successful completion of the project or a desired reality. System models facilitate
or implementation of the information system. improved communication between system users, system
Risk management is drive by risk analysis or assessment. analysts, system designers, and system builders.

Where Do Sytems Development Projects Come From? Analysis paralysis – a satirical term coined to describe
• Planned Projects a common project condition in which excessive system
- Problem – an undesirable situation modeling dramatically slows progress
that prevents the organization from fully
achieving its purpose, goals, and/or Design Analysis Phase
objectives. • Candidate solutions evaluated in terms of
- Opportunity – a chance to improve - Technical feasibility – Is the solution
the organization even in the absence of technically practical? Does our staff have the
an identified problem. technical expertise to design and build this
- Directive - a new requirement that is solution?
imposed by management, government, or - Operational feasibility – Will the solution
some external influence. fulfill the users’ requirements? To what
- degree? How will the solution change the
• Unplanned Projects users’ work environment? How do users feel
- Triggered by a specific problem, opportunity, about such a solution?
or directive that occurs in the course of doing - Economic feasibility – Is the solution cost-
business. effective?
- Steering committee – an administrative body - Schedule feasibility – Can the solution be
of system owners and information designed and implemented within an
technology executives that prioritizes and acceptable time?
approves candidate system development - Risk feasibility – What is the probability of a
projects. successful implementation using the
- Backlog – a repository of project proposals technology and approach?
that cannot be funded or staffed because they
are a lower priority than those that have been Physical design Integration Phase
approved for system development. Physical design – the translation of business user
requirements into a system model that depicts a technical
The PIECES Problem-Solving Framework implementation of the users’ business requirements. Common
P the need to improve performance synonyms include technical design or implementation model.
I the need to improve information (and data)
E the need to improve economics, control costs, or increase Two extreme philosophies of physical design
profits
C the need to improve control or security • Design by specification – physical system
E the need to improve efficiency of people and processes models and detailed specification are produced as a
S the need to improve service to customers, suppliers, partners, series of written (or computer-generated) blueprints
employees, etc. for construction.

Scope Definition Phase • Design by prototyping – Incomplete but

Problem statement – a statement and categorization functioning applications or subsystems
of problems, opportunities, and directives; may also (called prototypes) are constructed and refined
include constraints and an initial vision for the solution. based on feedback from users and other designers.
Synonyms include preliminary study and feasibility
assessment. Construction and Testing Phase
• Construct and test system components
Constraint – any factor, limitation, or restraint that may limit - Software
a solution or the problem-solving process. o Purchased
o Custome-built
Scope creep – a common phenomenon wherein
• Databases
the requirements and expectations of a project increase,
• User and system interfaces
often without regard to the impact on budget and schedule.
• Hardware
Statement of work – a contract with management and • Networks
the user community to develop or enhance an information
system; defines vision, scope, constraints, high-level Installation and Delivery Phase
user requirements, schedule, and budget. Synonyms • Deliver the system into operation (production)
• Deliver user training
 • Deliver completed documentation
• Convert existing data

System Operation & Maintenance

System support – the ongoing technical support for users of a
system, as well as the maintenance required to deal with
any errors, omissions, or new requirements that may arise.

Sequential versus Iterative Development

Waterfall development approach an approach to systems
analysis and design that completes each phase one after another
and only once .

Iterative development approach an approach to systems

analysis and design that completes the entire information system
in successive iterations. Each iterations does some
analysis, some design, and some construction. Synonyms
include incremental and spiral.

Model-driven development strategy

Model-driven development – a system development strategy

that emphasizes the drawing of system models to help visualize
and analyze problems, define business requirements, and design
information systems.

• Process modeling – a process-centered technique

popularized by the structured analysis and design
methodology that used models of business process
requirements to derive effective software designs for a
system.
• Data modeling – a data-centered technique used to
model business data requirements and design
database systems that fulfill those requirements.
• Object modeling – a technique that attempts to merge
the data and process concerns into singular constructs
called objects. Object models are diagrams that
document a system in terms of its objects and their
interactions.

Logical vs. Physical Models

Logical model – a pictorial representation that depicts what a

system is or does.

Physica model – a technical pictorial representation that depicts

what a system is or does and how the system is implemented

Automated Tools and Technology

• Computer-aided systems engineering (CASE)

• Application development environments (ADEs)
• Process and project managers

Application Development Environments

Application development environments (ADEs) –

an integrated software development tool that provides all
the facilities necessary to develop new application software with
maximum speed and quality. A common synonym is integrated
development environment (IDE)

• ADE facilities may include:

- Programming languages or interpreters
- Interface construction tools
- Middleware
- Testing tools
- Version control tools
- Help authoring tools
- Repository links