SYSTEM DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE

System development life cycle is the overall process of developing information system through a
multistep process including the following stages:

- Fact finding
- Analysis
- Design
- Testing
- Documentation
- Implementation
- Evaluation and Maintenance

Fact Finding

Finding Out About Existing Systems

If the job that the information system will carry out is currently being performed by another
system then a good starting point for a feasibility study is to examine the existing system. Even
if it has already been decided that a new system will be created it is still a good idea to
examine any existing system. Any problems with the system can be identified and new ways of
performing the job can be considered. A variety of methods can be used to identify how the
existing system works. These include :

Method Description
Preparing questions and giving them to the respondents to answer immediately
they get the questions, either orally or written. People who operate the
current system can be interviewed to find out what they think of it. Oral
Interviews
interviews can be in more depth than a questionnaire could be. If an
interviewee makes a useful point about the system then the person doing the
oral interview can follow the point up to get further information.
Preparing questions and giving them to respondents to answer at their own
time. Questionnaires are useful when information about a system has to be
Questionnaires
gathered from a lot of people. Because people can remain anonymous they may
be more likely to tell the truth than they would in an interview.
Looking at how things are done while making notes on the information
obtained. This can give an unbiased view of how the system works. Because
the person designing the information system is doing the observation himself it
Observation
is possible to get first hand information about how the system works. The
system developer can identify if any of the workers have been lying about their
role in the system.
Examining existing company documents to understand how the system works.
Literature
This can be documents about the organization, records kept or technical
review
documentation.

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Analysis

This is an investigation that is carried out by a systems analyst to find out what the main
problems are with the existing system and if it is technically possible and cost-effective to solve
these problems by developing a computer based solution.

Feasibility report contents

A feasibility report is produced from the findings

 A description of the existing system outlining what is being done and how it is being
done;
 A set of problem statements describing exactly what the problems are with the existing
system;
 A set of system objectives which describe what the new system must be able to do;
 A description of some alternative solutions;
 A description of the technical, economic, legal and social factors that have been
considered;
 A recommended course of action.

Different methods for describing the system

Drawing of charts and diagrams

Data flow diagrams

System flow charts
Structural diagrams
Organizational charts

Data flow diagrams and System flow chart

Data Flow Diagram

Once the systems analysts have completed their investigation they produce a detailed
description of how the existing system works. Methods used to help describe the system include
data flow diagrams and systems flowcharts

Symbols used in DFDs

External entity – data source or data destination, for example people who generate
data such as a customer order, or receive information such as an invoice.

Process – an operation performed on the data. The two lines are optional; the top
section of the box can be used to label the process, the middle to give a brief
explanation, the bottom to say where the process takes place.

Data store – such as a file held on disk or a batch of documents

Data flow – the arrow represents movement between entities, processes or data
stores. The arrow should be labelled to describe what data is involved.

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System Flowcharts

System flowcharts describe in detail how a process will be carried out. Sometimes during the
development of an information system it is useful to be able to produce a more general
description of how a system will work. A system flowchart shows in general terms the
operations that will be performed on information in an information system. The arrows on a
system flowchart show the direction that data will flow in around the system rather than the
order in which the operations will be carried out.

These are the symbols that may be used :

Program Flowcharts

Program flowcharts is a type of flowchart that explains how a particular program solves a given
task. It shows part of a system. It uses geometric shapes to represent steps and arrows to
communicate the flow of data.

Program Flowchart Symbols

Terminator (Start / Stop)

Input / Output

Process

Decision

Data flow

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Design Stage

 Alternative possible solutions are identified

 Alternative solutions evaluated
 The best solution is identified

A design specification is produced containing information about:

 Input
 Output
 Data storage
 User interface
 Backup and recovery procedures
 Security procedures
 Hardware/software to be used

Testing Stage

New system should be thoroughly tested before introducing it.

Testing carried out using the plan to make sure that all the parts of the system work correctly
with normal, extreme and erroneous data

 Normal test data is used to check that a system can handle the sort of data that would be
expected during day-to-day use
 Extreme test data is used to check that a system can cope with data that lies on the
boundaries of what is acceptable
 Erroneous (or exceptional) test data is used to check that a system can identify data that
is wrong and reject it

Testing using normal, extreme and erroneous data

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Documentation Stage

Producing documentation

Two types of documentation

Technical documentation

 the system design specification;

 systems flowcharts;
 data flow diagrams;
 a description of the various parts of the system and what each one does;
 screen layouts and user interface designs;
 The test plan.

User documentation

 a description of what the system is designed to do;

 minimum hardware and software requirements of the system;
 instructions on how to load and run the system;
 detailed instructions on how to operate each part of the system;
 Error messages, their meaning and how to deal with them.
 Where to get more help, such as telephone support lines and on-line tutorials.

NOTE: Even with the user documentation, users may need training on how to use the system.
This can be done before or during implementation.

Implementation Stage

New system introduced, might include:

 Installing any new hardware and software;

 Transferring data from the existing system to the new one;
 Training users how to operate the new system

Strategies for implementing new systems:

When a new system has been tested thoroughly by the programmers then it is ready is be
implemented into the working environment, replacing the original system. There are four
strategies that can be used to do this: direct; phased; pilot or parallel running

Direct implementation:

With this strategy, the changeover is done in one operation, completely replacing the old
system in one go. This usually takes place on a set date, often after a break in production or a
holiday period so that time can be used to get the hardware and software for the new system
installed without causing too much disruption.
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 Advantages:
The most rapid of all the strategies, provided it works!
Less risk of confusion between old and new systems.
Disadvantages:
Most stressful for the users - the old system has gone so there is no going back if
they have difficulties.
Most difficult to train staff on as the new system was not in place to learn on
before the change over.
Most stressful for the developers - all the data and files from the old system will
have to be converted ready for use on the new one.
Most risky - if the new system does not work properly then there is nothing to fall
back on.

Phased implementation:

With this strategy, the new brought in in stages (phases). If each phase is successful then the
next phase is started, eventually leading to the final phase when the new system fully replaces
the old one.

Advantages:
Very structured, each phase can be fully evaluated before moving onto the next
one.
Lower risk, a well planned and controlled introduction of the new system.
Easy to train staff by letting them learn new skills on each phase as it is
introduced.
Disadvantages:
Slower than direct implementation.
Although each phase is easy to evaluate, you have to wait until all the phases are
complete before you can evaluate the whole change over.

Pilot implementation:

With this strategy, the new system replaces the old one in one operation but only on a small
scale. For example it might be tried out in one branch of the company or in one location. If
successful then the pilot is extended until it eventually replaces the old system completely.

Advantages:
Easy to control, the pilot can be halted at any time.
Easy to evaluate because the new and old systems are both running.
Low risk, if a small-scale pilot fails then not too much has been lost.
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 Easy to train staff by letting them learn new skills on the pilot system.

Disadvantages:
It can be slow to get a pilot to completely replace the old system.
A pilot may not show up problems that a full-scale implementation would. This is
because a system can work well as a small-scale pilot but has difficulties when it is
scaled up to a full operating system with more realistic volumes of data to be
processed.

Parallel running implementation:

With this strategy, the old and the new system are both used alongside each other for a certain
period of time, both being able to operate independently. If all goes well, the old system is
stopped and new system carries on as the only system.

Advantages:
If there are initial problems with the new system then the old one can still be
used.
Both systems can easily be compared.
Easy to train staff by letting them learn new skills on the parallel system.
Easy to evaluate because the new and old systems are both running.
Disadvantages:
Expensive - both systems are being run as fully operating versions so both are doing
the same job. This may mean duplication of staff and hardware.
Some risk - there is a greater chance of confusion or errors if the two different
systems are being run side-by-side.

Evaluation and Maintenance Stage

A new information system may need to be changed due to:

 Change in needs of user

 Problems not found during testing
 Improvements required in the way the system works

User Support needs

 Online support: assisted over the internet

 User manual: reading or using a user manual
 Telephone support: Users phone in for support