notes

Notes to Help You Do Well on Assignments

The intent of the information on this page is to help you better understand the ideas you saw in the text or in lectures so yo can structure your assignments in a clear fashion. These notes will hopefully help you get started in how to tackle the problems and how to present the material in your reports.

Topics covered on this page:

What is a system analyst?

General Problem-Solving Approach

Seven Fact-Finding Methods

Classes of Information Systems

The PIECES Problem-Solving Framework

Four Tests for Feasibility

What is a system analyst?

A systems analyst studies the problems and needs of an organization to determine how people, data, processes, communications, and information technology can best accomplish improvements for the business. When information technology is used, the analyst is responsible for:

the efficient capture of data from its business source

the flow of that data to the computer

the processing and storage of that data by the computer

the flow of useful and timely information back to the business and its people

General Problem-Solving Approach

identify the problem

analyze and understand the problem

identify solution requirements or expectations

identify alternative solutions and decide on a course of action

deisgn and implement the "best" solution

evaluate the results. if the problem is not solved, return to step 1 or 2 as appropriate

Seven Fact-Finding Methods

sampling of existing documentation, forms, databases

research and site visits

observation of the work environment

joint requirements planning

Classes of Information Systems

transaction processing systems
= applications that capture and process data about business transactions
e.g. data maintenance

management information systems
= applications that provide for management-oriented reporting
- these reports are usually generated on a predetermined schedule and appear in a pre-arranged format
e.g. resource allocation

decision support systems
= applications that provide users with decision-oriented information whenever a decision-making situation arises
- when applied to executive managers, these systems are called executive information systems
e.g. tools that interact with a data warehouse

expert systems
= applications that capture and reporduce knowledge and expertise of an expert problem solver or decision maker and then simulates the "thinking" or "actions" of that expert e.g. assessing medical symptoms

office automation systems
= applications that provide for improved work flow and communications between workers, regardless of whether or not these workers are located in the same office
- single vs. groupware
e.g. meeting scheduler

The PIECES Problem-Solving Framework

P the need to improve performance

I the need to improve information (and data)

E the need to improve economics, control costs, or increase profits

C the need to improve control or security

E the need to improve efficiency of people and processes

S the need to improve service to customers, suppliers, partners, employees, etc.

Four Tests for Feasibility

1. operational feasibility - measures how well the solution will work in the organization, how people feel about the system/project

2. technical feasibility - measures the practicality of a specific technical solution and the availability of technical resources and expertise

3. schedule feasibility - measures how reasonable the project timetable is

4. economic feasibility - measures cost-effectiveness of a project/solution

Requirements

Criteria: consistent, complete, feasible, required, accurate, traceable, verifiable

Functional requirement: = a function or feature that must be included in an IS in order to satisfy the business need and be acceptable to the users

Non-functional requirement: = a description of the features, characteristics, and attributes of the system as well as any constraints that may limit the boundaries of the proposed solution

Types of non-functional requirements:

what is the acceptable throughput rate?
what is the acceptable response time?

what are the necessary inputs and outputs?
when must they happen?
what is the required data to be stored?
how current must the information be?
what are the interfaces to external systems?

what are the areas of the system where costs must be reduced?
how much should costs be reduced or profits be increased?
what are the budgetary limits?
what is the timetable for development?

Control/Security

must access to the system or information be controlled?
what are the privacy requirements?
does the criticality of the data necessitate the need for special handling (backups, offsite storage, etc.) of the data?

are there duplicate steps in the process that must be eliminated?
are there ways to reduce waste in the way the system uses its resources?

who wil use the system and where are they located?
will there be different types of users?
what are the appropriate human factors?
what training devices and training materials are to be included in the system?
what training devices and training materials are to be developed and maintained separately from the system, such as stand-alone computer-based training programs or databses?
what are the reliability/availability requirements?
how should the system be packaged and distributed?
what documentation is required?

An ambiguous requirements statement: "Create a means to transport a single individual from home to place of work"

Validation: activity that checks the rquirements definition document for accuracy, completeness, consistency, and conformance to standards.

more to be added...