Chapter 10 Building Successful
Information Systems
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) - ANS-also known as the "waterfall model," is a series
of well-defined phases performed in sequence that serves as a framework for developing a
system or project.
(SDLC) Phase 1: Planning - ANS-During the planning phase, one of the most crucial phases,
the systems designer must define the problem the organization faces. The problem can be
identified internally or externally. After identifying the problem, an (team of) analyst assesses the
current and future needs of the organization by answering why is it being developed, who are
the future and current users, is it new or upgrade of an existing system, which departments will
be used. Analysts must examine the organizations strategic goals. Establishing evaluation
criteria ensures objectivity throughout the SDLC process. Analysts must get feedback from
users on the problem and the need for an info system. Users should understand the four W's:
Why, Who, When, What. The end result of this phase should give users and top management a
clear view of what the problem is and how the info system will solve the problem.
Formation of the Task Force (Planning Phase) - ANS-To ensure an information systems
success, users must have input in all of the phases. The two groups of users from whom the
task force should gather feedback: Internal Users- employees who will use the system regularly,
and they can offer important feedback on the systems strengths and weaknesses. External
Users- not employees but do use the system; they include customers, contractors, suppliers,
and other business partners.
Joint Application Design (JAD) (similar to using a task force for designing info systems) - ANS-A
collective activity involving users, top management, and IT professionals. It centers on a
structured workshop in which users and system professionals come together to develop an
application.
Feasibility (Planning Phase) - ANS-The measure of how beneficial or practical an information
system will be to an organization; it should be measured continuously throughout the SDLC
process.
Feasibility Study (Planning Phase) - ANS-During planning phase, analysts investigate a
proposed solutions feasibility and determine how best to present the solution to management in
order to obtain funding. This is the tool used and has five major dimensions.
Economic Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Assesses a system's
costs and benefits. A system is not economically feasible if the net gain is $250,000 but the
system costs $500,000. The systems analyst team must identify all costs and benefits, be aware
of opportunity costs. The team tallies tangible development and operating costs for the system
, and compares them with expected financial benefits of the system. Development costs include:
hardware & software, maintenance costs for monitoring equipment and software, computer time
for programming, testing, and prototyping, personnel costs, supplies, training employees.
Operating costs are typically estimated. After itemizing these costs, the team creates a budget.
To complete the study, the team must identify benefits of the information system, both tangible
and intangible.
Technical Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with the
technology that will be used in the system. The team needs to assess whether the technology to
support the new system is available or feasible to implement.
Operational Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-The measure of how
well the proposed solution will work in the organization and how internal and external customers
will react to it.
Scheduling Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with whether
the new system can be completed on time.
Legal Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with legal issues;
it typically addresses questions like: will the system violate any legal issues in the country where
it will be used, are there any political repercussions of using the system, is there any conflict
between the proposed system and legal requirements.
(SDLC) Phase 2: Requirements Gathering And Analysis - ANS-Analysts define the problem and
generate alternatives for solving it. During this phase, the team attempts to understand the
requirements for the system, analyzes these requirements to determine the main problem with
the current system or processes, and looks for ways to solve problems by designing the new
system. The team creates a document called the "system specifications". The document is sent
to all key users and task-force members for approval. The document indicates the end of the
analysis phase and the start of the design phase. There are two major approaches to the
analysis and design of information systems: the structured systems analysis and design (SSAD)
approach and the object-oriented approach. To understand the difference, remember that any
system has three parts: process, data, and user interface. SSAD approach treats process and
data independently and is a sequential approach that requires completing the analysis before
beginning the design. The object-oriented approach combines process and data analysis, and
the line between analysis and design is so thin that analysis and design seem to be a single
phase instead of two distinct phases. The models created during the analysis phase constitute
the design specifications. After confirming these specifications with users, analysts start
designing the system.
(SDLC) Phase 3: Design - ANS-Analysts choose the solution that is the most realistic and offers
the highest payoff for the organization. The details of the proposed solution are outlined, and the
output of this phase is a document with exact specifications for implementing the system,
including files and databases, forms and reports, documentation, procedures, hardware and
Information Systems
Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) - ANS-also known as the "waterfall model," is a series
of well-defined phases performed in sequence that serves as a framework for developing a
system or project.
(SDLC) Phase 1: Planning - ANS-During the planning phase, one of the most crucial phases,
the systems designer must define the problem the organization faces. The problem can be
identified internally or externally. After identifying the problem, an (team of) analyst assesses the
current and future needs of the organization by answering why is it being developed, who are
the future and current users, is it new or upgrade of an existing system, which departments will
be used. Analysts must examine the organizations strategic goals. Establishing evaluation
criteria ensures objectivity throughout the SDLC process. Analysts must get feedback from
users on the problem and the need for an info system. Users should understand the four W's:
Why, Who, When, What. The end result of this phase should give users and top management a
clear view of what the problem is and how the info system will solve the problem.
Formation of the Task Force (Planning Phase) - ANS-To ensure an information systems
success, users must have input in all of the phases. The two groups of users from whom the
task force should gather feedback: Internal Users- employees who will use the system regularly,
and they can offer important feedback on the systems strengths and weaknesses. External
Users- not employees but do use the system; they include customers, contractors, suppliers,
and other business partners.
Joint Application Design (JAD) (similar to using a task force for designing info systems) - ANS-A
collective activity involving users, top management, and IT professionals. It centers on a
structured workshop in which users and system professionals come together to develop an
application.
Feasibility (Planning Phase) - ANS-The measure of how beneficial or practical an information
system will be to an organization; it should be measured continuously throughout the SDLC
process.
Feasibility Study (Planning Phase) - ANS-During planning phase, analysts investigate a
proposed solutions feasibility and determine how best to present the solution to management in
order to obtain funding. This is the tool used and has five major dimensions.
Economic Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Assesses a system's
costs and benefits. A system is not economically feasible if the net gain is $250,000 but the
system costs $500,000. The systems analyst team must identify all costs and benefits, be aware
of opportunity costs. The team tallies tangible development and operating costs for the system
, and compares them with expected financial benefits of the system. Development costs include:
hardware & software, maintenance costs for monitoring equipment and software, computer time
for programming, testing, and prototyping, personnel costs, supplies, training employees.
Operating costs are typically estimated. After itemizing these costs, the team creates a budget.
To complete the study, the team must identify benefits of the information system, both tangible
and intangible.
Technical Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with the
technology that will be used in the system. The team needs to assess whether the technology to
support the new system is available or feasible to implement.
Operational Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-The measure of how
well the proposed solution will work in the organization and how internal and external customers
will react to it.
Scheduling Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with whether
the new system can be completed on time.
Legal Feasibility (five major dimensions of feasibility study) - ANS-Concerned with legal issues;
it typically addresses questions like: will the system violate any legal issues in the country where
it will be used, are there any political repercussions of using the system, is there any conflict
between the proposed system and legal requirements.
(SDLC) Phase 2: Requirements Gathering And Analysis - ANS-Analysts define the problem and
generate alternatives for solving it. During this phase, the team attempts to understand the
requirements for the system, analyzes these requirements to determine the main problem with
the current system or processes, and looks for ways to solve problems by designing the new
system. The team creates a document called the "system specifications". The document is sent
to all key users and task-force members for approval. The document indicates the end of the
analysis phase and the start of the design phase. There are two major approaches to the
analysis and design of information systems: the structured systems analysis and design (SSAD)
approach and the object-oriented approach. To understand the difference, remember that any
system has three parts: process, data, and user interface. SSAD approach treats process and
data independently and is a sequential approach that requires completing the analysis before
beginning the design. The object-oriented approach combines process and data analysis, and
the line between analysis and design is so thin that analysis and design seem to be a single
phase instead of two distinct phases. The models created during the analysis phase constitute
the design specifications. After confirming these specifications with users, analysts start
designing the system.
(SDLC) Phase 3: Design - ANS-Analysts choose the solution that is the most realistic and offers
the highest payoff for the organization. The details of the proposed solution are outlined, and the
output of this phase is a document with exact specifications for implementing the system,
including files and databases, forms and reports, documentation, procedures, hardware and
