UNIT 1: SYSTEMS PLANNING INFORMATION SYSTEM KEY

COMPONENTS
IT- Information Technology – refers to the
development, maintenance and use of 1. Hardware (follows Moore’s Law)
computer software, systems, and networks. 2. Software (Systems Software /
Application Software)
- Includes for processing and
a. Systems Software- manages
distribution of the data.
the hardware components.
- Combination of hardware and
b. Application Software –
software products that companies
consists of programs that
use to manage access and
support the day-to-day
communicate and share information.
business functions and
Data - information, facts, statistics gathered provide users with the
for reference, storage, or analysis. information they need.
i. Enterprise
Application/
ROLE OF SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN company-wide
applications
Systems Analysis and Design- step-by-step ii. Horizontal system
process in creating a high quality information iii. Vertical system
systems. iv. Legacy System
Information system- combines technology 3. Data (raw material -> useful info ; can
people and data to provide support for be stored in tables/databases)
business functions (processing, inventory 4. Process (describes tasks needed to
control, human resources etc) be achieved for specific rules;
documentation)
System Analyst – valued member of the IT 5. People (stakeholders ; end-users ;
dept who plans, develop, and maintain users)
information systems.

TRENDS IN BUSINESS TODAY

INFORMATION SYSTEMS COMPONENTS
a. Rapidly increasing
- System – set of related components globalization
that produces specific results b. technology integration for
- Mission critical System – one that is seamless information
vital to the company’s operations across wide variety of
- Data- consists of basic facts devices
(system’s raw materials) c. rapid growth of cloud based
- Information – data that has been computing and software
transformed into an output that is services
valuable to its users. 1. THE INTERNET MODEL
-
- *Internet-Based Commerce
(electronic commerce) series of
webpages, which communicates with
 the database management software INFORMATION SYSTEM AND THEIR
and web-based data server. NEEDS

2 Sectors: 1. Top Managers- strategic plans

2. Middle Managers and Knowledge
-B2C (business to consumers)
Workers (feedback and support)
-B2B (business to business) 3. Supervisors and Team Leaders-
oversee operational functions
*EDI- electronic data interchange – 4. Operational Employees- need info
data sharing arrangement used in to handle tasks
electronic commerce between two
companies (enables computer-to-
computer over private lines)
SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT TOOLS AND
*Supply Chain – all companies who TECHNIQUES
provide materials, services and
*prototype- early working version of an info
functions needed to provide for a
system
customer
*computer-aided systems engineering (CASE
2. THE BUSINESS
tools) – technique uses powerful case tools
Business Processing Model (BPM) – activity
of representing processes of an enterprise, so
the current business can be analyzed; SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT METHODS
graphically displays one or more business
- Structured Analysis – uses a series of
processes
(SDLC) to plan and analyze ; a
Business Profile - overview of the company’s predictive approach
mission, functions, organizations, products - Aka process-centered technique
etc
(Systems Planning->Systems Analysis ->
Business Model- graphical representation of Systems Design -> Systems Implementation -
business functions that consists of business >Sys. Security and Support)
processes

Business Processes – specific set of

- Object-Oriented Analysis
transactions, events and results that can be
- Agile Methods
described or documented.

IT DEPARTMENT
HOW BUSINESS USES INFORMATION
1. Application Development
1. Enterprise Computing System
2. Systems Support and Security
2. Transaction Processing Systems
3. User Support
3. Business Support Systems
4. Database Administration
4. Knowledge Management Systems
5. Network Administration
5. User Productivity System
6. Web Support
6. Systems Integration
7. Quality Assurance
SYSTEM ANALYST POSITION - More Support

System Analyst- investigates, analyzes …

company’s information system
Factors that affect Systems Projects

Internal Factors:

- Strategic plan
Unit 2 - Top managers
- User requests
Strategic Planning – process of identifying - It department
long term organizational goals, strats and - Existing systems and data
resources ; focuses of 3,5,10 years in the - Company finances
future

External Factors:
*mission statement- reflects firms vision;
long term need of users - Government
- Technology
*critical success factors- high priority - Economy
objectives - Suppliers
- Customers
- Competitors
SWOT ANALYSIS

- Strengths
- Weaknesses Risk Management- process of identifying,
- Opportunities analyzing, anticipating, and monitoring risks
- Threats to minimize their impact on the project

Business Case- reason, justification for a Evaluation of System Request

proposal System Review Committee/ Computer
- System request - > preliminary Resources Committee- analyzes and
investigation -> feasibility study evaluates sys req

INFORMATION SYSTEM PROJECTS System Requests Form- properly designed

forms; ensures consistency
(Main Reasons for System Request)

- Stronger controls
- Reduced Costs OVERVIEW OF FEASIBILITY
- More Information - Operational Feasibility
- Better Performance - Technical Feasibility
- Improved Service - Economic Feasibility
 - Schedule Feasibility h. Appendix
- Evaluating Feasibility

Setting Priorities
UNIT 3
*discretionary projects – choice of
implementing PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR IT
PROFESSIONALS
*nondiscretionary projects – no choice exist
1. Planning
2. Scheduling
3. Monitoring
PRELIMANARY INVESTIGATION
4. Controlling
Planning the Preliminary Investigation 5. Reporting

1. Understand the Problem/Opportunity

(fishbone dia/Ishikawa)
*project triangle- all or nothing (cost, time,
2. Define the project scope and
scope)
constraints
a. Present vs future
b. Internal vs external
c. Mandatory vs desirable Project manager perform 4 main tasks
3. Perform Fact-finding 1. Project planning
a. Analyze organization charts - Create a work breakdown structure
b. Conduct interviews - Identify task patterns (brooks law-
c. Review Documentation delaying = more people)
d. Observe Operations - Calculate critical path
e. Conduct a user survey
f. Analyze the data
4. Analyze Project Usability, Cost,
Benefit and Schedule Data
FACTORS AFFECTING COST ESTIMATE
5. Evaluate Feasibility
- Project size and scope
a. Operational
- IT resources
b. Technical
- Prior experience w similar projects or
c. Economic
system
d. Schedule
- Applicable constraints
6. Present results and
Recommendations to Management
2. Project scheduling
a. Introduction
b. Sys reqs summary *dependent tasks- must be
c. Findings completed to continue
d. Recommendations
e. Project roles
f. Time and cost estimates
g. Expected benefits
 CPM (Critical Path Method) / PERT Project Status Reports- know sooner
(Program Evaluation Review the problems that may arise
Technique)

Contents:
UNIT 4
1. Task box
2. Task name PHASE 2: SYSTEMS ANALYSIS :
3. Task id REQUIREMENTS MODELING
4. Task duration
5. Start Day/Date System Analysis: second of the phases in
6. End Day/Date the life cycle (previous phase: sys
planning, prelim investigation for
products feasibility) the output of the
TASK PATTERNS: previous phase is being used here

1. Sequential/ Dependent Tasks SYSTEM ANALYSIS PHASE TASKS

2. Multiple Successor Tasks - Requirements Modeling
a. Concurrent Tasks
b. Predecessor Task Involves fact finding to describe the
c. Successor Task current sys and identification of the
3. Multiple Predecessor Task requirement for the new sys

1. Outputs – blueprint of the sys

2. Inputs – necessary data that
CALCULATING THE CRITICAL PATH enters the sys
Critical path- series of tasks that if 3. Processes – refers to the logical
delayed, would affect the completion rules that are applied to transform
date of the overall project. the data
4. Performance – system
characteristics (speed, volume,
Slack time- amount of time that the capacity etc)
task could be late without pushing 5. Security – refers to procedural
back the completion date of the entire controls to safeguard and protect
project the system and its data from
internal and external threats.
3. Project monitoring and controlling
- Data and Process Modeling
Structured walkthrough / Code
Use graphical representations
Review- technique used in reviewing
- Object Modeling
the program code that is being
Uses object oriented analysis
performed.
- Development Strategies
4. Project reporting
*system requirements document-
Project Status Meetings- update and
overall design for the new system
monitor the progress
SYSTEM ANALYSIS SKILLS Recorder – documents results

-analytical skills – enable the analyst to

identify a problem, evaluate the key elements
Advantages: allows key users to
and develop a useful solution
participate effectively ; can result to
-interpersonal skills- communicate more accurate statement of sys
effectively with its people requirements

Disadvantage: more expensive and

can be cumbersome if the group is
TEAM ORIENTED METHODS AND
too large
TECHNIQUES

1. JOINT APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT

(JAD) 2. RAPID APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
(RAD)
User Involvement – work together to
gather information Team-based technique sys that
speeds up info sys development and
JAD Participants and Roles – insulated
produces a functioning info sys; relies
from distractions. Objective is to
heavily in prototyping and user
analyze existing sys, obtain user input
involvement, process continue until
and expectations, and document user
its completed and users are satisfied
requirement for the new sys
Objectives: cut devt time and expense

-helps devt a syst that is highly

JAD project leader- develops agenda,
interactive w its users
acts as a facilitator and leads the JAD
session

RAD PHASES AND ACTIVITIES

Top management- provides JAD - Requirements Planning Phase – ends

enterprise level authorization and when team agrees with the key issues
support for the project and obtains management
authorization to continue
- User Design Phase- develops
Managers- provide dept level support prototypes until user’s needs are met
- Construction Phase- users participate
until there are improvements
Users- provide operational level input - Cutover Phase – same with
implementation phase

Advantages: quick and cheaper

System Analyst and other IT staff
members – provide technical Disadvantages: doesn’t emphasize the
assistance and resources company’s strategic business models;
poor quality
 3. AGILE METHODS 3. Processes
Attempts to develop incrementally by 4. Performance
building series of prototypes and 5. Controls
constantly adjusting the to user
requirements
FUTURE, GROWTH, COSTS, AND BENEFITS
*Scrum- agile approach ; intense
interaction 1. Scalability – system’s ability to handle
increased volume of transactions in
MODELING TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES the future
2. Total cost of Ownership (TCO) –
- Helps users and it understand the
design of the system , can be created
with the help of CASE Tools
FACT FINDING TECHNIQUES

WHO-WHAT-WHERE- WHEN-WOW-WHY
1. Functioning Decomposition Diagrams
(FDD)
Aka structured charts The Zachman Framework- asks the traditional
fact finding questions in a system
Top down representation of a development context
function/ process
1. INTERVIEWS
2. Data Flow Diagrams (DFD)
Steps:
3. Unified Modeling Language (UML)
Widely used method of visualizing - Determine the people to interview
and documeneting software systems, - Establish objectives for the Interview
uses object oriented design concepts - Develop Interview Questions
- Use Case Diagrams - Prepare for the interview
- Sequence Diagrams - Conduct the interview
4. Business Process Modeling - Document the interview
- Evaluate the interview

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST 2. DOCUMENT REVIEW

3. OBSERVATION (Hawthorne Effect –
*system requirement- characteristic/feature improve work if they are being
that must be included in an info sys to satisfy observed)
business requirements and be acceptable to 4. QUESTIONNAIRES AND SURVEYS
its users ; serves as benchmarks to measure 5. SAMPLING (systematic sample,
the overall acceptability of a sys stratified sample, random sample)
6. RESEARCH (site visit – go physically)
7. BRAINSTORMING (structured and
5 GENERAL CATEGORIES unstructured)
1. Outputs
2. Inputs
DOCUMENTATION

Software Tools:

1. CASE Tools
2. Productivity Software- ms office
3. Graphics Modeling Software - visio
4. Personal Information Managers (PIM)
to do list calendar