System Analysis and Design

Chapter One
System Development Life Cycle
Chapter Outlines
Introduction
What is system?
System Components
Systems Planning and Selection
 Identifying and selecting Systems Development
project
 Initiating and Planning Systems Development project
 Structuring System Process Requirements
 Structuring system Logic Requirements
 Structuring System data Requirements
Overview of Structural Paradigm
System Analysis and Design 2
 Introduction
Systems Analysis and Design is the process of examining a business

situation with the intent of improving it through better procedures and

methods.

It must ensure that the proposed information system meets user needs, can be

delivered on time, and can be updated inexpensively.

The process of system analysis commences with system study that is

conducted to learn the details of the current business situation, and to

suggest alternative design strategies along with the costs and benefits

analysis.

It is conducted by the systems analyst.

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 What is system?
A system is an organized collection of parts (or subsystems) that are
highly integrated to accomplish an overall goal.

The system has various inputs, which go through certain processes to

produce certain outputs, which together, accomplish the overall desired
goal for the system.

So a system is usually made up of many smaller systems, or subsystems.

For example, an organization is made up of many administrative and management functions,
products, services, groups and individuals.

If one part of the system is changed, the nature of the overall system is

changed, as well.
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 Cont’d.…
The system takes input from outside, processes it, and sends the
resulting output back to its environment.

Properties of a System
Organization
Interaction
Interdependence
Integration
Central Objective System Analysis and Design 5
 Cont’d.…
System Analysis is concerned on the understanding the details of
an existing system or a proposed one and then deciding whether
the proposed system is desirable or not and whether the existing
system needs improvements.
System analysis is the process of investigating a system,
identifying problems, and using the information to recommend
improvements to the system.
Analysis is the collection of notations, methodologies and tools
used to gather details and analyse a problem situation for
recommending improvements to information system
Analysis specifies what the system should do. Design states how to
accomplish the objective.

System Analysis and Design 6

 Cont’d.…
System design is the process of planning a new business system or one to replace

or complement an existing system.

The process of systems analysis and design tells us how to:

 Build information systems

 Analyse information system needs

 Design computer based information systems

 Solve systems problems in organizations

Systems Analyst

A Systems Analyst is the person responsible for researching, planning and

recommending software and systems choices to meet an organization's business

requirements.
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 Cont’d.…
Personal Characteristics
 Ability to identify, define and recognize problems

 Logical approach

 Knowledge of professional practices and standards

 Persistent in his efforts

 Flexible in his outlook

 Possess good communication skills

Technical Characteristics
 Well versed in project management

 Strong technological perspective- IT tools and methods, Ergonomics,

Systems concepts, Operations research
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 Cont’d.…
Tasks of Systems Analyst
Interviews: The systems analyst conducts interviews to ascertain what
information processes and procedures are performed/needed within the
organization.
Learns: He learns about the nature of the business of the organization
and its goals.
Recommends: He recommends software, hardware and communication
equipment purchases for the organization to support its information
processing systems.
Builds: He builds a graphical representation of any existing information
system to depict the requirements of the given system.
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 Cont’d.…
Uses: He uses the existing system for requirements Analysis.

Monitors: He monitors the development and installation of the new

information system and the effectiveness of the new system.

Specifies: He specifies the format of the data files, interfaces, reports,

procedures to be developed, software to be purchased, security, and

control procedures.

Plays different roles: He plays the role of a consultant, supporting

expert, change agent, psychologist, salesperson, an investigator, an

architect, a motivator, and a politician.

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 System Components
The various elements of systems in MIS are as follows :
1. Inputs and Outputs :
The inputs' are those elements which enter any stream from outside and the
outputs can be anything, information, materials or services.
2. Processors :
The processor is that element which performs the operation on the inputs to
produce the outputs (desired result). Eg Machines, people..
3. Control :
Control elements are the logical procedures, rules and regulations which
direct and manage the processing of the inputs in order to produce the desired
outputs.
4. Feedback :
Feedback is the measurement of outputs against some set of standard
benchmarks.
It can be positive or negative and its role is not only to change the inputs but
many times it is done only to get the information.
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 Cont’d.…

5. Environment :
To function, every system required a specific environment.
The system is surrounded by these elements and interaction also takes
place between them.
For example, the environment of a system includes customers,
competitors, government and regulatory bodies, customers and
vendors.

6. Boundaries and Interface :

The 'boundaries' of system are the limits within which system works.

"Interface is the element which is helpful in the interaction between the

system and environment' outside the boundaries.

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System Development Life Cycle

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 Systems Planning and Selection

This first phase of the SDLC deals with the process of identifying, selecting, initiating,

planning projects and assessing project feasibility.

Project/system Identification and Selection

 The first step is to identify the need for a system, which can be the result of

 Problems in existing system or process

 New feature required in an existing system

 A new idea for which in Information System is required

 A requirement to improve efficiency in the organization

 Compulsory standards or bench marks by an external organization Ex. Government

 The need to keep up with competitors.

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Activities Performed during Project Planning

Describing the project scope, alternatives, and feasibility

Dividing the project into manageable tasks
Estimating resources and creating a resource plan
Developing a preliminary schedule
Developing a communication plan
Determining project standards and procedures
Identifying and assessing risk
Creating a preliminary budget
Developing a project scope statement
Setting a baseline project plan

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Initiating and Planning Systems Development Project

 The objective of project initiation and planning is to transform

a vague system requirements into a tangible project description

 Proper project initiation and planning can reduce the time

consumption of further phases

 Activities performed in this phase could also be completed

during the next phase, System analysis

 A rule of thumb is that 10 – 20 % of the entire effort should be

expended in this phase

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Structuring System Process Requirements

 Requirements determination and requirements structuring are two core

components of system analysis.
 Traditionally, interviewing, questionnaires, directly observing and
analyzing documents are four main methods adopted by system
analysts to collect information.
 JAD(Joint Application Design) and prototyping are two modern
requirements determination methodologies, which are developed and
based on the previous traditional methods.
 A well-structured representation of system requirements can
dramatically improve the communication among analysts, designers,
users, and programmers.
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Initiating and Planning Systems development Projects

 Project Initiation: Focuses on activities that will help to

organize a team to conduct project planning
 Project Planning focuses on defining clear, discrete tasks
and the work needed to complete each task
 The objective of the project planning is to produce two
documents : a Baseline Project Plan (BPP) and the
Statement of Work (SOW).

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 Cont’d...…
Feasibility Study

1. Economic Feasibility

2. Operational Feasibility
 This process examines whether the new project will attain
its desired objectives.
 The goal of this study is to understand the degree to which
the proposed system will likely solve the business problems

3. Technical Feasibility

4. Schedule Feasibility

5. Legal and Contractual Feasibility

6. Political Feasibility
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 Cont’d...…
Building the Baseline Project Plan

 All the information collected during project initiation and planning is collected
and organized into a document called the Baseline Project Plan.

 Once the BPP is completed, a formal review of the project can be conducted with
customers.

 BPP contains four major sections

1. Introduction

2. System Description

3. Feasibility assessment

4. Management issues

5. Analysis and Design issue

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 Cont’d.…
Structuring System Logic Requirements
 It is concerned on how to model and analyse the flow of data
(data in motion) between manual or automated steps and how
to show data stores (data at rest) in a data-flow diagram.
 Data-flow diagrams show how, where, and when data are
used or changed in an information system, but they do not
show the definition, structure, and relationships within the
data.
 Data modelling, develops missing, and crucial, piece of the
description of an information system.
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 Cont’d..…

 Many systems developers believe that a data model is the most important part of
the information system requirements statement for four reasons.

1. Characteristics of data captured during data modeling are crucial in the

design of databases, programs, computer screens, and printed reports.

2. Data rather than processes are the most complex aspects of many
modern information systems (validating data, reconciling errors, and
coordinating the movement of data to various databases).

3. Characteristics about data (such as format and relationships with

other data)
4. Structural information about data is essential to generate programs
automatically(customer order).
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 Structuring System Data Requirements

Structuring System data Requirements is focus conceptual data model

that about representation of organizational data.

The purpose of a conceptual data model is to show as many rules about

the meaning and interrelationships among data as possible, independent of

any database management system or other implementation considerations.

Entity-relationship (E-R) data models are commonly used diagrams

During the systems analysis phase of the SDLC, analysist can use data-

flow diagrams to show data in motion and E-R diagrams to show the

relationships among data objects.

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 Overview of Structural Paradigm

The structured paradigm is a development strategy based on the concept that

a system should be separated into two parts:

 Data (modeled using data/persistence model) and

 Functionality (modeled using a process model).

In short, using the structured approach, we can develop applications in which

data is separated from behavior in both the design model and in the system

implementation (that is, the program).

Paradigm: An overall strategy or viewpoint for doing things or we call it is a

specific mind-set for developing different systems.

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