16 September 2024

Information System
Development
 1. List the various steps involved in
SDLC.
2. What do you understand by training
and evaluation steps of SDLC?
Quiz 2 3. Mention the five strategies for
converting the old information
system into the new one.
4. What do you understand by system
analysis?
5. List the different sources for
information system training.
 • Fact finding technique is a process
of ensuring that the information
gathered is the actual required
information.
Facts • To gather the actual required
finding information, you need to use the
fact-finding techniques. The various
Technique types of fact finding techniques are:
• Review of Literature, Procedures and
Forms
• On-site observation
 • Various kinds of reports and records
that store the information related to
the existing system are maintained in
an organization.
Review of • A review of available documentation
Literature, is a logical starting point when
seeking insight into a system.
Procedure • Procedure manuals and forms are
s and excellent sources of information
because they describe the format and
Forms functions of the present system
• The existing forms can provide a clear
understanding about the transactions
that are handled in the organization
 • An input form can be used to identify the various
data items that are captured for processing.
• An output form or report can be used to evaluate
the performance of the process or to notice

Review of different information products that are being

generated from the system.

Literature, • When the analyst analyses the existing forms,

the following question must be pointed out:

Procedure •
•
Who are the users of forms?
How important are these forms to the user?

s and
• Does the form contain all the required information?
• Is it required to add or delete any items?

Forms
• What is the frequency of use of each form?
• How many users receive the forms?
• Is it readable or ambiguous?
• Does the information in the form help the users to
make decisions?
• How does it help the user in decision making
 • Analysing quantitative documents
Review of • Performance reports
Literature, • Records
• Data capturing forms
Procedure • Analysing qualitative document
s and • Memos
• Manuals
Forms • Policy handbooks
 • On-site observation allows analysts to
gain information they cannot obtain
by any other fact-finding methods
• This method is really useful, when
analysts want to observe how
On-site transactions are handled, when and
where the documents are captured,
observatio how the data flows or activities are
carried out and so on
n • According to Harper Boyd and Ralph
Westfall, observation is the process of
recognizing and noting the people,
objects and occurrences to obtain
information.
 • The objective of on-site observation is to
get as close as possible to the actual
system being studied.
• The objective of on-site observation is to
get as close as possible to the actual
system being studied
On-site • As an observer, analysts follow certain
observatio rules
• Proper care is taken not to argue with the
n persons being observed.
• Observation provides a more tangible
perspective of what is described in the
documentation. It also brings out the
aspects of the documentation that are
incomplete or outdated.
 • Following is the sequence of
steps that must be followed
while carrying out on-site
observation:
Steps for • Decide what is to be observed
observatio • Decide the level of activities
• Create categories for capturing
n key activities
• Prepare materials for
observations
• Decide the time for observation.
 • When humans are observed, four
alternative observation methods
are considered which are as follows
• Natural observation
On-Site • Contrived observation
observatio • Obtrusive observation
• Unobtrusive observation
n methods • Direct observation
• Indirect observation
• Structured observation
• Unstructured observation
 • To obtain the information about how tasks
related to a software system are done, you
need to observe each task carefully
• Reasons for observation are to gain information
Examining which cannot be acquired by using any other
method and to confirm or negate what has been
behaviour found through other methods
• By observing the activities of the decision
of makers, the analyst can gain insight about what
is to be actually done
decision • Through the method of observation, it is
makers important to comprehend the influence of the
decision maker on others in the organization.
• The analyst must know what is being observed.
He must know who will be observed and when,
where, why and how
 • Data Flow Diagram (DFD) is a
technique which is used to specify how
the data flows between the functions of
the system.
DFD • The basic purpose of the diagram is to
show how the system is currently
(DATA implemented.
FLOW • Larry Constantine first developed DFD as
a way of expressing system requirements
DIAGRAM) in a graphical form.
• A DFD is the starting point of the design
phase that functionally decomposes the
requirement specifications down to the
lowest level of detail
 • In data flow diagrams, the symbol set
comprises diagram, data flow, entity,
data store and process
• An entity: It is an external component of
the system. Represented by a rectangle
• A process is work or action performed
Elements by people, machines, etc. within the
of DFD system. Represented by bubbles
• Data store: used to store data and it is
represented by open box
• A data flow used to represent inputs
and outputs of the system and it is
represented by an arrow
 • There are basically two types of DFD, one
is called physical DFD and other is known
as logical DFD.
• A physical DFD is an implementation
dependent view of the current system,
showing what functions are performed.
Physical • A physical diagram provides details about
hardware, software, files and people
DFD involved in the implementation of the
system.
• Physical characteristics include name of
the people, departments, files, hardware,
locations, procedures, forms, documents,
etc.
Physical DFD
Symbol Symbol Symbol Comments
Name Meaning

Square Source or May be one

destination of Customer or a
data number of
customers With
customer Orders
Arrow Data flow May be
physically
contained in a
purchase order,
invoice, etc.
Physical DFD
Symbol Symbol Symbol Comments
Name Meaning

Circle Process that May be an

transforms the accountant
data flow calculating
Discounts and
preparing
invoices
Open Data store Can be a file,
Rectangle magnetic tape, a
database on
disk,
etc..
DFD levels and layers
• Levels or layers are used in DFDs to represent
progressive degrees of detail about the system or
process. These levels include the following:
• Level 0. Also known as a context diagram, this is the highest
level and shows a simple, top-level view of the system being
represented.
• Level 1. This is still a relatively broad view of the system, but
it incorporates subprocesses and more detail.
• Level 2. Provides even more detail and continues to break
down subprocesses as needed.
• Level 3. While this amount of detail is uncommon, complex
systems can benefit from representation at this level.
 • Context diagram helps in understanding
Context the general characteristics of the system
under study
Diagram • It contains a single process and defines the
whole system that will be studied
Rules to Construct a DFD

• Each process involved in a system should be named and

numbered for easy reference.
• Name of each process should be symbolic.
• The direction of flow of information in a DFD should be from
top to bottom and from left to right.
• When a process is divided into several lower level processes,
each low-level process should be numbered.
• The names of the data stores, sources and destination should
be in capital letters.
 • Zero level DFD provides more detail than
Zero Level the context diagrams by exploding them

DFD • Each subprocess in the zero level DFD is

numbered with an integer.
FLOW CHART

• Flow chart can be defined as a graphical picture of the logical

steps and sequence involved in a procedure and programme
• Flow chart is basically a graphical representation of an algorithm
or process. Algorithm is a set of ordered steps which are used to
solve a problem.
• In order to solve a problem, a user has to first design an algorithm
related to the solution of that problem
• As per standard conventions, some shapes are used to show
particular part of a flow chart
FLOW CHART

Geometry Shapes Use

Input and output operations

Execution Operations
FLOW CHART

Geometry Shapes Use

Decision operations

Start and Stop Operations