INF112 Chapter 11: Systems Analysis

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Questions and Answers

Which participant in systems development is primarily responsible for determining the objectives of the information system?

Support personnel

Users

Development team (correct)

Managers

What is one of the typical reasons to initiate a systems development project related to organizational changes?

Expansion of technical capabilities

Merging with another company (correct)

Increasing employee satisfaction

Improving employee training programs

According to the Chaos report of 2020, what percentage of IT projects failed?

50%

19% (correct)

31%

Which of the following is a reason for challenges in IT project management as revealed in the Chaos report 2020?

Inadequate user engagement in planning phases Signup and view all the answers

What is one potential issue with existing systems that might lead to the initiation of a systems development project?

Not processing orders fast enough Signup and view all the answers

What is the initial step suggested for effective systems development?

Careful planning Signup and view all the answers

Who among the following is NOT considered a stakeholder in systems development?

Competitors Signup and view all the answers

Which tool is commonly used in systems development for project monitoring?

CASE tools Signup and view all the answers

What problem does Mr. Peggy face in managing his shoe repair business?

Inability to track repairs and payments Signup and view all the answers

What is one opportunity identified for improving the system in Mr. Peggy's business?

Implementing SMS notifications Signup and view all the answers

How can a well-developed system improve Mr. Peggy's shoe repair business?

By providing automated financial reports Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is a process involved in systems development?

Designing and building information systems Signup and view all the answers

What challenge is associated with calculating the cost of an IT project?

Difficulties arise due to project uncertainties Signup and view all the answers

What is the overall objective of systems development?

Achieve business goals Signup and view all the answers

Which phase is NOT typically part of the traditional systems development life cycle?

Monitoring phase Signup and view all the answers

What is a critical success factor (CSF)?

Essential factors for success in a functional area Signup and view all the answers

Which situation best describes the primary benefit of information systems planning?

Long-range view of information systems use Signup and view all the answers

In the prototyping approach, which type of prototype accesses real data files?

Operational prototype Signup and view all the answers

During which phase of the traditional SDLC does the team verify that the system meets business requirements?

Testing phase Signup and view all the answers

What is emphasized in the RAD methodology?

Extensive user involvement Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following is NOT considered a performance objective?

Development costs Signup and view all the answers

What is a key component of the Extreme Programming (XP) methodology?

Rapid, iterative cycles Signup and view all the answers

What does the maintenance phase in the SDLC involve?

Making changes, corrections, and updates Signup and view all the answers

In SCRUM methodologies, what is the role of the daily stand-up meeting?

To monitor and control development efforts Signup and view all the answers

Which phase establishes a high-level plan for the project in the traditional SDLC?

Planning phase Signup and view all the answers

What aspect is generally NOT considered during system investigation?

Defining technical specifications Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Chapter 11: Systems Analysis

INF112 course
Focuses on systems analysis
Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, University of Pretoria
Effective system development is a team effort from stakeholders, users, managers, systems development specialists and support personnel.
System development starts with thorough planning
Systems development commonly uses tools such as prototyping, rapid application development, CASE tools and object-oriented development.
Investigation and analysis of existing systems are crucial initial steps in system development

Principles

Effective system development requires collaborative teamwork
Stakeholders, users, managers, and specialists participate
System development begins with thoughtful strategic planning
Tools used include prototyping, rapid application development, CASE tools, and object-oriented approaches.
System investigation and analysis of existing systems is essential.

Class Discussion

Mr. Peggy, owner of a shoe repair business, requires a system to manage client details, repair statuses, SMS notifications, and payment processes.
Client details are captured, then an SMS is sent to the technician for the repair.
When repaired, the system updates the status, and the client receives an SMS for pickup.
Payments are required before pickup.
Data about daily repairs, outstanding repairs, and payment details is needed by Peggy.
A development team is required to program a solution

Questions

Stakeholders: Identify all parties involved in the shoe repair business.
Processes: Detail the core processes in the shoe repair business (e.g., client intake, technician completion).
Problems: What problems are identified in the case study?
Opportunities: Suggest improvements to the system in the shoe repair business.
System Improvements: How do systems improve the shoe repair business?
Additional Processes: What additional processes could improve the shoe repair business (beyond the core services)?

Overview of Systems Development

Systems development involves problems analysis and the design of information systems
Managers, employees, and all functional areas work together to develop business information systems
Cost calculation for IT projects is complex
High-profile errors are often found in the public sector

Participants in Systems Development

Development team: determines system objectives and delivers the system.
Stakeholders: individuals who benefit from the project
Users: People who utilize the system.
Managers: oversee the systems development process.
Systems development specialists: analysts, programmers, and support personnel.
Vendors and suppliers: provide products and services to support development.

Reasons to Initiate Systems Development Project

Problems with existing system: inefficiencies in current operations
Exploit new opportunities: adopting new technologies or services
Increasing competition: responsive competition to market demands
Effective use of information: improve the use of information and data
Organizational growth: systems support scalability in business operations
Merger or acquisition: integrating systems from merging entities
Environmental changes: new laws, regulations, or situations

Project Success Quick Reference Card

50% of projects are challenged, 19% failed, and 31% successful.
Good sponsor, good team, and a good place are essential for project success.
Success in a business is linked to the people who support the team.
The skill and effort of the sponsor are also key to success.

Why is the Success Rate of IT Projects Low?

Chaos report 2020 found 50% of projects challenged, 19% failed, and only 31% on-time/on-budget.
Reasons for low success rate need to be considered

Information Systems Planning & Aligning Corporate Goals

Systems planning translates strategic goals into systems development
Planning requires alignment of business goals and information system objectives
Long-range view is crucial
IS plan guides development, impacting resources like funds, personnel, and project scheduling.

Establishing Objectives for Systems Development

Overall goal of system development is to meet business objectives, not just technical ones.
Delivering the right information to the right person at the right time.
Critical success factors (CSFs) are defined for an organizational success.
Factors considered include: system investigation, system analysis, data collection and analysis, and requirements analysis.
Performance objectives: output quality/usefulness, accuracy, format, speed, scalability, and risk.
Cost objectives: development costs, system application costs, hardware costs, and ongoing operating costs

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

Software development involves a planned process.
Common approaches include traditional, prototyping, RAD methodology, XP methodology, and SCRUM
The cycle is iterative and involves phases like planning, analysis, design, development, testing, implementation, and maintenance.

Traditional SDLC Detailed

Planning phase: high-level project plan and goals
Analysis phase: analyze business requirements, define functions and operations
Design phase: describes desired features, layouts, business rules, process diagrams
Development phase: transforms design documents into the actual system
Testing phase: eliminates errors and verifies the system meets requirements
Implementation phase: installs the system and allows users to use it
Maintenance phase: upgrades, corrects, and improves the system

Prototyping

Iterative approach using functioning prototypes
Accesses real data, makes calculations, and produces outputs
Creating mock-ups and models can be part of the prototyping process

Rapid Application Development (RAD)

Emphasizes user involvement and rapid construction of working prototypes.
Prototyping is an essential aspect of analysis in RAD
Stages in RAD include business modeling, data modeling, process modeling, building, refining, demonstrating, and testing.

Extreme Programming (XP)

Project is divided into phases, with each phase needing completion before moving to the next.
Phases include exploration, iteration planning, iteration with pair programming, development, testing, and continuous integration.

SCRUM

Uses small teams to create small software pieces (sprints).
Includes 30-day time periods to achieve predetermined objectives.
Daily stand-up meetings are part of the process.

Where Do System Development Projects Come From?

Problems are undesirable situations preventing achieving goals.
Opportunities are chances to improve even without problems.
Directives are new requirements imposed by management, etc.

Summary

Information systems planning translates goals into development initiatives
Aligning business and IS goals is key to systems success
Common life cycles include traditional, prototyping, RAD, XP, and Scrum
Understanding systems investigation, analysis, and how to identify strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities within a business is vital.

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Description

Explore the key concepts of systems analysis as outlined in Chapter 11 of the INF112 course at the University of Pretoria. This quiz covers collaborative team efforts, the importance of planning, and various tools used in effective system development, including prototyping and CASE tools.