System Analysis & Design Chapter 2

System Analysis & Design

Presented by Menna Ibrahim Gabr

Chapter 2 Agenda

System Analyst
System Analyst Skills
Analyst Roles
System Development Life Cycle

Introduction

The primary goal is to create value for the organization, which means increasing profits.
Many failed systems were abandoned due to analysts not clearly understanding how the system supports organizational goals, improves business processes, and integrates with other information systems to provide value.

System Analyst

The systems analyst plays a key role in information systems development projects.
The analyst works closely with the project team, ensuring the development of a suitable system.
Systems analysts understand how technology applies to solving business problems.
They act as change agents, identifying improvements needed, designing systems, training users and motivating others to use the system.

System Analyst Skills

Technical skills are needed to understand the organization's existing technology environment, new system's technology, and integration into a complete technical solution.
Business skills are needed to understand how information technology (IT) can solve business problems, and ensure the IT brings real business value.
Analytical skills are crucial for continuous problem-solving at both project and organizational levels.
Interpersonal skills are required for effective communication with users, business managers, programmers, and giving presentations and writing reports.
Management skills are needed for managing people, pressure, and risks associated with unclear situations.
Ethical skills are needed for dealing fairly, honestly, and ethically with others, especially when dealing with confidential information potentially damaging if shared.

System Analyst Roles

Most large organizations utilize multiple analysts with different roles. In smaller organizations, one person might take on multiple roles.
The systems analyst role focuses on the Issues surrounding the system. This individual develops ideas and suggestions for IT to support and improve business processes.
The role designs new business processes and the new information system, maintaining IS standards.
The business analyst focuses on business issues. This person finds business value, identifies how to improve business processes, and designs new business processes and policies. The individual has business experience and training.
The requirements analyst elicits requirements from stakeholders; with organizations understanding the need for accurate requirements, this role has increased in importance. Excellent communication and various requirements elicitation skills are important.
The infrastructure analyst focuses on technical issues, interactions with the system, hardware, software, networks, and databases. This analyst identifies infrastructure changes, has significant training and experience in networking, database administration, etc. They may even become software architects, looking at the entire IT environment and guiding application design decisions.
The change management analyst focuses on people and management issues related to system implementation, ensuring adequate documentation and support, giving users training, and overcoming resistance to change.
The project manager ensures the project is completed on time, within budget, and delivers expected value to the organization. The project manager is frequently an experienced systems analyst.

System Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The process of building an information system often mirrors building a house. Initially an idea/vision is developed.
Then drawings that are refined; more specific information about plumbing, layout, etc are developed.
The house is built, often adapting as the building proceeds, based on the owner's decisions.
The SDLC has four phases: planning, analysis, design, and implementation.
Each phase has steps with specific outputs explaining the various system elements.
SDLC is refined iteratively. Deliverables are built upon with new information adding specific detail to the system.

1-Planning

During project initiation, the system’s business value to the organization, the cost decrease or revenue increase expected, is identified.
The proposal for the new system is generated; explaining the business needs that the system will meet; this then triggers the feasibility analysis.
The feasibility analysis reviews the technical, economic, and organizational feasibility based on the system request.
Once approved, a project plan detailing the procedures, the team and other requirements emerges.

2-Analysis

The system analysis phase determines who will use the system, what the system will do, where it will be used, and when.
The project team investigates current systems, identifying improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system.
An analysis strategy guides the project team. A study of the current system (as-is system), along with problems and potential solutions, are key to designing a new system (to-be system).
Requirements gathering (e.g., through interviews, group workshops, questionnaires) follows, combined with input from the project sponsor and other stakeholders.
Analysis results are then combined with the system concept and models into a system proposal to inform necessary approvals.
The deliverable is a system proposal, identifying business requirements for the new system; it's sometimes called analysis and initial design.