Systems Analysis and IT Project Management

Software Systems Development

• The module covers Systems Analysis, Design, and Testing.
• Systems must be planned so that all interested parties understand the system.
• The module introduces issues in software system development and solutions.
• Various software lifecycles and CASE tools are explored.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will be able to identify systems development stages and the roles of personnel involved.
• Students will be able to describe requirements for a proposed system.
• Students will be able to identify the feasibility of the proposed system.
• Students will be able to model proposed system requirements.
• Students will be able to identify appropriate testing techniques.
• Students will be able to define steps involved in migrating to a proposed system.
• Students will be able to describe areas of maintenance and user support functions.

Indicative Content

• This module covers the software development process.
• The roles involved in the development process
• Requirements analysis and design
• Testing methods from a high level
• Implementation
• Post-Implementation matters

Contact

• The module includes 2 lectures and 2 practical sessions.

Supplementary Materials

• Essentials of Systems Analysis and Design (Valacich, George, Hoffer)
• Systems Analysis and Design (Kendall & Kendall)

Continuous Assessment

• 50% continuous assessment
• (Further details to follow)
• Multiple Choice Exam 25%
• Project 25%
• 50% final written exam

Additional Information

• Email communication should be via student emails for the course.
• Submissions are only accepted via Moodle.
• Late submissions will be penalized by -20% per day overdue.
• Plagiarism is strictly forbidden.

Introduction

• Systems analysis and design are fundamental to technology and business.
• Understanding these concepts is crucial for students in computer science, information technology and business disciplines.

What is Systems Analysis and Design?

• Systems Analysis examines a system's components and interactions.
• Systems Design details an improvement or a new system (technical and non-technical aspects).
• This ensures technology solutions match business needs.

Importance of Systems Analysis and Design

• Efficient and effective systems result.
• Development and maintenance costs are minimized.
• This leads to user satisfaction, which enhances the user experience.

Key Concepts

• Requirements Gathering: Understanding user needs and recording them.
• System Modeling: Creating diagrams and flowcharts of system components and interactions.
• Process Design: Defining how data flows through the system (input, process, output).
• Data Design: Structuring and organizing data efficiently.
• Architecture Design: Design of hardware and software components.
• User Interface Design: Creating user-friendly interfaces.

Process Overview

• Problem Identification: Recognizing the need for a new or improved system.
• Feasibility Study: Evaluating the technical, operational, and financial aspects of the proposed system.
• Requirements Analysis: Gathering detailed requirements from stakeholders.
• System Design: Creating a high-level design with components.
• Implementation: Building the system.
• Testing and Quality Assurance: Ensuring functionality.
• Deployment and Maintenance: Rolling out the system and providing ongoing support and updates.

Tools and Techniques

• Flowcharts and Diagrams: Showing the progression of processes.
• Use Case Diagrams: Showing system interactions from a user perspective.
• Data Flow Diagrams (DFDs): Showing the progression of data through a system.
• Unified Modeling Language (UML): Standardized language for system modeling.
• Prototyping: Creating interactive prototypes to gather user feedback.
• CASE (Computer-Aided Software Engineering) Tools: Software assisting in system development and design.

Information

• Information is a key resource for businesses.
• Information technology can mean the difference between success and failure for a company.
• Managed information differs from manually-produced data.

Case Study Example

• Case study: Online Library Management System.
• Analysis and design phases to be applied to the case study.

Career Opportunities

• Systems analysts and designers are in high demand.
• Career opportunities include: systems analyst, business analyst, software architect, UI/UX designer, and database administrator.

Conclusion

• Systems analysis and design are essential for creating effective technology solutions.
• Understanding these concepts opens up many career opportunities.
• The module will delve deeper into these topics throughout the course.

Structuring System Requirements: Process Modeling

• Process modeling describes how data flows through a system (inputs, processes,outputs)
• Data-flow diagrams (DFD) are used to visually represent the flow of data in a system.

Data Flow Diagrams

• Data flow diagrams visually model the flow of data in a system.
• DFDs consist of three main components: processes, data flows, and data stores.

Level 0 Data Flow and Level 1 DFD

• Level 0 is high level, abstract view of the entire system.
• Level 1 is a more detailed view of a subsystem.

Key Differences Between Level 0 and 1 DFD

• Level 0 is for a general overview to understand interactions
• Level 1 shows areas or subsystems in more details with the specific data flows and storage.
• Level 0 is easier to understand and less complex, while Level 1 is more complex and detailed

Data Stores

• Data stores depict data at rest (within a computer system).
• Usually represented as rectangular shapes.
• May include various forms of data including file folders, computer-based files, notebooks etc).

Processes

• Processes depict actions performed on data, transforming or distributing it.
• Represented by rectangles with rounded corners.
• Details of the action or changes performed on the data are recorded.

Source/Sinks

• Source/Sinks are the data origin (start) or the final destination of the data.
• Represented as a square shape.

Developing DFDs: An Example

• Example: Automated Food Ordering System.
• Context Diagram (Figure 6-5) includes no data stores.
• The expansion of the context diagram shows the breakdown of processes (Figure 6-6).

Video Rental System

• Example of a DFD context Diagram.
• DFD level 0 is presented.

Railway Company's Customer Service System

• DFD Level 0 presented.

Designing Databases

• Information needs to be stored centrally, accurately, and reliably
• Information should be readily available.
• Information should be adapted and updated as needed
• The information should be stored in a form that allows for sharing
• The organization should be able to change from one structure to another quite simply

Data Storage

• Data is stored in either individual files or a database.
• Databases are formally defined and centrally controlled.
• They are used in many applications.

Database Objectives

• Effective database designs should allow data sharing between many users and applications.
• Data in current and future applications needs to be readily available.
• Data in databases needs to be easily updated.
• Database users should have a personal view of the data.

Reality, Data, and Metadata

• Reality is the real world.
• Data are collected and stored in files or databases, about people, places or events.
• Metadata describes the data (characteristics like name, size, location of the data in a file).

Entities

• Entities are objects or events about which data is collected.
• Examples include people, places, and things.
• Entities may also be an event or a unit of time.

Relationships

• Relationships (one-to-one, one-to-many, many-to-many) define how entities relate and connect.

Attributes, Records, and Keys

• Attributes are characteristics of entities.
• Records store attribute values.
• Keys identify attributes.

Key Types

• Primary key- Unique attribute to identify the record.
• Candidate key- Attribute or collection of attributes that can be used as a primary key.
• Composite key- Combination of attributes used as a primary key.
• Foreign key- Attribute in one table that refers to the primary key in another table.

Metadata

• Metadata describes the data about the data in a file or database.
• Details the lengths, names, compositions of data items within the record storage, etc

Files

• Files are groups of records storing information.
• Used for ongoing or temporary data storage.

Relational Databases

• Relational databases store data in related tables.
• Three types of database structures exist: relational, hierarchical and network.

Relational Data Structure

• Data are organized into multiple tables for ease of access.

Using the Entity-Relationship Diagram to Determine Record Keys

• One-to-many relationships: The primary key of one table is stored as a foreign key in a related table.
• Many-to-many relationships: Create a new associative entity to resolve interactions.

Bus Company

• A national bus company has many buses servicing many routes.
• Each bus services one route, with several stages along each route.

Database Tables

• Data models are dynamic and should be stored in a repository.
• ER diagrams are models for logical data, transformed into tables for physical database.

Many-to-Many Relationships

• Many-to-many relationships need to be resolved by creating an associative entity.
• Instead of one-to-many connections, it can become a number of one-to-one and/or one-to-many relationships.

GoodHealth Hospital

• Example case study of a general hospital that provides care in all fields of medicine.
• Provides a description of the hospital and the kinds of operations, people and associated teams

Our Analysis and Design.

• Processes that happen after analysis and design
• Development
• Conversion and Implementation
• User Training
• System Evaluation and Maintenance

Purpose of Systems Development and Operation

• Convert system specifications into runnable software.
• Document work performed, for future reference and use.
• Providing help for customers and future users.
• Develop and update new software versions/materials

Testing

• Ensures the system meets the requirements.
• Testing and quality assurance procedures are crucial and must be thorough and rigorous

Testing Philosophy

• Importance of testing and quality assurance.
• Dangers of testing early modules without an overall testing plan.
• Difficulties in reproducing the sequence of events causing an error.

What is Our Goal During Testing?

• Find as many faults as possible.
• Create confidence that the software works as intended.

Test Plan

• Answers to questions on how many tests are needed, duration for developing those tests and for testing/executing them are included
• Addresses topics like test estimation, development and Informal and Formal validation

Test Plan

• Defines the scope of work.
• Describes the test procedure as a container for test scripts
• Documents what is recorded during the tests

Test Types

• Stub testing,
• Unit testing,
• Integration testing,
• System testing,
• Acceptance testing

Black Box Testing

• Focuses on the systems from a user perspective (requirements).
• Examines if the functions in the systems meet the defined specifications.

White Box Testing

• Asseses the internal code's functionality from an internal perspective

User Interface Testing

• Ensures each use scenario works correctly.
• Processes each action as a step in a process.
• Ensures data transfer between systems.

System Testing

• Ensures that integrations have not caused new errors.
• Evaluating the usability and ease of use for users.
• Assessing the security and functionality to comply with the stated requirements.
• Performance testing for high user activity and peak transaction loads, to assess a reliable and smooth performance.
• Documentation Testing of Accuracy

Acceptance Testing

• Validating the system meets organizational needs

Non-incremental Integration Testing

• Big Bang approach in testing (all components are tested together)
• Unrelated errors can arise which could be difficult to troubleshoot

When is Testing Complete?

• The end of testing is determined when there are no longer any critical errors

The Purpose of Testing

• Confirm the system fulfills its requirements
• Testing must be planned

Installation/Implementation

• Organizational process of transition from one system to another

Direct Conversion

• System changeover on a single date.
• Careful prior testing is essential before implementation.

Parallel Conversion

• Both old and new systems are run simultaneously for a time.

Pilot Conversion

• A single location is tested first, and then further implemented

Phased Conversion

• System replacement occurs in incremental (phased) implementations

Planning Installation

• Factors to consider for efficient installation

Documenting the System

• Creating detailed documentation.
• Information on the system's design specifications.
• Descriptions of internal workings.
• User documentation

Training Information System Users

• Training techniques to prepare first year computing students to effectively use the system

Supporting Information System Users

• Support driven by lack of standards and the need to make equipment compatible.
• Methods of support include automated issue trackers, automated support and help desks

Why Implementation Sometimes Fails

• Two necessary conditions for successful implementation: management support and user involvment
• Important insights into the implementation process

Implementation Success Factors

• Extent to which the system is used.
• Easiness of use and reliability of the system.
• User satisfaction
• User demographics (age, degree of computer experience)

Conducting System Maintenance

• Several types of maintenance include corrective maintenance, adaptive maintenance, perfective maintenance, preventive maintenance

The Cost of Maintenance

• Many organizations allocate significant budgets to system maintenance.
• Factors that influence maintainability include number of customers, the quality of system documentation and the maintenance personnel available
• Tools and Well-structured programs contribute to maintainability and minimizing costs

Project Management

• A systematic approach to manage projects.
• Involves planning, organizing executing, and overseeing the completion of projects.
• Includes initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling and closing phases

Key Aspects of Project Management

• Initiation (defining objectives, scope, purpose, feasibility)
• Planning (developing a detailed project plan)
• Execution (putting the project plan into motion, deploying resources, managing expectations)
• Monitoring & Controlling (tracking progress, ensuring tasks remain on course)
• Closing (completing remaining deliverables, getting acceptance and formally closing)

Tools and Technologies

• Technologies for project management (Trello, Jira, Asana, MS Project)
• Collaboration tools (Slack, Microsoft Teams)
• Version Control (Git, GitHub, GitLab)
• Documentation Tools (Confluence)

Challenges Faced in IT Project Management

• Unclear or changing requirements
• Scope creep
• Resource Management
• Technology changes
• Communication issues
• Implementation complexity
• Stakeholder involvement
• Regulatory compliance

Project Governance

• Establishing proper governance structures and decision-making processes.
• Addressing conflicts, and project drift.
• Recruiting appropriately skilled personnel.

Project Management Software

• Examples: Trello, JIRA, Asana, MS Project

Collaboration Tools

• Examples: Slack, Microsoft Teams

Version Control

• Examples: Git, GitHub, GitLab

Documentation Tools

• Example: Confluence

The Implementation of the Electronic Health Records (EHR) System by the Cleveland Clinic in the United States.

• EHR system implementation.
• This involved substantial IT project to transition from paper-based health records to a comprehensive electronic system.

Key Factors Contributing to the Success of this IT Project

• Leadership Commitment
• Engagement of Stakeholders
• Robust Project Management
• Training and Support
• Data Security and Compliance

Project Feasibility

• Definition: Assessment of project viability.
• Importance: Avoiding wasted time and resources on unrealistic projects.

Components of a Feasibility Study

• Project Scope,
• Market Analysis,
• Cost Estimation,
• Risk Assessment,
• Technical Requirements.

Examples of Successful IT Projects

• Implementation of a New ERP System,
• Development of a Mobile Application.

Examples of Unsuccessful IT Projects

• Royal Bank of Scotland's (RBS) IT Failure,
• The Boeing 787 Dreamliner,
• Denver International Airport (DIA) Baggage System,
• The FBI's Virtual Case File (VCF) System

Requirements and Requirement Elicitation

• Definition of Software Requirement
• Aspects of Software Requirements: Functions, Non-functions, User Requirements
• Prioritization of requirements
• System Requirements
• Validation and Verification.
• Business Requirements
• Constraints
• Traceability

Characteristics of a Good Systems Analyst

• Impertinence
• Impartiality
• Assumption of Feasibility
• Attention to detail
• Reframing

Components of an Organization as a Systems Analyst

• Business objectives,
• Information needs of people,
• Data handling,
• Data dependencies and sequences
• Important business rules
• Important events to affect the data values and when they occur

Deliverables for Requirements Determination

• Information collected in interviews and observations,
• Documents and reports,
• Results from JAD workshops, prototyping reports

Traditional Methods of Collecting System Requirements

Requirement Elicitation

• Crucial phase, serves as foundation
• Including clients, end-users, other relevant stakeholders
• Communicating expectations accurately, effectively and efficiently
• Guiding the project team in building the right product

Interviewing and Listening

• Open-ended questions, closed-ended questions.

Interviewing Guidelines

• Avoid leading questions
• Carefully listen to the interviewee's responses
• Record notes within 48 hours
• Seek variety of perspectives

Drawbacks and Advantages to Interviewing Groups

• Efficiency and Effectiveness of group interviews
• Drawbacks and complexities in conducting group interviews

Direct Observation of Workers

• Observing worker interactions, roles and responsibilities as they work at their jobs
• Observing worker interactions with the current system

Analyzing Procedures and Documents

• Analyze existing documents and procedures to identify problems, opportunities and needs of the system
• Identify key players and their roles to determine priorities
• Look at processing rules.
• Important procedures document the business functions.
• Understanding the way systems actually work (Formal and Informal procedures).

Four Major Documents Analysed For New Systems

• Work procedures (forms, etc),
• Reports,
• System documentation,
• User manuals

Example of Forms & Reports (Report Statement of Cash Flows)

• Example of forms and reports used to analyze a system

Contemporary Methods of Collecting System Requirements

• Gathering information through meetings/discussions

Joint Application Design (JAD)

• Intensive meeting sessions with involved parties
• Capture details of system requirements simultaneously from key people

Typical JAD Participants

• JAD session leader, key system users, managers, sponsors, analysts, scribes

Using Prototyping During Requirements Determination

• Prototyping is an iterative process
• Quickly converts basic requirements to a limited version of the system
• Prototypes are tested with users
• Revisions are made based on user feedback

Evolutionary Prototyping

• The prototype part of the target system is built first, and subsequent systems are developed based on the results of the earlier phases
• It becomes the actual production system

Prototyping When Useful

• User requirements not clear
• Few users involved in the system design
• Designs are complex
• Past tools and data are readily available

Drawbacks of Prototyping

• Avoids formal documentation
• It is difficult to adapt to other potential users
• Standalone prototypes are difficult to adapt

Business Process Reengineering (BPR)

• Aims for radical changes in business processes
• Utilizing technology for improvement
• Eliminating unnecessary steps and achieving synergies in data flow

What are Business Processes?

• Measurable set of activities for a particular customer/product
• Focus on organizational outcomes (products)
• Includes importance of activity to delivering an outcome and feasibility of changing the activity.
• Looks at the level of dysfunction in the existing activity

Long-Held Organizational Rules

• Business rules and procedures

Understanding System Requirements

• System components, boundaries, purpose, input, output, interaction, and environment.

Types of Systems

• Open and closed systems
• Subsystems (small systems within a larger one)
• Suprasystems (larger system that includes multiple systems).

Importance of Systems in Computing

• Systems are fundamental to computing with varying applications
• Efficient software design is possible through systems concepts

What is an Information System?

• Systems use information to achieve business goals via data processing.

Important System Concepts

• Decomposition (breaking system into manageable parts)
• Modularity (dividing system into modules)
• Coupling (dependency between subsystem parts)
• Cohesion (extent subsystem performs a single function)
• Systems Integration (different components working together)

Phases of the SDLC

• Systems planning and selection
• Systems design,
• Implementation and Operation.
• Phases are not necessarily sequential.
• Different approaches to development can be considered

Alternative Approaches to Development

• Prototyping: Building scaled-down working versions of the final system to aid design and capture requirements.
• Computer-Assisted Software Engineering (CASE) Tools:
• Automated tools for systems analysis/development.
• Joint Application Design (JAD): Bringing together users, managers, and analysts for intense meetings to define system requirements.
• Participatory Design (PD): Emphasizes user role for systems design, allowing extensive user involvement

The Role of a Systems Analyst

• Identifying problems, improving efficiency, and recommending solutions for business objectives.
• Examining organizational business processes and systems.

Overview of Responsibilities

• Analyzing business processes
• Identifying IT solutions
• Bridging the gap between stakeholders and IT

Key Responsibilities of a Systems Analyst

• Assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of existing systems and processes.
• Documenting and gathering detailed requirements from stakeholders.
• Designing system solutions.

Qualities of a Systems Analyst

• Analytical, communication, technical, problem-solving, business acumen, adaptable, project management, critical thinking, detail-oriented, interpersonal skills

Education and Training

• Bachelor's degree is typically required.
• Formal certifications can improve career prospects

Tools & Technologies

• Diagramming/Modeling tools (UML, ERD)
• Requirements Gathering/Management Tools (IBM Rational DOORS, Jira)
• Survey/Questionnaire Software
• Project Management Tools (Microsoft Project, Asana, Trello)
• Database Management Systems (DBMS) (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
• Development/Programming Tools (Eclipse, Visual Studio)

Prototyping and Wireframing Tools

• For creating interactive prototypes (Balsamiq, Adobe XD)

Documentation and Documentation Management Tools

• Tools for creating and managing documentation (Microsoft Word, Confluence)
• Virtualization tools (VirtualBox, VMware)
• Cloud Platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud)
• Data Integration/ETL Tools (Apache NiFi, Talend)

Testing and Quality Assurance Tools

• Test Management Tools (TestRail, Jira)
• Automated Testing Tools (Selenium, JUnit, Postman)
• Network Analysis Tools (Wireshark, Nagios)
• System Monitoring/Logging Tools (Prometheus, Grafana, ELK Stack)

Understanding Cost-Benefit Analysis, Net Present Value & Return on Investment

• CBA determines whether the benefits of an idea outweigh the costs.

Key Steps in Cost-Benefit Analysis

• Identify all costs
• Identify all benefits
• Assign monetary values
• Calculate Net Benefit
• Compare against other options

One-Time Costs (Capital Expenditures)

• Incurred only once during a project's initiation or implementation. Examples- Hardware, software licenses, development costs

Recurring Costs (Operating Expenses)

• Costs that continue throughout the project's life. Examples- Support, maintenance, utilities

Tangible Benefits

• Advantages or gains that are measurable, quantified in monetary terms (e.g., cost savings, increased revenues)

Intangible Benefits

• Advantages or gains that are hard to quantify in monetary terms (e.g., brand equity, employee morale).

Examples

• Transportation Infrastructure Project (new road)
• Software Development Project (CRM System).

Net Present Value (NPV)

• Assessing profitability using the time value of money
• Present value of cash inflows minus outflows

Return on Investment (ROI)

• Measuring the profitability/efficiency of an investment. Calculated as a percentage of the total gains or loss relative to the initial investment, and can be used to compare different investments and decide how to allocate resources.

Sources of Software

• Commercial (Proprietary),
• Open Source,
• Freeware,
• Freemium,
• Shareware,
• Public Domain,
• Government,
• Cloud,
• Mobile Apps,
• Community or Collaborative.

Outsourcing

• Practice of transferring some or all responsibilities for some processes and applications of information systems to another firm
• Reasons include cost effectiveness and organizational problems

Information Technology Service Firms

• Organizations that provide custom IT solutions or services
• Offer additional support and maintainance

Test your knowledge on key concepts in systems analysis and IT project management. This quiz covers topics such as software selection, project challenges, and effective communication in IT projects. Assess your understanding of the Systems Development Life Cycle and the techniques used to manage IT projects successfully.