Systems Analysis Fundamentals

Systems Analysis Fundamentals

• Focuses on system analysis as a method for selecting and interpreting data, discovering problems, and breaking down systems into components.
• System analysis aims to assess systems and pinpoint areas for enhancement to improve performance.
• Covers principles of systems analysis, design techniques, methodologies and the life cycle of systems development.
• Aims to equip students with the knowledge to: define information systems, understand the role of a systems analyst, identify system components, and recognize different types of information systems.

Information Systems

• An information system is composed of interconnected elements that gather, process, store, and share information necessary for production and business tasks.
• People are integral to information systems.
• A computer application is software that carries out a specific function on a computing device.

Popular Information Systems in Organizations

• Transaction Processing Systems (TPS) operate at the operational level of an organization
• Office Automation Systems (OAS) and Knowledge Work Systems (KWS) function at the awareness level.
• Management Information Systems (MIS) and Decision Support Systems (DSS) operate at a relatively high level.
• Expert tools utilize decision-making skills
• Executive Support Systems (ESS), Group Decision Support Systems (GDSS) and Computer-Supported Collaborative Work Systems (CSCWS) support community-level decision-making.
• Management Information System (MIS), information systems (IS), computerized information systems and computerized business information systems can be used interchangeably.

Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

• Designed to process large volumes of data from daily business activities like payroll and inventory.
• Operational-level systems, typically run by shop floor or front-line personnel who input the required data.
• Data for TPS is often collected through automated or semi-automated monitoring of low-level activities.
• Functions primarily as a basic data-processing system.
• TPS inputs include transactions and events, processed through validation, sorting, listing, merging, updating, and calculation.
• Outputs include lists, detail reports, action reports, and summary reports.
• Examples include paid services, order management, booking, stock control, and payment systems.
• Plays a role in producing data for other systems, border controls, and performance monitoring.

Management Information Systems (MIS)

• Relies on people and computers working together.
• MIS aids users in a wider range of organizational tasks beyond transaction processing, including data analysis and decision making.
• Requires a combination of people, software, and hardware to function effectively.
• Based on TPS data and focus on internal information flow.
• Support relatively structured decisions with limited analytical capacity.
• Used by lower and middle management levels.
• Focus on efficiency and historical data.
• Inputs include internal transactions and structured data are processed through sorting, merging, and summarizing.
• Outputs include detailed, action, and summary reports.
• Examples include sales, inventory, budgeting, management reporting and HRM.

Decision Support Systems (DSS)

• Are a higher level of computerized information systems.
• DSS emphasizes decision-making support in all its phases.
• Manipulates and builds upon MIS and TPS data to generate new insights.
• Inputs include internal transactions, internal files, and external information.
• Processes information through modeling, simulation, analysis, and summarizing.
• Outputs include summary reports, forecasts and graphs/plots.
• Examples include Group Decision Support and Logistics and Financial Planning systems.

Executive Support Systems (ESS)

• Operate at the strategic level.
• ESS helps managers handle interactions with the external environment.
• Utilizes graphics and communication technologies accessible in boardrooms.
• Knowledge in ESS is often weakly organized and derived from internal and external sources.
• Structured for direct management use, customized to individual needs, and relies on TPS and MIS data.
• Helps users address unstructured, non-specific decision-making issues.
• Expands senior management's capabilities by organizing data from internal and external sources.
• Inputs consist of external data, internal files, and predefined models.
• Processes information through summarizing, simulation, and drilling down.
• Outputs are mostly individualized and designed for specific customers with customized ESS modules.
• Outputs include summary reports, forecasts and graphs/plots.
• The role is the convenience of use and is interested in determining the future.
• Dynamic and helps to make choices from different datasets.

Systems Analysis and Design

• Systems analysis is about understanding and deciding what a new system should do.
• Systems design is about explaining how the information system will be implemented to deliver the required solution.
• System design describes how the device elements operate together.

Need for Systems Analysis and Design

• Ensures the success of information systems through proper structure in analysis and design
• It seeks to systematically analyze data input, processing, storage and output.
• It should evaluate, plan, and enforce changes in business functioning achieved through IT systems.
• Aims to avoid potential frustration of system disuse from inadequate preparation.
• Provides tools for completing the production as an information technology developer project.

Systems Analyst

• The study and design of structures offers the tools and techniques to: understand the need, capture the vision, define a solution, communicate the vision, design the solution, confirm the solution and launch the solution.
• They are responsible for performing analysis and design.
• They need to understand computers and related subjects, problem-solving techniques and communication to make systems work better.

Required skills of a Systems Analyst

• Technical skills include computer knowledge, programming, interaction devices, communications networks, databases, and operating systems.
• Business skills include organization processes, structure, management, and research practices.
• People skills include communication, teamwork, interviewing and presentation abilities.
• Personal qualities include analytical thinking, communication, self-discipline and creativity.

Roles of a System Analyst

• Consultant: provides a fresh perspective to resolve IT issues within businesses.
• Supporting Expert: They apply technical experience with hardware/software to business-related problems.
• Agent of Change: acts as a transformational leader.

Systems Development Tools

• Involves using models, prototyping and Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE).
• These are used to plan, design, and implement information systems projects that involve stakeholders.

Modeling

• This helps system analysts solve problems.
• A model represents a concept or process (entity) to test a solution
• Types of models includes physical, narrative, graphical and mathematical.
• Models are used through descriptions of the information that a system must provide that includes: business model, data model, object model , network model and processes.

Prototyping

• Involves converting specifications into a working system that is continuously refined through analyst-customer collaboration.
• A prototype can validate system operating systems.
• The is an accelerated process of development. Types of prototype
• Type I prototype eventually becomes the operational system
• Type II prototype is the throwaway model that serves as the blueprint for the operational system.
• the prototyping steps are: Identify user needs, develop a prototype, acceptability and usage.
• Coding the operational system -> test the operational system -> determine if operational system is acceptable -> use the operational system.
• Protyping allows: enhanced communication, better analyst understanding, user engagement, time-saving and easier implementation.
• There are pitfalls such as problem description leading to unrealistic expectations, and ineffective prototypes.
• It best suits for high-risk issue's, user interaction, a need for quick release or innovative systems with unpredictable user behaviours.

Computer-Aided Systems Engineering (CASE) Tools

• Improves the systems analyst' routine work through support in designing and developing information systems.
• It provides an overall development framework and incorporates analysis techniques (structured, object oriented, and adaptive).
• Analytical tools, communication/maintenance with the integration of life cycle activities.
• Involves: diagramming and report generators, analysis tools, repositories, documentation generators and code generators.

Systems Development Methodologies

• A standard set of procedures or steps for developing and maintaining IT systems, providing benefits such as direction.
• The most popular several methodologies but the most popular are: structured analysis (traditional), object-oriented (O-O) analysis (latest).
• There are also agile techniques (incorporating the new software patterns.)

Structured Analysis

• This is used to grasp nature of system and analyze in a rational way.
• Uses graphical instruments for functionality with full control of information systems.
• Relies on Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
• A predictive approach analysis that remain significant and most widely used practice for development since it was standardized as a blueprint.

Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

• The process defines a methodology for improving the quality of software and the overall development process.
• SDLC is a framework which outlines and defines tasks performed at each step in the software development process.
• Conforms to the international standard ISO/IEC/IEEE 12207 for software life-cycle processes.
• Is a standard used defining the task of creating/maintaining software.
• Requires 3 major activities: analysis, design and implementation.
• Analysis is the need of people, design is the architecture , implementation is construction/testing.

Phases of SDLC

• Systems planning defines the project and determines feasibility.
• It involves defining the problem as a prioritized reviewed project.

Systems analysis identifies and records business needs.

• Involves analysis activities for system requirements.

Systems Design establishes the solution system.

• integrates the network for interface prototyping and integration.

Systems Implementation tests and integrates.

• involves programs.

Systems Support and Security maintains the support

• The ongoing assessment of systems.

Popular SDLC Models

• Waterfall model means the output model phases.
• Incremental is not a part-It is a series of waterfall cycles.
• V-Model- testing and development are parallel.
• AgileModel- interaction between developers
• Spiral Model risk management between cycles
• Big Bang model for smaller projects.

Object-Oriented Analysis

• The unified modelling that is focused between data and processes.
• Objects are assigned based on people.

Unified Modeling Language (UML)

• This allows systems to specify, visualize and construct from an information standard.
• UML has semantics and notations.

Agile Methods

• Adaptive emphasizing the way a build is performed.
• Building projects can be implemented incrementally by user requirements.

Agile Methodology

• It has iterative cycles to be short for testing that involves users.
• Teams are required for the development.
• Principles relies on community set called"Agile method".

Guidelines for System Design.

• Three rules exists being :
• Group involvement is required.
• Standards should match the quality.