02Systems View and Methodology.pdf

Systems View and Methodology Overview ▪ Challenges/Issues: In IT education, students are often taught to break down problems into smaller parts. This can lead to overlooking the broader context. ▪ Example: A company wants to add a shopping cart feature to its website. Before proceeding, they...

Systems View and Methodology Overview ▪ Challenges/Issues: In IT education, students are often taught to break down problems into smaller parts. This can lead to overlooking the broader context. ▪ Example: A company wants to add a shopping cart feature to its website. Before proceeding, they need to consider its impact on other projects, competitors, and timing. ▪ Importance: A systems approach helps organizations understand the big picture and avoid conflicts between projects. Systems Approach Systems Approach ▪ A process that views projects within the context of the entire environment, both inside and outside the organization. ▪ Brings order and discipline to chaotic situations. ▪ Opposite of an analytical process, which breaks down the whole into parts. ▪ Essential for successful project management. Components of the Systems Approach ▪ Systems Theory - A philosophy of understanding systems as interconnected components. ▪ Systems Analysis - A problem-solving technique that breaks down systems into their component parts to study how they work together. ▪ Systems Management - The management of the entire system, including its objectives, environment, resources, and culture. Broad Categories of Systems Closed Systems - Self-contained; understanding requires internal examination. Example: A machine Open Systems - Influenced by and can influence their environment. Examples: Human body, organizations Key Components of Systems ▪ Subsystem - A system is made up of subsystems, smaller systems that are part of a larger system. ▪ Element - An element is the smallest part of a system. ▪ Attribute - Attributes are individual characteristics that are part of systems and subsystems. Key Components of Systems ▪ Boundary - A boundary surrounds a system and separates it from its environment ▪ Environment - The environment is everything that exists outside the system or outside the control of the project manager Key Components of Systems ▪ Objectives - Goals of the system. What the system is designed to which is spelled out in the list of objectives. ▪ Constraints - Every system has limitations forced on it from internal forces or external forces. ▪ Integration - For a system to reach its objectives, all the subsystems and elements must work together effectively. Understanding Your Project's Context ▪ Who is the project sponsor? (The key decision-maker) ▪ What other projects are ongoing or planned? (How might they impact your project?) ▪ What external influences could affect the project? (Economic conditions, regulations, etc.) ▪ Are there any initial constraints? (Scope, time, cost limitations) Project Management Life Cycle (PLMC) Project Life Cycle A series of phases that a project goes through from initiation to completion. It provides structure, control, and communication Key Elements ▪ Defined phases ▪ Deliverables ▪ Criteria for phase transitions or completions ▪ Integrated change control process ▪ Resources ▪ Stage gates Project Management Life Cycle (PLMC) System Development Life Cycle (PLMC) Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) ▪ is a systems approach to problem solving that organizes these processes into phases and tasks for the purpose of building an information system product, starting with the initial planning processes and carrying through to implementation and support Waterfall Method ▪ is considered the traditional approach to systems development. It describes a development approach that is linear and sequential, has distinct objectives for each phase, and in which the output of one phase is the input for the next. Waterfall Method Waterfall Method Evolutionary Prototyping Model ▪ It focuses on gathering correct and consistent requirements and building a system incrementally through a series of gradual refinements, or prototypes. ▪ Its requirements are discovered throughout the process, and the system is repeatedly refined, based on those discoveries. ▪ It allows developers to learn from each prototype and apply those lessons to future versions. Evolutionary Prototyping Model Evolutionary Prototyping Model Spiral Model ▪ It is based on the classic waterfall model with the addition of risk analysis and iterations. ▪ It emphasizes the need to go back and reiterate earlier stages a number of times as the project progresses. ▪ It is a series of short waterfall cycles, each producing an early prototype that represents a part of the entire project. Spiral Model Spiral Model Iterative and Incremental Model ▪ It is an intuitive approach to the waterfall model and is similar to the spiral model. ▪ Multiple development cycles (commonly referred to as timeboxes) take place in this model. ▪ Cycles are divided into smaller, more easily managed iterations. ▪ Each iteration passes through the standard life cycle phases. Iterative and Incremental Model Iterative and Incremental Model Scrum Model Scrum Model RUP Model RUP Model XP Model ▪ XP’s basic approach involves short development cycles, frequent updates, dividing business and technical priorities, and assigning user stories. XP has four key values— communication, feedback, simplicity, and courage ▪ XP places great emphasis on testing. XP programmers are required to write tests as they write production code. ▪ XP is designed to allow small development teams to deliver quickly, change quickly, and change often. XP Model Kanban Model ▪ Its primary benefit is the visualization of tasks that need to be performed on the project and their state of “done.” ▪ The model uses Kanban boards to visually depict work at various stages of a process using Kanban cards to represent work items and columns to represent each stage of the process. Kanban Model Kanban Model