SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Information Systems Life Cycle can be divided into three broad categories.
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS
Systems Analysis is the analysis of the problem that the organization will try
to solve with an information system. It consists of defining the problem,
identifying its causes, specifying the solution, and identifying
the information requirements that must be met by a system solution.
The key to building any
large information system is a thorough understanding of the existing
organization and system. Thus, the systems analyst creates a road map of the existing
organization and systems, identifying the primary owners and users of data in the
organization. These stakeholders have a direct interest in the information
affected by the new system. In addition to these organizational aspects, the
analyst also briefly describes the existing hardware and software that serve
the organization.
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From this organizational
analysis, the systems analyst details the problems of existing systems. By
examining documents, work papers, and procedures; observing system operations;
and interviewing key users of the systems, the analyst can identify the problem
are and objectives to be achieved by a solution. Often the solution requires buildings
a new information system or improving an existing one.
Feasibility
In addition to suggesting
a solution, systems analysis involves a feasibility study to determine whether
that solution is feasible, or achievable, given the organization’s resources
and constraints. Three major areas of feasibility must be addressed:
Technical Feasibility: Whether the proposed solution can be implemented with the available
hardware, software, and technical resources.
Economic Feasibility: Whether the benefits of the proposed solution outweigh the costs.
Organizational
Feasibility: Whether the proposed
solution is desirable within the existing managerial and organizational
framework.
Normally the systems
analysis process will identify several alternative solutions that can be
pursued by the organization. The process will then assess the feasibility of each.
Three basic solution alternatives exist for every systems problem:
1. To do nothing, leaving
the existing situation unchanged
2. To do modify or
enhance existing systems
3. To develop a new
system
There may be several
solution design options within the second and third solution alternatives. A
written systems proposal report will describe the costs and benefits, advantages
and disadvantages of each alternative. It is then up to management to determine
which mix of costs, benefits, technical features, and organization impacts represents
the most desirable alternative.
Establishing Information Requirements
Perhaps the most
difficult task of the systems analyst is to define the specific information
requirements that must be met by the system solution selected. This is the area
where many large system efforts go wrong and the one that poses the greater difficulty
for the analyst. At the most basic level, the information requirements of a new
system involve identifying who needs what information, where, when, and how. Requirements
analysis carefully defines the objectives of the new or modified system and
develops a detailed description of the functions that the new system must perform.
Requirements must consider economic, technical, and time constraints, as well
as the goals, procedures, and decision processes of the organization. Faulty requirements
analysis is a leading cause of systems failure and high systems development
costs. A system designed around the wrong set of requirements either will have
to be discarded because of poor performance or will need to be heavily revised.
Therefore, the importance of requirements analysis must not be underestimated.
Developing requirements
specifications may involve considerable research and revision. A business
function may be very complex or poorly defined. A manual system or routine set
of inputs and outputs may not exist. Procedures may vary from individual to
individual. Such situations will be more difficult to analyze, especially if the
users are unsure of what they want or need (this problem is extremely common). To
derive information systems requirements, analysts may be forced to work and re-work
requirements statements in cooperation with users. Although this process is laborious,
it is far superior to and less costly than redoing and undoing an entire system.
There are also alternative approaches to eliciting requirements that help minimize
these problems.
In many instances,
business procedures are unclear or users disagree about how things are done and
should be done. Systems analysis often makes an unintended contribution to the
organization by clarifying procedures and building organizational consensus
about how things should be done. In many instances, building a new system
creates an opportunity to redefine how the organization conducts its daily business.
Some problems do not
require an information system solution, but instead need an adjustment in
management, additional training, or refinement of existing organizational procedures.
If the problem is information-related, systems analysis may still be required
to diagnose the problem and arrive at the proper solution.
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