IE 302 SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

CHAPTER 1
THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT ENVIRONMENT

DR. HUSAM KAID

Copyright © 2015 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Prentice Hall and PPCexpo
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 Lesson Overview
 What is Information?
Data, Information, Knowledge, and Wisdom (DIKW) Pyramid
 What is a system?
Characteristics of a System
Important System Concepts
Classification of Systems
 What is Information Systems Analysis and Design?
Components of an information system (IS)
 Developing Information Systems and the Systems Development Life Cycle
 Alternative Approaches to Systems Development 2
What is Information?

Data are the pure and simple facts without any particular structure or organization
such as numbers or characters, the basic atoms of information.

Information is structured data, which adds meaning to the data and gives it context
and significance

Knowledge is information that has been processed, analyzed and interpreted, and
can be used to make decisions.

Wisdom is the synthesis of information, knowledge and experience in a way that

applies knowledge to make decisions. 3
 What is Information?

 The DIKW Pyramid represents the

relationships between data, information,
knowledge and wisdom.

 Each building block is a step towards a higher

level - first comes data, then is information,
next is knowledge and finally comes wisdom.

 Each step answers different questions about the

initial data and adds value to it.
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 What is Information?
Examples for the DIKW Pyramid

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 What is a system?

 A system is an interrelated set of

business procedures (or components)
used within one business unit, working
together for some purpose.
 For example, a system in the
production department produces
products, whereas an inventory system
keeps track of supplies.

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 Characteristics of a System
1) Components: An irreducible part or
aggregation of parts that makes up a system;
also called a subsystem.
2) Interrelated Components : Dependence of
one part of the system on one or more other
system parts.
3) Boundary: The line that marks the inside and
outside of a system and that sets off the
system from its environment.
4) Purpose: The overall goal or function of a
system.
5) Environment: Everything external to a
system that interacts with the system.
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 Characteristics of a System

6) Interfaces: Point of contact where a system

meets its environment or where subsystems
meet each other.
7) Constraints: A limit to what a system can
accomplish (capacity, speed, capabilities,
number of staff available, due dates, or
regulations)
8) Input: A system takes input from its
environment in order to function
9) Output: System returns output to its
environment as a result of its functioning
and thus achieves its purpose

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 Characteristics of a System
Environment
Example 1: A personal computer is a Input
Mouse Memory
system with several subsystems, Interface
including the mouse subsystem, the CPU
subsystem, the memory subsystem, the
keyboard subsystem, and the monitor
subsystem. Draw a diagram of a CPU
personal computer as a system and
label all of its system characteristics.
 The purpose of the computer is to Interrelationship
perform operations for the user. Input
Keyboard Monitor
 A constraint for the system is its Interface

processing speed. Output

Interface
Boundary
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 Characteristics of a System
Environment
Example 2: A car is a system with Input Electrical
Fuel subsystem
several subsystems, including the braking Interface
subsystem

subsystem, the electrical subsystem, the

engine, the fuel subsystem, the climate-
control subsystem, and the passenger
subsystem. Draw a diagram of a car as Braking Engine
subsystem
a system and label all of its system
characteristics.
 The car’s purpose is to provide safe Interrelationship
transportation to wherever the driver Input Passenger Climate-control
needs to go. Interface
subsystem subsystem

 A constraint is the number of Output

passengers that can ride in the Interface
Boundary
vehicle. 10
 Important System Concepts

1) Decomposition:
 The process of breaking down a system into
smaller components.
 Allows the systems analyst to:
 Break a system into small, manageable
subsystems
 Focus on one area at a time
 Concentrate on component pertinent to one group
of users
 Build different components at independent times
 See the following figure: An MP3 player is a
system with power supply, storage, and control
subsystems.
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 Important System Concepts

2) Modularity
 Process of dividing a system into
modules of a relatively uniform size
 Modules simplify system design
3) Coupling
 Subsystems that are dependent upon each
other are coupled
4) Cohesion
 Extent to which a subsystem performs a
single function

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 Classification of Systems

1) Closed and Open system

 Closed system: does not interact with
environment
 Open system: interacts with
environment; either affects or is affected
by the environment
2) Static and Dynamic systems
 Static system: its components or goal
does not change with time
 Dynamic system: its elements, their
contents and goal may change with time

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A Modern Approach to Systems Analysis and Design
 Systems Integration:
Allows hardware and software from
different vendors to work together in
an application
Enables existing systems developed
in procedural languages to work
with new systems built with visual
programming environments
Developers use visual programming
environments, such as Visual Basic,
to design the user interfaces for
systems that run on client/server
platforms.

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What is Information Systems Analysis and Design?

 Information Systems Analysis and Design is

the process of developing and maintaining
an information system such as keeping track
of customer names and addresses,
processing orders, and paying employees

 Major goal: to improve organizational

systems by developing or acquiring
application software and training employees
in its use

 An information system is the set of tools

computer programs, databases, and
processes that are needed to make an
organization function efficiently.
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What is Information Systems Analysis and Design?

 System: Turns data into information and

includes:
Hardware and system software
Documentation and training
materials
Job roles associated with the system
Controls to prevent theft or fraud
The people who use the software to
perform their jobs
 The following figure illustrates all the
components of a system

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Creation of information systems by Software Engineering Process

 Our goal is to help you understand and follow

the software engineering process that leads to
the creation of information systems.
 As shown in the following figure, proven
methodologies, techniques, and tools are
central to software engineering processes.
Methodologies :A sequence of step-by-
step approaches that help develop the
information system
Techniques: Processes that the analyst
follows to ensure thorough, complete, and
comprehensive analysis and design
Tools: Computer programs that aid in
applying techniques 17
Components of an information system (IS)

 Three key components of an

information system
Data
Data Flows
• Groups of data that move and
flow through the system
• Include description of sources
and destination for each data
flow
Processing Logic
• Describe steps that transform
data and events that trigger the
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steps
Components of an information system (IS)

Example 1: Example 2:

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 Components of an information system (IS)
 Example 3: Consider a business transaction you undertake
regularly, such as using an ATM machine. For this
transaction, define the data, draw the data-flow diagram, and
describe processing logic.
 The data include customer name, customer account
number, customer personal identification number,
customer account balance, transaction type, and
transaction amount.
 Customer insert his/her ATM card then the personal
identification number and, if this number is matched, they
are granted access to begin an ATM transaction.
 They will either request to inquire into the status of their
account, withdraw money, or deposit money.
 If, for example, they request to withdraw money, their
request will be matched with their available funds and the
allowable daily limit for that ATM machine.
 If acceptable, the cash will be dispensed, their account
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will be debited, and a receipt will be provided.
Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle

 Systems Development Life Cycle

• Series of steps used to manage the
phases of development for an
information system
• Consists of four phases:
 Planning and Selection
 Analysis
 Design
 Implementation and Operation

 The following figure illustrates the

Systems Development Life Cycle
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Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle

SDLC: The Planning Phase

 Project Initiation
Develop/receive a system request
Conduct a feasibility analysis
 Project Management
Develop the work plan
Staff the project
Monitor & control the project
 Questions to be Answered
Why should we build this system?
What value does it provide?
How long will it take to build?
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Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle
SDLC: The Analysis Phase
 Develop an analysis strategy
Model the current system
Generate alternative designs
Compare alternatives and recommend
best alternative
 Gather the requirements
Develop a system concept
Create a business model to represent
the data and processes
 Questions to be Answered
Who will use it?
What should the system do for us?
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Where & when will it be used?
Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle
SDLC: The Design Phase
 Develop a design strategy
 It has two primary activities: logical design
and physical design.
 Design architecture and interfaces
 Develop databases and file specifications
 Develop the program design to specify:
What programs to write
What each program will do
 Questions to be Answered
How should we build it?

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 Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle
 Logical design: The system chosen
A skateboard ramp
for development in systems analysis blueprint (logical
design)
is first described independently of
any computer platform

 Physical design: The logical design is

then transformed into technology-
specific details
A skateboard
 The following figures show the ramp (physical
design)
Logical design and Physical design
of the skateboard ramp. 25
Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle
SDLC: The Implementation Phase
 Construct the system
Build it (write the programming code)
Test it
 Install system
Hardware and software installation
Train the users
 Support the system (maintenance)
 System changed to reflect changing
conditions

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Developing Information Systems and the Systems
Development Life Cycle
The following Table
summarizes the outputs
or products of each
phase in the SDLC based
on the preceding
descriptions

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 Alternative Approaches to Development

 Prototyping
• Building a scaled-down working
version of the system
• The key advantages of the
prototyping technique are:
 it involves the user in analysis and
design
 it captures requirements in
concrete, rather than verbal or
abstract, form

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 Alternative Approaches to Development

 Joint Application Design (JAD)

• It is a structured meeting between the

information system users, managers,
and expert information system within
a few days or weeks.

• System requirements are reviewed

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 Alternative Approaches to Development

 Rapid Application Development (RAD)

• It is one method of developing an
information system with a relatively Phases on RAD
short time.
• For the development of a normal
information system takes at least 180
days, but by using RAD method a
system can be completed only within
30-90 days.
• When RAD is implemented, users can
become part of the overall system
development process by acting as
decision makers at every stage of
development. 30
 Hoosier Burger Case study
As college students in the 1970s, Bob and Thelma
Mellankamp often dreamed of starting their own
business. While on their way to an economics class,
Bob and Thelma drove by Myrtle’s Family
Restaurant and noticed a “for sale” sign in the
window. Bob and Thelma quickly made
arrangements to purchase the business, and Hoosier
Burger Restaurant was born. The restaurant is
moderately sized, consisting of a kitchen, dining
room, counter, storage area, and office. Currently,
all paperwork is done by hand. Thelma and Bob
have discussed the benefits of purchasing a
computer system; however, Bob wants to
investigate alternatives and hire a consultant to
help them. 31
 Hoosier Burger Case study

Customers place their orders at the counter and are

called when their orders are ready. The orders are
written on an order ticket, totaled on the cash register,
and then passed to the kitchen where the orders are
prepared. The cash register is not capable of
capturing point-of-sale information. Once an order is
prepared and delivered, the order ticket is placed in the
order ticket box. Bob reviews these order tickets
nightly and makes adjustments to inventory.
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 Hoosier Burger Case study

In the past several months, Bob has noticed several

problems with Hoosier Burger’s current
information systems, especially with the
inventory control, customer ordering, and
management reporting systems. Because the
inventory control and customer ordering systems
are paper based, errors occur frequently. These
errors often affect delivery orders received from
suppliers as well as customer orders. Bob has
often wanted to have electronic access to
forecasting information, inventory usage, and
basic sales information. This access is impossible
because of the paper- based system. 33
 Hoosier Burger Case study
1) Apply the SDLC approach to Hoosier Burger.
Bob, Thelma, and the analyst recognize the need for improvement in the existing Hoosier
Burger systems. This need will translate itself into several projects, such as new order-
taking, inventory control, and management reporting systems.

The design specifications for the

new Hoosier Burger system The analyst examines Hoosier
become a working system, and Burger to determine system
modifications to the new requirements, structure these
information system are made requirements, and generate
when warranted. alternative design strategies.

Both logical and physical designs are prepared. During logical design, the analyst
concentrates on the business aspects of Hoosier Burger. During physical design,
Hoosier Burger’s logical design is translated into physical design specifications.
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 Hoosier Burger Case study

2) Using the Hoosier Burger Environment: Customers, suppliers, funding

agencies, and regulatory agencies
scenario, identify an example of
each system characteristic. Food
Input Order
preparation
 Hoosier Burger’s purpose is to Interface
subsystem
subsystem

make a profit for its owners and

Output
to provide quality products and Sales receipt
services to its customers.
 Constraints would include health Inventory Management
regulations. subsystem subsystem

Boundary
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 Hoosier Burger Case study

3) Decompose Hoosier
Burger into its major
subsystems.

Hoosier Burger system

Food
Inventory preparation Management
Order subsystem
subsystem subsystem subsystem

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 Hoosier Burger Case study

4) Draw the data-flow Kitchen

Customer
diagram of the Hoosier
Burger Customer
Order
Food Ordering Food Order
system
Receipt
Orders

Inventory
system

Management
reporting
Restaurant
Manager
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Questions?

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