Chapter 1: Introduction to Systems Analysis and Design

Key Ideas
More than of all IS development projects Fail.
Canceled before completion System is never used once finished Doesn't provide the expected benefits

Most of the ones that don't fail:

Are delivered late Are over budget Don't provide the features promised

Key Ideas
Many fail because analysts try to build wonderful systems without understanding the organization. The primarily goal is to create value for the organization.

Recent Significant IT Failures

Company Year Outcome

Hudson Bay (Canada)

UK Inland Revenue Avis Europe PLC (UK)

2005
2004/5 2004

Inventory system problems lead to $33.3 million loss.

$3.45 billion tax-credit overpayment caused by software errors. Enterprise resource planning (ERP) system cancelled after $54.5 million spent. Purchasing system abandoned after deployment costing approximately $400 M ERP system problems contribute to $160 million loss. Customer relations management system upgrade problems lead to $100M loss

Ford Motor Co.

2004

Hewlett-Packard Co. AT&T Wireless

2004 2004

Key Ideas
The systems analyst is a key person analyzing the business, identifying opportunities for improvement, and designing information systems to implement these ideas. It is important to understand and develop through practice the skills needed to successfully design and implement new information systems.

SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT LIFE CYCLE

Systems Development Life Cycle

Planning

Implementation

Analysis

Design

Major Attributes of the Lifecycle

The project
Moves systematically through phases where each phase has a standard set of outputs Produces project deliverables Uses deliverables in implementation Results in actual information system Uses gradual refinement

Project Phases
Planning
Why build the system?

Analysis
Who, what, when, where will the system be?

Design
How will the system work?

Implementation
System delivery

Planning
Identifying business value
Lower costs / Increase profits

Analyze feasibility Develop work plan Staff the project Control and direct project

Planning
Project Initiation System Request Feasibility Analysis Approval Committee

Project Management

Analysis
Answer the Questions:
Who will use the system? What will the system do? When will it be used?

Investigate the current system Identify possible improvements Develop a concept for new system

Analysis
Develops an Analysis Strategy which includes:
Analyze current system & its problems Information gathering
Interviews with users Input from project sponsor and requestor Leads to concept for new system

Process and Data modeling

Models describe how business process will work with the new system

Analysis
Analysis + System Concept + Models are combined into the System Proposal

Design
Decides how the system will operate Design strategy
Design internally Outsource design Buy off the shelf

Architecture design
Hardware description Software description Network infrastructure

Design
Interface design
How users interact with system Forms / reports used by the system

Database and file Specification

What data is to be stored What format the data will be in Where the data will be stored

Design
Program design
What programs need to be written Exactly what each program will do

Design
These deliverables:
Architecture design Interface design Database and file specification Program design

Form the System Specification The System Spec is given to the programming team for implementation

Implementation
The system is actually built in this phase Usually the longest phase

Implementation
Construction
New system is built and tested Often testing is the longest part

Implementation
Conversion / Installation
Old system is turned off New system is turned on

Three approaches
Cutover immediate replacement Parallel both run for a while Phased conversion test group

Implementation
Conversion includes development of a Training Plan
How to use new system Manage change due to new system

Support Plan
Post implementation reviews How to identify changed needed for the system

Processes and Deliverables

Process Planning Product Project Plan

Analysis

System Proposal

Design

System Specification New System and Maintenance Plan

Implementation

SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT METHODOLOGIES

What Is a Methodology?
A formalized approach or series of steps
A list of steps and deliverables

Writing code without a well-thought-out system request may work for small programs, but rarely works for large ones.

Structured Design Methodology

Projects move methodically from one to the next step Generally, a step is finished before the next one begins

Waterfall Development Method

Pros and Cons of the Waterfall Method

Pros Identifies systems requirements long before programming begins Cons Design must be specified on paper before programming begins Long time between system proposal and delivery of new system Rework is very hard

Parallel Development
Addresses problem of time gap between proposal and delivery Breaks project into parallel subproject Integrates them at the end

Parallel Development

Alternatives to the SDLC

Rapid Application Development (RAD) Phased Development Prototyping Throw-Away Prototyping

Rapid Application Development

Critical elements
CASE tools JAD sessions Fourth generation/visualization programming languages Code generators

RAD: Phased Development

Break overall system into a series of versions Each version has Analysis, Design, and Implementation Output from on version is the input to the next Incorporate ideas, issues, lessons learned in one version into the next version

RAD: Phased Development

Pros Cons Initial system is intentionally incomplete

Gets useful system to users quickly Most important functions tested most

System requirements expand as users see versions

RAD: Prototyping
Analysis, Design, Implementation are performed concurrently Start with a "quick-and-dirty" prototype
Provides minimal functionality

Repeat process, refining the prototype each time Stop when prototype is a working system

RAD: Prototyping

RAD: Prototyping
Pros Gets working system to users quickly Reassures users that the project is progressing Cons Fast paced. Hard to conduct careful, methodical analysis Initial design decisions have long term staying power

Quickly refines true requirements

Problems may come to light late in design, requiring re-design

RAD: Throw-away prototyping

Use prototypes only to understand requirements
Example: use html to show UI

Prototype is not a working design Once requirements are understood, the prototypes are thrown away The system is then built using SDLC

Throwaway Prototyping

Agile Development
Just a few rules that are easy to learn and follow Streamline the SDLC
Eliminate much of the modeling and documentation Emphasize simple, iterative application development

Agile Development
Examples include:
Extreme Programming (XP) Scrum Dynamic Systems Development Model (DSDM)

Extreme Programming
Core Values
Communication All to All Simplicity - KISS Feedback Embrace Change Courage Quality First

Extreme Programming
User Stories Code small program User Feedback Repeat Standards are important
Naming conventions Coding practices

Extreme Programming

Selecting the Appropriate Methodology

Clarity of User Requirements Familiarity with Technology System Complexity System Reliability Short Time Schedules Schedule Visibility

Selecting the Right Methodology

Usefulness for Unclear user requirements Unfamiliar technology
Waterfall Parallel Phased Prototyping Throwaway Prototyping Extreme Programming

Poor Poor

Poor Poor

Good Good

Excellent Poor

Excellent Excellent

Excellent Poor

Complex systems
Reliable systems Short time schedule Schedule visibility

Good
Good Poor Poor

Good
Good Good Poor

Good
Good Excellent Excellent

Poor
Poor Excellent Excellent

Excellent
Excellent Good Good

Poor
Good Excellent Good

Object-Oriented Analysis & Design

Attempts to balance emphasis on data and process Uses Unified Modeling Language (UML) Characteristics of OOAD:
Use-case Driven Architecture Centric Iterative and Incremental

Object-Oriented Analysis & Design

Use-case driven
Use case the primary modeling tool

Architecture Centric
The SW architecture drives the specification

Iterative and Incremental

Continuous testing and refinement Each iteration brings system closer to final requirements

THE UNIFIED PROCESS

The Unified Process

A specific methodology that maps out when and how to use the various UML techniques for object-oriented analysis and design A two-dimensional process consisting of phases and flows
Phases describe how the system evolves over time Workflows are collections of tasks that occur throughout the lifecycle, but vary in intensity

The Unified Process

Unified Process Phases

Inception Elaboration Construction Transition

Engineering Workflows
Business modeling Requirements Analysis Design Implementation Testing Deployment

Supporting Workflows
Project management Configuration and change management Environment Operations and support* Infrastructure management*

* Part of the enhanced unified process

THE UNIFIED MODELING LANGUAGE

Unified Modeling Language

Provides a common vocabulary of objectoriented terms and diagramming techniques rich enough to model any systems development project from analysis through implementation Version 2.0 has 14 diagrams in 2major groups:
Structure diagrams Behavior diagrams

UML Structure Diagrams

Represent the data and static relationships in an information system
Class Object Package Deployment Component Composite structure

Structure Diagrams
Class Diagrams
Common vocabulary used by analyst and users Represent things (employee, paycheck,) Shows the relationships between classes

Object Diagrams
Similar to class diagrams Instantiation of a class diagram Relationships between objects

Structure Diagrams
Package Diagrams
Group UML elements together to form higher level constructs

Deployment Diagrams
Shows the physical architecture and software components of system For example, network nodes

Structure Diagrams
Component Diagrams
Physical relationships among software components Example Client/Server
Which machines run which software

Composite Structure
Illustrates internal structure of a complex class

UML Behavior Diagrams

Depict the dynamic relationships among the instances or objects that represent the business information system
Activity Sequence Communication Interaction overview Timing Behavior state machine Protocol state machine, Use-case diagrams

Behavior Diagrams
Activity Diagrams
Model processes in an information system
Example: Business workflows, business logic

Behavior Diagrams
Interaction Diagrams
Shows interaction among objects Sequence Diagrams Time
Time-based ordering of the interaction

Communication Diagrams Messages

Communication among a set of collaborating objects of an activity

Interaction Overview Diagrams

Overview of flow of control of a process

Timing Diagrams
Show how an object changes over time

Behavior Diagrams
State Machines
Examines behavior of one class Models the different states and state transitions an object can experience

Use-Case Diagrams
Shows interaction between the system and environment Captures business requirements

PROJECT TEAM ROLES AND SKILLS

Information Systems Roles

Business analyst System analyst Infrastructure analyst Change management analyst Project manager

Business Analyst
Focuses on business issues surrounding the system
The business value of the system Improvements in business processes New business processes needed with new system

Requires business skills and professional training (e.g. CPA)

System Analyst
Focuses on IS issues
How IS can improve business processes Designs new information system Ensures IS quality standards are maintained

Requires training & experience in design analysis, programming, business (to lesser degree)

Infrastructure Analyst
Focuses on interfaces between new system & existing infrastructure
Makes sure new system follows organizational standards Identifies required infrastructure changes

Requires experience in network & DB administration Requires knowledge of HW systems

Change Management Analyst

Focuses on system installation
Documentation & support for users Coordinate training of users Strategies to overcome resistance

Requires experience in organizational behavior Requires experience in change management

Project Manager
Responsible for schedule and budget Ensures promised benefits are delivered Manages team members Responsible for project plan and reporting progress Requires project management experience

Summary Part 1
The Systems Development Lifecycle consists of four stages: Planning, Analysis, Design, and Implementation The major development methodologies:
Structured design
the waterfall method Parallel development

RAD development
Prototyping (regular and throwaway)

Agile development
XP streamline SDLC

Summary Part 2
The Unified Process is a two-dimensional systems development process described with a set of phases and workflows The Unified Modeling Language, or UML, is a standard set of diagramming techniques

Summary Part 3
There are five major team roles:
Business analyst Systems analyst Infrastructure analyst Change management analyst Project manager.