Information System

Analysis and Design

(ISAD)
 Objective
 To provide you with new ways of looking at
information in the world in order to solve business
problems
 To introduce you to concepts and methods of SAD
 To describe the systems development life cycle
(SDLC)
 To Learn effective methods for gathering essential
information during system analysis
 To learn effective methods for designing systems
to solve problems effectively using technology
 Chapter-1:
The Systems Development Environment
– Basic concepts of IS
– System analysis and design definition
– SAD: Discuss modern approach
– Discuss Organizational Roles
• System analyst
– Information system types
– SDLC :The System Development Life Cycle
Using CASE tools (Computer Aided Software
Engineering)
 Systems Theory
 What is a System?
 Systems and Subsystems
 Business organization as a
Socio-technical system
 Information Systems (IS) as a
system
 What is a System?
 A collection of parts that work together to
achieve a goal/task
– Examples
• Solar system
• Digestive systems
• Public transport system
• Central heating system
• Computer system
• Information system

 A set of objects and relationships among

the objects viewed as a whole and
designed to achieve a purpose
 System Elements

INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT

FEEDBACK
 Systems
Can Be Composed of Subsystems
System

Subsys A Subsys B Elemental

Part C

Subsys A-1 SubsysB-1

Subsys A-2 SubsysB-2

Subsys A-3 Elemental

part B1
 What is subsystem?
 A subsystem is simply a system
within a system.
– Automobile is a system composed of
subsystems:
• Engine system
• Body system
• Frame system
– Each of these subsystem is composed
of sub-sub --systems.
• Engine system: carburetor system,
generator system, fuel system, and so son
 Bad Systems

 Fail to meet requirements

 Poor performance
 Poor reliability
 Lack of usability
 Example difficulties:
– Not to schedule
– Not to budget
– Runaway = 100% over budget or schedule
 Some problems are simply “wicked”
problems
 Reasons for Failure
 Complexity
– Shifting requirements
– Bad estimation
– Bad management
– New technology
 Must tackle complexity by, for example:
– Structure partitioning of problem
– Organized interaction of parts
– Ensure you achieve the task
 Systems are subject to the need for
continuing change
 Important System Concepts
 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
1.14
1.14
 Important System Concepts
 Modularity
– Process of dividing a system into
modules of a relatively uniform size
– Modules simplify system design
 Coupling
– Subsystems that are dependent upon
each other are coupled
 Cohesion
– Extent to which a subsystem
performs a single function
1.12
1.12
Computer-based Information Systems (CBIS) vs
Manual Systems

 CBIS
– Information system that rely on
computer hardware and software for
processing and disseminating
information
 Manual systems
– Use paper + pencil technology

 CBIS Components

 A Computer-based Information System

= Hardware + Software + People +
Procedures + Information
 Data and Information
– Data are raw facts about the organization
and its business transactions. Most data
items have little meaning and use by
themselves.
– Alternative definition:
• Data are a collection of items such as words,
numbers, images, and sounds that are not
organized and have little meaning individually
• Data are raw facts about people, objects, and
events in an organization

– information: Data that is organized

Data flow and processing logic
 Data flow:
– Data in motion, moving from one place in a
system to another
 Processing logic:
– The steps by which data are transformed or
moved and a description of the events that
trigger these steps
Approach to system development
 There are three strategies of IS
development
1. Process-oriented approach
2. Data-oriented approach
3. Object-oriented approach
 Process-oriented approach
• A strategy to IS development that focuses on how and when
data are moved through and changed by an IS
 Data-oriented approach
• A strategy to IS development that focuses on the ideal
organization of data rather than where and how data are
used.
 Object-oriented approach
• A system development methodologies and techniques
base on objects rather than data or process
What is an Information Systems?
 Interrelated components working
together to
– Collect
– Process
– Store
– Disseminate information
To support decision making,
coordination, control, analysis and
visualization in an organization
 What is an Information System?
A SYSTEM THAT PROVIDES THE INFORMATION NEEDED TO
ACCOMPLISH THE ORGANIZATION’S TASKS

WHAT IS A COMPUTER BASED

INFORMATION SYSTEM?

A SYSTEM THAT USES COMPUTERS TO

PROVIDE THE NEEDED INFORMATION
 Stakeholders: Players in the
Systems Game
 A stakeholder is any person who
has an interest in an existing or
new information system.
Stakeholders can be technical or
nontechnical workers.
 Stakeholders Classification
 For information systems, the
stakeholders can be classified as:
– IS manger
– Systems analysts in systems development
– Programmers in systems development
– End user in systems development
– Supporting End user development
– Business managers in systems development
– Other IS mangers/Technicians in system
development
 Systems Analysts

 Systems analysts are the key individuals in the

systems development process.
A systems analyst studies the problems and needs
of an organization to determine how people, data,
processes, communications, and information
technology can best accomplish improvements for the
business.
The organizational role most responsible for the
analysis and design of information systems.
 Skills of a Successful Systems
Analyst
 Analytical skills
– Understanding of organizations.
– Problem solving skills
– System thinking
• Ability to see organizations and
information systems as systems
 Technical skills
– Understanding of potential and
limitations of technology.
1.24
1.24
 Skills of a successful systems
analyst
 Managerial skills
– Ability to manage projects, resources, risk and
change

 Interpersonal skills
– Effective written and oral communication skills
– Help you work with end user as well as other
system analysts and programmers

1.25
1.25
 The analyst is responsible
 for:
– The efficient capture of data from its
business source,
– The flow of that data to the computer,
– The processing and storage of that data
by the computer, and
– The flow of useful and timely information
back to the business and its people.
 Variations on the Systems
Analysts Title
 A business analyst is a systems analyst that
specializes in business problem analysis and
technology-independent requirements
analysis.
 A programmer/analyst includes the
responsibilities of both the computer
programmer and the systems analyst.
 Others
• Systems consultant
• Systems engineer
• Information engineer
The Systems Analyst as a Facilitator
Skills Required by Systems Analysts
– Working knowledge of information
technology
– Computer programming experience and
expertise
– General business knowledge
– Problem-solving skills
– Interpersonal communication skills
– Interpersonal relations skills
– Flexibility and adaptability
– Character and ethics
– Systems analysis and design skills
 Programmers in systems
development
 Programmers convert the specifications given to them
by the analysts into instructions the computer can
understand.
 Coding: writing a computer program
 Code generators have been developed to generate code
from specifications, saving an organization time and
money.
 The aim of CASE tools (Computer-Aided Software
Engineering) is to provide a variety of code generators
that can automatically produce 90% or more from the
system specifications normally given a programmer.
 Business managers in system
development

 Another group to system development efforts is business

managers such as functional department heads and
corporate executives.
 These managers are important because they have the
power to fund development projects and to allocate
resources necessary for projects success.
 Other IS managers/ Technicians
in system development
 Database ----- database administrator
 Network and telecommunications experts:

– Manager of Data Communication

– Manager of Voice Communication

 Internal auditors
Characteristics of successful teams
 The characteristics are diversity in
backgrounds,
– skills, and goals;
– tolerance of diversity, uncertainty, and
ambiguity;
– clear and complete communication;
– trust;
– mutual respect and putting one's own views
second to the team;
– A reward structure that promotes shared
responsibility and accountability.
 System Analysis and Design
(SAD)

 Systems Analysis: understanding and

specifying in detail what an information
system should do
 System Design: specifying in detail how
the parts of an information system should
be implemented
 Definition of SAD:
– The complex organizational process whereby
computer-based information systems are
developed and maintained.
 System Analysis and Design
(SAD)

 Analysis: defining the problem

– From requirements to specification

 Design: solving the problem

– From specification to implementation
 Why is it important?
 Success of information systems
depends on good SAD
 Widely used in industry - proven
techniques
 Part of career growth in IT - lots of
interesting and well-paying jobs!
 Increasing demand for systems
analysis skills
 Views of Systems Analysis
 How to build information systems
 How to analysis information system
needs
 How to design computer based
information systems
 How to solve systems problems in
organizations
System development methodology

 A standard process followed in an organization

to conduct all the steps necessary to:
• Analyze
• Design
• Implement
• Maintain
information system