Systems Analysis Methods

Systems Analysis Methods

Hi guys,
in this post I want to cover some aspects of System Analysis, but rather than just put some facts on a page I thought that a recording would be a bit better.(Tip: I found that listening to the recordings made it easier to take in the information).
mp3 Audio System Analysis Your browser does not support the audio tag.

I have put audio player at the top of the page where you can play the podcast or use the down load link to down load the file.

I have put part 2 of Systems Analysis Methods  in a Podcast.
This will give you the basics of Systems Analysis and help you to learn some of the terminology used with systems analysis.

In the following text I have put together what I felt were some of the most important aspects of system Analysis Methods module.

Terms:

Data: Data are raw facts about the organization and its business transactions.

Information: Information is data that has been refined and organized by processing and human intelligence

Knowledge – data and information that is further refined based on the facts, truths, beliefs, judgments, experience, and expertise of the recipient

Information systems: An arrangement of people, data, processes, and information technology that interact to collect, process, store and provide as output the information needed to support an organization

Examples of Information systems:

·       Information technology a contemporary term that describes the combination of computer technology (hardware and software) with telecommunications technology (data, images, and voice networks)

·      Transaction processing systems transaction processing system (TPS) is an information system that captures and processes data about business transactions (Day to Day) Example: wages, inventory.

·       Management Information System (MIS) reporting for management Information system that provides for management-oriented reporting based on transaction processing and operations of the organization.

·       Decision support system(stocks and shares)(DSS) Information system that either helps to identify decision making opportunities or provides information to help make decisions- Example: stocks and shares

·       Expert system (capture expertise 3^rd world example) Information system that captures the expertise of workers and then simulates that expertise to benefit of non-experts                 Artificial Intelligence – mycin – for blood disorders.

·       Office automation system Information system that supports the wide range of business office activities that provide for improved work flow between workers. Example email, Microsoft office. 

Super/sub systems:

Subsystem: Part of a larger system

Supersystem: Larger system contains Subsystem

Analyst skills:

Working Knowledge of Information system must be aware of existing and emerging information technologies and techniques (keep up to date)

Computer Programming Experience and Expertise must appreciate programmers work as it is the principle link between business users and computer programmers

General Business Knowledge Analysts have to specify and defend technical solutions that address the bottom line value returned to the business

Problem-Solving Skills Creatively define alternative solutions to problems and needs. “We have always done it that way”- wrong attitude

Interpersonal Communications Skills must be able to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing. Communication skills, not technical skills, prove to be the single biggest factor in career success or failure.

Flexibility and adaptability No two development projects encountered will be identical.

Character and Ethics personal   character trait in which an individual’s understands the difference between “right” and “wrong” and acts accordingly. Eg, Not to share their organizations sensitive and secret information with others (copyright etc….)

Technologies/business drivers:

Business Drivers for today’s Information systems

·         Globalization of the Economy

Global Economy brings

1.       New and expanded international markets

2.       New international competitors

Impact on information systems

          Require support of multiple languages, currency exchange rates, business culture

2.       Demand for players who can communicate, orally and in writing, with management and users that speak different languages

3.       Compliance with country standards eg. TUV(France, Germany), FDA(Usa), NSAI(Uk), ISO9000(global)

·       Electronic Commerce and Business

E-Commerce

1.       The buying and selling of goods and services by using the internet

E-Business

1.       the use of the internet to conduct and support day-to-day business activites

Types of e-commerce and e-business

Business-to-customer (B2C)

Business-to-business (B2B)

Impact on information systems

Most new information systems are being designed for an internet (or intranet) architecture

Since the only client-side software is a web brower, the choice of client operating system is becoming less important

·       Security and Privacy

Security

1.       How will the business continue in the event of a security breach, terrorist attack, or disaster?

2.       How can the business protect its digital assets from outside threats?

Privacy

1.       Consumer demands for privacy in e-commerce transactions

2.       Government requirements

Impact on information systems

1.       Need to incorporate stringent security and privacy controls

·       Collaboration and Partnership

Organizations seek to break down the walls that separate organizational departments and functions

Organizations collaborate with outside business partners and even competitors

·       knowledge Asset Management

Data – Raw facts about people, places, events, and things that are of importance in an organization

Information- data that has been processed or reorganized into a more meaningful form for someone

Knowledge – data and information that is further refined based on the facts, truths, beliefs, judgments, experience, and expertise of the recipient

Knowledge Asset Management

Recognizes that data, information, and knowledge are critical business resources

Asks: “How can the organization manage and share knowledge for competitive advantage?

Strives to integrate the data and information that can create and preserve knowledge

·       Continuous Improvement and Total Quality Management

Business Processes – Tasks that respond to business events (eg. an order). Business processes are the work, procedures, and rules required to complete the business tasks, independent of any information technology used to automate or support them

Continuous process improvement (CPI) – The continuous monitoring of business processes to effect small but measureable improvements in cost reduction and value added. Proactive not Reactive

Total quality management (TQM) – A comprehensive approach to facilitating quality improvements and management within a business. Metric measurements, eg. How many test passed or How many bugs fixed. (Walkthrough) Quality inspection, audits, testing, metrics.

·       Business Process Redesign

(BPR) is the study, analysis, and redesign of fundamental business processes to reduce costs and /or improve value added to the business

More substantial changes and improvements than CPI- Usually complimented by CPI

Technology Drivers for today’s Information systems

·       Networks and the Internet

Networks include mainframe time-sharing systems, network servers, and a variety of desktop, laptop, and handheld client computers.

The most pervasive networking technologies are based on the internet.

xHTML and XML

Scripting languages

Web-specific programming languages

Intranets

Extranets

Portals

Web services

·       Mobile and Wireless Technologies

Some mobile and wireless technologies

PDAs

Smart phones

Bluetooth

Wireless networking

Impact on information systems

Wireless connectivity must be assumed

Limitations of mobile devices and screen sizes must be accommodated

·       Object Technologies

Object technology – A software technology that defines a system in terms of objects that consolidate data and behaviour (into objects)

Objects are reusable

Objects are extensible

Objects –oriented programming languages include C)), java, Smalltalk, and Visual Basic.net

·       Collaborative Technologies

Are those that enhance interpersonal communications and teamwork

E-mail

Instant messaging

Groupware, Work flow

·       Enterprise Applications

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) – A software  application that fully integrates information systems that span most or all of the basic, core business functions.

An ERP solution is built around a common database shared by a common business functions.

Representative ERP vendors:

Baan

J.D.Edwards

Oracle

Peoplesoft

SAP AG (the market leader)

System development life cycle:

Provides overall frame work for managing systems development process, every project has a beginning, middle, and end.

Two main approaches to SDLC

Predictive approaches – assumes project can be planned out in advance (Waterfall)

Adaptive approach – More flexible, assumes project cannot be planned in advance (Rad)

All projects use some variation of SDLC

Methodologies – what they are?

A methodology is a formalized approach to implementing the SDLC

Companies use methodologies to ensure a consistent, reproducible approach is applied to all projects.

To reduce the risk associated with short cuts and mistakes, in order to produce complete and consistent documentation from one project to the next.

Principles of system development

·         Get the system users involved

·         Use a problem-solving approach

·         Establish phases and activities

·         Document through development

·         Establish standards

·         Justify systems as capital investment

·         Don’t be afraid  to cancel or revise scope

(Scope is always size) Divide and conquer, Design system for growth and change

Predictive and adaptive methodologies- Waterfall, Rad and Agile- Extreme Programming

Waterfall Model Methodologies (Predictive)

·         Organization recognises problem (Project Planning) project team investigates, understands problems and solution requirements (Analysis)

·         Solution is specified in detail (Design)

·         System that solves problem is built and installed (Implementation) System used, maintained and enhanced to continue to provide intended benefits ( Support)

Inflexible 

Advantages The system requirements are identified long before programming begins, changes to the requirements are minimized as the project proceeds

Disadvantages The design must be completely specified before programming begins, a long time elapses between the completion of the system proposal in the analysis phase and delivery of the system.

Rapid application development (RAD) (Adaptive)

A system development strategy that emphasizes speed of development through extensive user involvement in the Rapid, iterative, incremental construction of series of functioning prototypes of a system that eventually evolves into final system  

Prototype

A small- scale, representative, or working model of user’s requirements or a proposed design for an information system

Time box

The position of a non-extendable period of time, usually 60-90 days by which the first (Or next) version of a system must be delivered into operation

Advantages of RAD

·         Useful for projects- users’ needs imprecise

·         Encourages active user participation

·         Projects have higher visibility- extensive user involvement

·         User/Owners see working software based solution quickly

·         Change expected factor during development

Disadvantages of RAD

·         Some argue RAD causes “code, implement, repair”

·         RAD projects solve wrong problem analysis ignored

·         RAD based prototype may discourage looking at alternative technical solutions

·         Often better to throw away prototype- customers slow to do this.

·         Emphasis on speed (May adversely impact quality)

Agile Methodology (Extreme, Scrum, Kanban)

 Agile Methodology

Project at Chrysler- C3 2000

·         Focuses on streamlining the SDLC by eliminating much of the modelling and documentation overhead and the time spent on those tasks

·         Projects emphasize simple, Iterative development (Going around)

Agile Modelling Principles

·         Iterative  development

·         Working to fixed time instead of fixed scope

·         Favour broad business goals over fine-grained technical goals

·         Favour feedback and adaptation over prediction and control

·         Delay commitment until the last responsible moment

·         Favour direct interaction over documentation

·         Common misconception – agile methods discourage all documentation

·         Fundamental work products eg. User’s manual – deliverables

·         Incidental documentation- email/memorandums Re: Status of project not encouraged

·         Embrace change and change incrementally

·         Deliver or demonstrate business value early- not necessarily a public release

·         Build high quality models and get feedback rapidly

·         Learn from others –open communication

·         Simple design only code necessary to achieve results

ExtremeProgramming (XP)

·         Communication

In open, frequent verbal discussions

·         Simplicity

In design and implementing solutions

·         Feedback

On functionality, requirements, designs, and code

·         Courage (Important)

In facing choices such as throwing away bad code or standing up to a too-tight schedule

What is a user story? (KEY)

A user story describes functionality that will be valuable to either a user or a purchaser of a system or software.

Sample Stories: BigMoneyJobs jobs and search website

·         A user can search for jobs

·         A company can post new job openings

·         A user can limit who can see her resume

The following do not make good stories- do not represent functionality y users

·         Software will be written in C++ - users don’t care which programming language used

·         The program will connect to database through a connection pool-users don’t care about technical details of how application connects to the database

Which of the following are not good stories and why?

1     .       The user can run the system on windows XP and Linux (yes)

2     .       All graphing and charting will be done  using a third party library (no)

3     .       The user can undo up to fifty commands (yes)

4     .       The software will be released by June 30 (no)

5     .       The software will be written in Java (no)

6     .       The user can select her country from dropdown list (yes)

7     .       The system will use Log4J to log all error messages to a file (no)

8     .       The user will be prompted to save her work if she hasn’t saved it for 15 minutes (yes)

9     .       The user can expect an “Export to XML” feature (yes)

1     .   The user can export data to Xml (yes)

Some XP Practices

·       Planning – users develop a set of stories to describe what the system needs to do

·       Testing(TDD/TFD) Test first development/Test driven development

·       Tests are written before solutions are implemented

·       Pair Programming Two programmers work together on designing, coding and testing

·       Morning stand-up meetings Progress, problem reporting and tracking

·       Refactoring means rewrite ( The code but not the functionality) improving code without changing what it does

·       Owning the code collectively anyone can modify any piece of code

·       Continuous integration small pieces of code are integrated into the system daily or more often   

·       System Metaphor guides members towards a vision of the system

·       On-site Customer intensive user/customer interaction required

·       Small releases Produce small and frequent releases to user/customer

·       Forty-hour work week  (Consistency) project should be managed to avoid burnout

·       Coding Standards follow coding standards to ensure flexibility eg. Class names capitalised, method first character de-capitalised

Integrating the secure Development life cycle with Agile methods

Projects released by MSN using Agile

·         MSN Messenger 7.5

·         MSN Tabbed Browsing for MicroSoft Internet Explorer

·         MSN Support Tools

·         MSN Anti-Phishing add-in

Agile and the SDLC

·       Design tam pick a security coach

·         move people around – force more people to take security leadership position

·         Simple design –Secure design

·         User Story – encompass customers security concerns

Story may include directives

·         “ The software must not divulge the data in the orders database to unauthorized users”

·         “The client must always authenticate the validity of the server”

·         Latest compiler versions

·         All code scanning tools run over code

·         All scanning tools fixed or postponed

·         Do not use banned APIs (Deprecated)

·         All security best practice adhered to 

                                 Reference information attained from course material