11.1 Lecture 11 CASE tools IMS Systems Design and Implementation

11.2 References  Prescribed text: Avison, D.E. & Fitzgerald, G. (2003). Information Systems Development: Methodologies, Techniques and Tools. (3rd ed), McGraw-Hill, London. Chapters 17, 18,  HOFFER, J.A., GEORGE, J.F. and VALACICH (2002) 3rd ed., Modern Systems Analysis and Design, Prentice- Hall, New Jersey, Chapter 4

11.3 Quality and productivity “solutions” include:  user participation  JAD (Joint Application Design)  prototyping  automated and other tools  RAD (Rapid Application Development)  reuse

11.4 What are CASE tools?  computer-aided software tools that provide automated support for some portion of the systems development process  provide an engineering-type discipline to improve productivity and increase the quality of information systems  CASE tools may run on various mini and mainframe systems, but the PC is the dominant CASE workstation

11.5 CASE tools  CASE (Computer Assisted Software Engineering) tools Objective of CASE tool usage:  higher quality systems, a less expensive and more productive system development process “automated and integrated software development tools, techniques and methodologies that add significant value by increasing the productivity of the application development process and the quality of the applications that they're used to develop” Stone (1993) p.8

11.6 CASE tools Objectives  to improve the quality of the systems developed: e.g. better and more complete specifications and designs  to improve the productivity of systems development: less people and faster  to ease and improve consistency of specifications, conformity of designs, and testing through automated checking  to improve the integration of development activities via the use of common methodologies and techniques  to improve the quality and completeness of documentation

11.7 CASE tools Objectives  to improve the management and control of projects  to promote consistency across projects within the organisation  to promote consistency and quality of systems across the organisation  to promote resuability  to reduce maintenance effort

11.8 CASE tools core CASE tool functionality:  graphical facilities for diagrams and modelling  data dictionary  automated documentation additional functionality:  code generation from system specifications and models  automatic audit trail of changes  project management facilities  enforced diagramming and documentation standards

11.9  diagramming tools  screen and report generators  analysis tools  a central repository  documentation generators  code generators Components of CASE Tools

11.10  diagramming tools enable graphical representation of system data, processes, and control structures  screen and report generators help to prototype how systems “look” and “feel” to users help to identify data and process requirements  analysis tools automatic checking for correctness, completeness, and consistency of specifications in diagrams, reports, forms Components of CASE Tools

11.11  a central repository enables integrated storage of systems specifications and project management information  documentation generators help to produce both technical and user documentation in standard formats  code generators automatic generation of program and database definition code directly from the design documents, diagrams, reports and forms Components of CASE Tools

11.12  the repository is central to the CASE tool for integration to allow sharing between tools and SDLC activities  a centralised database containing all form and report definitions, diagrams, data definitions (data flows, entities etc), process flows, functions, process logic, other organisational and system components  common terminology, notations, methods to support integration  potential benefits: supports co-ordination of team members and effort promotes reusability CASE tools: the CASE repository

11.13  Upper CASE designed to support the earlier lifecycle phases: IS planning, project identification and planning, systems analysis, design  Lower CASE designed to support the implementation and maintenance phases of systems development  I-CASE (integrated CASE) “seamless” integration of products and tools across lifecycle phases via a common repository (see Avison & Fitzgerald 2003, Chapter 18) Types of CASE tools

11.14  Cross lifecycle CASE CASE tools used to support activities that occur across multiple phases of the SDLC e.g.  project management: developing estimates of time and resources, scheduling, monitoring project progress  production of documentation the repository and document generators are used across multiple lifecycle phases CASE tool usage

11.15  the adoption of CASE is closely related to the use of a formal, standardized systems development process or methodology: many CASE tools force or encourage analysts to follow a specific methodology organizations without a widely used methodology or an approach that is compatible with a CASE tool will have difficulties  CASE adoption has been slower than expected due to several factors including: cost, training needs, front end lifecycle effort Implementing CASE tools in organisations

11.16  startup costs I-CASE costs per analyst: $5,000 to $50,000 only large-scale system builders can spend this smaller organisations use tools with less functionality  training for every dollar spent on tools, half to double that spent on training  front end lifecycle effort the big benefits come in later lifecycle phases: construction, testing, implementation, maintenance early phases lengthened by up to 40% (see Hoffer et al 2002, chapter 4) Implementing CASE tools in organisations

11.17 Why organisations resist CASE tools  common resisting organisational factors for CASE adoption:  high cost of purchasing  high cost of training personnel  low organisational confidence in the IT department to deliver high quality systems on time and within budget  lack of methodology and standards  CASE seen as a threat to job security  lack of confidence in CASE products

11.18 CASE tool implementation critical success factors:  the right tools  a CASE implementation strategy  a systems development methodology  the methodology must be structured to facilitate the use of CASE tools  a CASE-compatible culture  appropriate human resources  appropriate expectations

11.19 Selecting CASE tools  compatible with systems development methodology/approach  compatible with technology architecture  development and application environment  organisational culture  implementation strategy  vendor support

11.20 Systems development using CASE tools  changes in work practices:  focus on analysis and design  “automatic” documentation generation  maintain designs  modifications to analysis and design products  project management  project team structures  task structures  differences between CASE-based vs manual versions of SDMs

11.21 Evolution and future of automated tools  Visual development tools:  rapidly build interfaces, reports etc using visual tools e.g. Visual Basic, Powerbuilder and instantly test the look of the design (development and programming environments)  Embed AI into development environments  use of intelligent agents (programs) residing in a computer to carry out developer’s instructions to create new systems