Solving Problems in IS: Systems Approaches Logical framework in which to work. Logical framework in which to work. Serves as a reminder. Did I forget anything? Serves as a reminder. Did I forget anything?

The Systems Development Life Cycle, “SDLC” Planning Analysis Design Implementation

The Systems Development Life Cycle, “SDLC” Planning Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance!

The Systems Development Life Cycle Systems Implementation Product: Operational System Systems Implementation Product: Operational System Systems Investigation Product: Feasibility Study Systems Investigation Product: Feasibility Study Systems Analysis Product: Functional Requirements Systems Analysis Product: Functional Requirements Systems Design Product: System Specifications Systems Design Product: System Specifications Systems Maintenance Product: Improved System Systems Maintenance Product: Improved System Understand the Business Problem or Opportunity Develop an Information System Solution Implement the System Solution (Dennis text: 4 phases, with “Investigation” named “Planning”)

Planning Analysis Design Implementation Identify Problem/Value. Feasibility Analysis. Project Management. Understand as-is system. Identify Improvements. Develop concept for the to-be system. Use Cases. DFDs. ERDs. Develop technical specifics for to-be system. Design Strategies. Physical DFD. Physical ERD. Infrastructure Plan. Interface Structure. Interface Standards. Interface Template. Interface. Evaluate. SDLC Construction (programming) Testing Documentation Conversion Change Management Support Installation

2-4 times over budget. 2-4 times over budget. 2-3 times behind schedule. 2-3 times behind schedule. Not performing as expected. Not performing as expected. Complicated to use. Complicated to use. Requires more and more users to operate. Requires more and more users to operate. Loses or destroys data. Loses or destroys data. Watch out for “runaway computer systems”!

30-35% of computer projects are runaways! (Dennis text: 42% of all corporate Projects are abandoned)

Where can we spot one? Planning Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

Where can we spot one? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance On time? Budget? Planning

Where can we spot one? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance On time? Budget? Performing as expected? What do the users think? Planning

How can we prevent runaways? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Planning

How can we prevent runaways? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance “The number one cause of runaways is the installation or expansion of a computer system when management does not know what the automation is meant to accomplish.” Planning

How can we prevent runaways? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance “The number one cause of runaways is the installation or expansion of a computer system when management does not know what the automation is meant to accomplish.” Involve both management and users in specifying what the system needs to accomplish. Continuously talk to and monitor the design team. BUT, don’t use them as your only source of information! Planning

How can we prevent runaways? Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Involve both management and users in specifying what the system needs to accomplish. Continuously talk to and monitor the design team. BUT, don’t use them as your only source of information! Test early and often! Watch to make sure things are going smoothly. Planning

CONFIRM: A classic runaway example. AMR partnered with Budget, Hilton, and Marriott to leverage the success of SABRE, American’s reservation system. AMR partnered with Budget, Hilton, and Marriott to leverage the success of SABRE, American’s reservation system. SABRE auditors, two months before the project was supposed to go on-line, concluded that the project was at least 18 months from completion. SABRE auditors, two months before the project was supposed to go on-line, concluded that the project was at least 18 months from completion. Budgeted at around $125 Million... around $225 Million shelled out with no result. Budgeted at around $125 Million... around $225 Million shelled out with no result.

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? AMR’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Planning

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? AMR’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Budget, Hilton, and Marriott assigned individuals who “lacked knowledge of the industry”. Planning

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? AMR’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Budget, Hilton, and Marriott assigned individuals who “lacked knowledge of the industry”. These individuals failed to specify what they wanted from the system. Planning

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? Budget, Hilton, and Marriott’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance Planning

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? Budget, Hilton, and Marriott’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance “You said SABRE experts would be assigned to this project... where are they?!” Schedules overly optimistic. TECHNICAL PROBLEMS!! The two 3090s didn’t connect well. Planning

Where did CONFIRM go wrong? Budget, Hilton, and Marriott’s answer: Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance “You said SABRE experts would be assigned to this project... where are they?!” Schedules overly optimistic. Endless delays. Cost overruns. PROBLEMS CONCEALED! “We GAVE you specs... 6 feet high!” Planning

Software Development is hard!... is hard! Windows 95: Windows 95: 400 people 400 people 4 years 4 years – $100,000,000 – 10,000,000 lines of code – 1 “person meeting” per line of code

Studies have indicated that an experienced programmer can produce 30 lines of code per day on average. Studies have indicated that an experienced programmer can produce 30 lines of code per day on average. A new billing system can easily require 1 million lines of code. A new billing system can easily require 1 million lines of code. That’s 33,000 days, or 133 years, for one programmer! Coordinating multiple programmers makes the job more complex. That’s 33,000 days, or 133 years, for one programmer! Coordinating multiple programmers makes the job more complex. Annual software productivity increases - about 4% per year (vs. 30% in hardware). Annual software productivity increases - about 4% per year (vs. 30% in hardware).

The IS Project “Logjam” Two years planned to put “water” and “electricity” on the same bill. 40 man-years and $2 million later, no results! Two years planned to put “water” and “electricity” on the same bill. 40 man-years and $2 million later, no results! Why is software development so difficult? Why is software development so difficult?

The IS Project “Logjam” Government study: two-thirds of software projects had no formal procedure for estimating the amount of labor or code required, and nearly half had no standard way to predict the cost of a program. Government study: two-thirds of software projects had no formal procedure for estimating the amount of labor or code required, and nearly half had no standard way to predict the cost of a program. Late additions and maintenance - 80% of software budgets. Late additions and maintenance - 80% of software budgets. Twice the time expected, twice the money - “runaway”. As noted, 30-35% of companies fall victim to them. Twice the time expected, twice the money - “runaway”. As noted, 30-35% of companies fall victim to them.

Breaking the IS Project Logjam - “Solution” Give data-processing departments the same clout as everybody else. Give data-processing departments the same clout as everybody else. Keep both managers and ultimate users involved in every step of software development. Keep both managers and ultimate users involved in every step of software development. Make data-processing managers periodically work side by side with software users. Make data-processing managers periodically work side by side with software users. Break up big projects to keep programming teams small. Break up big projects to keep programming teams small. Give programmers elbowroom. Give programmers elbowroom. Make existing software easier to maintain. Make existing software easier to maintain.

Have competent Project Managers and Analysts!!!!

Development Methodologies Traditional (structured): Traditional (structured): Waterfall - sequential through steps.Waterfall - sequential through steps. Parallel - sequential through steps, with “Design” often being done in multiple simultaneous subprojects.Parallel - sequential through steps, with “Design” often being done in multiple simultaneous subprojects. Rapid Application Development (RAD): Rapid Application Development (RAD): Phased - system broken into “versions”, steps are completed for each version and repeated for next version.Phased - system broken into “versions”, steps are completed for each version and repeated for next version. Prototyping - “quick and dirty” through Analysis, Design, and Implementation in iterative fashion.Prototyping - “quick and dirty” through Analysis, Design, and Implementation in iterative fashion. Throwaway Prototyping - same as above except prototypes are “pretend”.Throwaway Prototyping - same as above except prototypes are “pretend”.

Waterfall Development Method

Pros and Cons of the Waterfall Method ProsCons Identifies systems requirements long before programming begins Design must be specified on paper before programming begins Long time between system proposal and delivery of new system

Parallel Development Method

Pros and Cons of Parallel Development ProsCons Reduces Scheduled Time Less Chance of Rework Still Uses Paper Documents Sub-projects May Be Difficult to Integrate

How Prototyping Works

Throwaway Prototyping

Pros and Cons of Prototyping ProsCons Very quickly produces a system Increased and Quicker user interaction Less disciplined - Often sloppy Initially intelligent design features Become problems

Picking the right methodology