1. 1 Systems Analysis and Design  Instructor: Dr. Andre Kushniruk  Class site: http://www.math.yorku.ca/~andrek/  Office: Ross N636  Email: andrek@mathstat.yorku.ca

2. 2  What is Systems 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 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! (rated 2nd best job in latest “Jobs Almanac”)  increasing demand for systems analysis skills

3. 3  Course Objectives  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 teach you effective methods for gathering essential information during system analysis  To teach you effective methods for designing systems to solve problems effectively using technology

4. 4  Course Topics  Introduction to systems analysis and design  the analyst as problem solver  required skills of systems analysts  types of jobs and the analyst’s role  Example: Rocky mountain outfitters  The analyst as project manager  the systems development life cycle (SDLC) − planning phase − analysis phase − design phase − implementation phase − support phase  the project team  Approaches to Systems Development  Methodologies and Models  3 approaches: − structured approach − information engineering approach − object-oriented approach  Waterfall Models for SDLC  other variations  computer-aided software engineering (CASE)  Identifying System Requirements  stakeholders  Methods - e.g. questionnaires, interviews, observation, build prototypes, others  Modelling System Requirements  types of models - e.g. mathematical, descriptive, graphical  identifying and modeling events  identifying and modeling “things” in the world  traditional and object-oriented methods  System Design  going from requirements to design  elements of design  approaches − structured approach − object-oriented approach  design of inputs and outputs  designing databases  designing user interfaces

5. 5  Chapter 1: The World of the Modern System Analyst  System Analysis: the process of understanding and specifying in detail what the information system should do  System Design: the process of specifying in detail how the many component parts of the information system should be implemented  System Analyst: A professional who used analysis and design techniques to solve business problems (involving information technology)  A theme of the course: developing effective information systems is much more than just writing computer programs (involves cognitive skills in understanding problems and knowing where computer technology best “fits in”)

6. 6  Research and understand the problem Verify that the benefits of solving the problem outweigh the costs Develop a set of possible solutions (alternatives) Decide which solution is best, and make a recommendation Design the details of the chosen solution Implement the solution Monitor to make sure the you Obtain the desired results The Analysts’ Approach to Problem Solving (Figure 1-1 in the text)

7. 7  Thinking in terms of “Systems” What is a system?  A system is a collection of interrelated components ( subsystems ) that function together to achieve some outcome (e.g. biological system, computer system, social system)  An information system is a collection of interrelated components that collect, process, store and provide as output the information needed to complete business tasks (e.g. payroll system)

8. 8  Characteristics of Systems  Systems are made up of interrelated subsystems (e.g. a nuclear reactor is composed of boilers, reactor components etc.)  Functional decomposition – dividing a system into components based on subsystems (which are in turn further divided into subsystems)  System boundary – the separation between a system and its environment (where inputs and outputs cross)  Automation boundary – separation between the automated part of system and the manual part

9. 9  input output boundary interrelationship subsystem General Depiction of a System

10. 10  Inventory Management System Manufacturing System Customer Maintenance Subsystem Order Entry Subsystem Catalog Maintenance Subsystem Order Fulfillment Subsystem Customer Support System Overall production system (supersystem) PS IMS MS CSS OES OFS CMS

11. 11  Manual Part of the System Automated Part of the System Automation boundary System boundary Environment Surrounding the System The system boundary and the automation boundary

12. 12  “Systems” Thinking 1.Being able to identify something as a system 2.Involves being able to identify subsystems 3.Identifying system characteristics and functions 4.Identifying where the boundaries are (or should be) 5.Identifying inputs and outputs to systems 6.Identifying relationships among subsystems

13. 13  Types of Information Systems  Transaction processing systems (TPS)  Capture and record information about the transactions that affect the organization (e.g. the sale of an item, a withdrawal from an ATM etc.)  Management Information Systems (MIS)  Take information captured by the transaction processing system and produce reports management needs for planning and controlling business  Executive Information Systems (EIS)  Provide information for executives to use in strategic planning (could be from organizational database, or outside sources like stock market reports)  Decision Support Systems (DSS)  Support human decision making and allows users to explore the potential impact of available options or decisions (e.g. can ask “what if”)  Closely related to “expert systems” or “knowledge-based” systems  Communication Support Systems  Allow employees to communicate with each other (e.g. fax, email, Internet access)  Office Support Systems  Help employees create and share documents (e.g. reports, memos, proposals, memos)

14. 14  Required Skills of the Systems Analyst  Technical Knowledge and Skills − Computers and how they work in general − Programming languages − Devices that interact with computers − Communications networks − Database and database management systems − Operating systems and utilities

15. 15  Required Skills of the Systems Analyst  Tools: software products used to help develop analysis and design specifications and completed system components − e.g. Microsoft Access, Integrated development environments, computer- supported system engineering (CASE) tools  Techniques: strategies for completing specific system development activities − Project planning techniques − Systems analysis techniques (e.g. interviews, observation) − Systems design techniques − System construction and implementation techniques − System Support techniques

16. 16  Business Knowledge and Skills  What activities and processes do organizations perform?  How are organizations structured?  How are organizations managed?  What type of work (activity) does on in the organization? (e.g. hospital, bank etc.)  Who are the “actors” doing the activities  About the organization (e.g. company) the system analyst needs to know: − What the specific organization does − What makes it successful − What its strategies and plans are − What its tradition (“culture”) and values are

17. 17  People Knowledge and Skills Single most important interpersonal skill: − To communicate clearly and effectively with others! Since analysts work on teams with others (e.g. team members, clients etc.) must understand about people: − How people think − How people learn − How people react to change − How people communicate − How people work (“activities” and “actors”) Other areas: − Skill in interviewing, listening and observing − Good written and oral presentation − Being able to work in a team

18. 18  Integrity and Ethics  A system analyst is often asked to look at problems that involve sensitive information in many parts of an organization  Proprietary information  Secure information  Information that may be of interest to competitors  E.g. study of information flow in a bank or hospital leads to consideration of “sensitive” information  Need to apply professional approach!

19. 19  Typical Job Ad: Systems Analyst – Distribution Center  We are the world’s leading manufacturer of women’s apparel products. Our organization in the Far East has openings for a Systems Analyst Requirements:  Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Business Administration or closely related field with 5 (+) years of working experience  In-depth understanding of Distribution and Manufacturing concepts (Allocation, Replenishment, Floor Control, Production Scheduling)  Working knowledge of project management and all phases of the software development life cycle  Experience with CASE tools, PC and Bar Code equipment  Working knowledge of AS/400 and/or UNIX environment with the languages C, RPG400 and/or COBOL are desirable

20. 20  Job Ad (continued)  The successful candidate will provide primary interface for all user problems, answer technical questions and requests within the applications development group; work with user areas to establish priorities; and provide recommendations and directions for process improvement through automation.  We offer an attractive compensation package, relocation assistance and the technical and analytical challenges you would expect in a state-of-the-art environment. The position will report to Senior Management.

21. 21  The Environment Surrounding the Analyst  Systems in the “real-world” range from small desktop systems to huge database systems with thousands of users spread over hundreds of locations  Some types of configurations:  Desktop systems  Networked desktop systems that share data  Client-server systems  Large-scale centralized mainframe systems  Systems using Internet or intranet technology

22. 22  Typical Job Titles  Programmer/analyst  Business systems analyst  System liaison  End-user analyst  Business consultant  Systems consultant  System support analyst  System designer  Software engineer  System architect

23. 23  Places of Employment  Programmer analysts working for the company  Systems analysts working for the company  Independent contractors  Outsource provider employees  Consultants  Software development firm employees

24. 24  The Analyst’s Role in Strategic Planning  Analyst may be involved with senior managers regarding strategic management problems  Special Projects  The analyst may be working to solve a problem that affects executives (e.g. designing an executive information system)  The analyst may be involved in business process reengineering – a technique that seeks to alter the nature of work done in a business function with the objective of radically improving performance  Strategic Planning Processes  Executives try to ask themselves fundamental questions about the company (e.g. where are they now, where do they want to be, what do they have to do to get there)  Can take months or years and involves many people in the company  Once set, the strategic plan drives all the organization’s processes

25. 25  The Analyst’s Role in Strategic Planning  Information Systems Strategic Planning  In most organizations today, most changes involve new or improved information systems  May call in a consulting firm  Documents and existing systems are reviewed and a model of the organization is created  Based on this, an applications architecture plan is created: − a description the integrated information systems needed by an organization to carry out its business functions  The team creates a technology architecture plan: − A description of the hardware, software and communications networks required to implement planned IS systems  Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)  A process in which an organization commits to using an integrated set of software packages for key information processing (e.g. SAP)

26. 26  Running Case Study: Rocky Mountains Outfitters (RMO)  Began in 1978 as dream of John and Liz Blankens  First started as direct mail-order sales to customers  By late 1990s had grown to a large regional sports clothing distributor in the Rocky Mountain and Western states  RMO now employs over 600 people and has almost $100 million annually in sales  Mail order is major source of revenue at 70 M  Recently completed an information systems strategic planning project (with help of consultants)

27. 27  Information Systems Department at RMO  Organized into two areas:  System support − Includes telecommunications, database administration, operations and user support  System development − 4 project managers, 6 systems analysts and 10 programmer analysts  Existing Systems  Small mainframe computer runs from one site. Subsystems are: − Retail store system − Office systems − Merchandising/Distribution − Mail Order − Phone Order − Human resources − Accounting/Finance

28. 28  Information Systems Strategic Plan at RMO  Technology Architecture Plan  Move business applications to client-server architecture  Move towards conducting business via the Internet (start with web site, then move to transaction processing over the Web)  Eventually move to intranet  Application Architecture Plan  Customer Support System: new development integrating direct customer access via the Internet  Inventory Management System: a merchandizing and inventory system that integrates with customer support