1. Information Systems Development MIS331
Information Gathering
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MIS331

2. Agenda External success factors in SA & D
“Get the user involved!”
Focus on Analysis phase activities
Requirements determination
Requirements structuring
Alternative generation and selection
Presentation issues and tips
11/23/2018
MIS331

3. PIECES Framework
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MIS331

4. System Success Factors
The client may not be the end-user
He who signs the checks is the client
The system is for the end-user
The analyst has the unenviable task of balancing the constraints of the client with the needs of the end-user
Regardless of the need to balance...
You must get the user involved!
11/23/2018
MIS331

5. User Involvement Creates a sense of ownership
Builds a feeling of responsibility for success
Reduces inhibitions associated with unknowns of a new environment
Minimizes intrinsic resistance to change
Eliminates anxieties created by lack of communication
If you don’t provide an agenda for a group…eventually they will create their own
Has been shown to be directly related to system success
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MIS331

6. Requirements Determination
“The facts, ma’am, just the facts”
Gathering information from a variety of sources for the purpose of determining just exactly what is happening and when.
Often, what the users think is happening is different from what is actually happening.
Also, the reality of when something happens can be radically different than the user’s perception.
We need to make use of a variety of data gathering techniques.
Obtrusive versus Unobtrusive
Interactive versus Detached
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MIS331

7. Traditional Methods Interviewing Questionnaires Direct Observation
Can be used in both an exploratory and a confirmatory manner
Questionnaires
Primarily a confirmatory technique
Direct Observation
Exploratory or confirmatory
Obtrusive and unobtrusive
sometimes people change their behavior when being observed
“Hawthorne Effect”
Procedure and Document Review
Forms, contracts, policy manuals, org.charts, etc.
11/23/2018
MIS331

8. Modern Methods Joint Application Design (JAD)
simultaneous collection of requirements from key personnel
JAD sessions are simply structured group meetings
Group Support Systems (GSS)
Facilitates the JAD process
Promotes anonymity thus reducing inhibition to participate
Can provide structure to chaos
CASE tools (Upper CASE)
Can organize the findings of many analysts
Provides consistency in modeling activities
Prototyping
“Show me what you’ve got and I’ll tell you if I like it.”
11/23/2018
MIS331

9. Structuring and Alternatives
Structuring involves the use of models to describe the system requirements in an understandable fashion.
Process, Logic, and Data Modeling
Alternative Generation and Selection
Some schools of thought allow for selection of development method based upon the identified system requirements.
We do not subscribe to this school of thought.
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MIS331

10. System Modeling How What Logical versus Physical
A physical model describes a system in an implementation-dependent manner
“How we do it.”
A logical model describes a system in an implementation-independent manner
“What we do.”
How
Physical
Physical
What
Logical
Logical
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MIS331

11. Presentations
Issues and Tips
11/23/2018
MIS331

12. For Next Time...
We’re going to play a game (no preparations necessary)
11/23/2018
MIS331