1. Business/Information
Chapter 10
Developing
Business/Information
Technology Solutions

2. Learning Objectives
Use the systems development process outlined in this chapter, and the model of IS components from Chapter 1 as problem-solving frameworks to help propose information systems solutions to simple business problems.

3. Learning Objectives (continued)
Describe how you might use each of the steps of the information systems development cycle to develop and implement an e-business system.
Explain how prototyping improves the process of systems development for end users and IS specialists.

4. Learning Objectives (continued)
Identify the activities involved in the implementation of new information systems.
Describe evaluation factors that should be considered in evaluating the acquisition of hardware, software, and IS services.

5. Developing e-Business Systems
Section I
Developing e-Business Systems

6. Information Systems Development
The systems approach to problem solving applied to the development of information system solutions to business problems.

7. The Systems Approach The systems approach to problem solving
Recognize and define a problem or opportunity using systems thinking
Develop and evaluate alternative system solutions

8. The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems approach to problem solving (continued)
Select the system solution that best meets your requirements
Design the selected system solution
Implement and evaluate the success of the designed system

9. The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems Thinking
“seeing the forest AND the trees”
Seeing “interrelationships” among “systems” rather than linear cause-and-effect chains when events occur
Seeing “processes” of change among “systems” rather than discrete “snapshots” of change, whenever change occurs.

10. The Systems Approach (continued)
Systems thinking (continued)
Use a systems context
Try to find systems, subsystems, and components of systems in any situation you are studying

11. The Systems Development Cycle
Investigation
Analysis
Design
Implementation
Maintenance

12. Prototyping
The rapid development and testing of working models of new applications in an interactive, iterative process.
Sometimes called rapid application design (RAD).
Simplifies and accelerates systems design.

13. Prototyping (continued)
The prototyping process

14. Starting the Systems Development Process
Systems Investigation Phase
Feasibility studies
Organizational feasibility
Economic feasibility
Technical feasibility
Operational feasibility

15. Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)

16. Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)

17. Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)
Cost/Benefit Analysis
Tangible costs
Intangible costs
Tangible benefits
Intangible benefits

18. Starting the Systems Development Process (continued)

19. Systems Analysis
Systems analysis is an in-depth study of end user information needs that produces functional requirements.

20. Systems Analysis (continued)
Traditionally involves a detailed study of…
Information needs of the company & end users
Activities, resources, & products of one or more of the present information systems
The IS capabilities required to meet information needs of the company, the end users, and all business stakeholders that may use the system

21. Systems Analysis (continued)
Organizational analysis
Study
Management structure
The people
Business activities
Environmental systems
The current information system

22. Systems Analysis (continued)
Analysis of the present system
Analyze how the present system..
Uses hardware
Uses software
Is networked
Uses people resources to convert data resources into information products.
How the IS activities of input, processing, output, storage, and control are accomplished.

23. Systems Analysis (continued)
Functional requirements analysis
What type of information does each business activity require?
Format, volume, frequency, response times
What are the information processing capabilities required?
Input, processing, output, storage, control

24. Systems Analysis (continued)
Functional requirements analysis (continued)
Finally, develop functional requirements
End user information requirements that are not tied to the hardware, software, network, data, and people resources
Goal – identify what should be done, not how to do it.

25. Systems Design
Specifies HOW the system will meet the information needs of users
Focuses on three major products
User interface design
Data design
Database structures
Process design
Processing and control procedures

26. Systems Design (continued)
User interface design
Focuses on supporting the interactions between end users and the computer-based applications
Display screens
Interactive user/computer dialogues
Audio responses
Forms, documents, and reports

27. Systems Design (continued)
System specifications
Formalizes the design of the application’s user interface methods & products
Formalizes database structures
Formalizes processing and control procedures

28. End User Development IS professionals play a consulting role
Training in the use of application packages
Assistance with the selection of hardware and software
Assistance in gaining access to organization databases
Assistance in the analysis, design, and implementation of your application

29. End User Development (continued)
The application development process
Output
What information is needed and in what form?
Input
What data are available? From what sources? In what form?

30. End User Development (continued)
The application development process (continued)
Processing
What operations or transformation processes will be required to convert available inputs into the desired output?
What software package can best perform the required operations?

31. End User Development (continued)
The application development process (continued)
Storage
Control
How will you protect against accidental loss or damage to end user files?

32. End User Development (continued)

33. Implementing e-Business Systems
Section II
Implementing e-Business Systems

34. Implementation
This is the actual deployment of the information technology system.
Follows the investigation, analysis, and design stages of the systems development cycle.

35. Implementing New Systems

36. Evaluating Hardware, Software, & Services
May require suppliers to present bids and proposals based on system specifications
Minimum acceptable physical & performance characteristics for all hardware and software requirements are established
Large businesses and government agencies formalize requirements by listing them in a Request for Proposal (RFP) or a Request for Quotation (RFQ)

37. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
May use a scoring system for evaluation
Determine evaluation factors and assign points
Performance of hardware and software must be demonstrated and evaluated
May use benchmark test programs

38. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors
Performance
Speed, capacity, throughput
Cost
Lease or purchase price
Cost of operations and maintenance

39. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Reliability
Risk of malfunction & maintenance requirements
Error control and diagnostic features
Compatibility
With existing hardware and software?
With hardware & software provided by competing suppliers?

40. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Technology
Year of product life cycle
Does it use a new, untested technology?
Does it run the risk of obsolescence?
Ergonomics
“human factors engineered”?
User-friendly?
Safe, comfortable, easy to use?

41. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Connectivity
Easily connected to WANs and LANs that use different types of network technologies and bandwidth alternatives?
Scalability
Can it handle the processing demands of end users, transactions, queries, & other processing requirements?

42. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Hardware evaluation factors (continued)
Software
Is system and application software available that can best use this hardware?
Support
Is support available?

43. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors
Quality
Bug free?
Efficiency
Well-developed system of program code that does not use much CPU time, memory capacity, or disk space?

44. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Flexibility
Can it handle our processes easily without major modification?
Security
Does it provide control procedures for errors, malfunctions, and improper use?

45. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Connectivity
Web-enabled?
Language
Is the programming language familiar to internal software developers?

46. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Documentation
Well-documented? Help screens and helpful software agents?
Hardware
Does existing hardware have the features required to best use this software?

47. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Software evaluation factors (continued)
Other factors
Performance, cost, reliability, availability, compatibility, modularity, technology, ergonomics, scalability, and support characteristics

48. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS Services
Performance
Past performance in view of past promises
Systems development
Are website and other e-business developers available? Quality and cost

49. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Maintenance
Is equipment maintenance provided? Quality and cost
Conversion
What systems development & installation services will they provide during the conversion period?

50. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Training
Provided? Quality and cost
Backup
Are similar computer facilities available nearby for emergency backup purposes?

51. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Accessibility
Services from local or regional sites?
Customer support center?
Customer hot line?
Business position
Financially strong with good industry market prospects?

52. Evaluating Hardware, Software, and Services (continued)
Evaluating IS services (continued)
Hardware
Provide a wide selection of compatible hardware devices and accessories?
Software
Offer a variety of useful e-business software and application packages?

53. Other Implementation Activities
Testing
May involve website performance testing
Testing and debugging software
Testing new hardware
Reviewing prototypes of displays, reports, and other output
Should occur throughout the development process

54. Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Documentation
Sample data entry screens, forms, and reports are examples.
Serves as a method of communication among the people responsible for developing, implementing, and maintaining the system
A detailed record of the system’s design
Important in diagnosing errors & making changes

55. Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Training
End users must be trained to operate a new e-business system or implementation will fail
May be limited in scope or may involve all aspects of the proper use of the new system
Managers and end users must be educated in how the new technology impacts business operations and management

56. Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Conversion methods
Parallel
Both old and new systems are operated until the project development team and end users agree to switch completely
Phased
Only parts of the new application or only a few locations at a time are converted

57. Other Implementation Activities (continued)
Conversion methods (continued)
Pilot
One department or other work site serves as a test site
Plunge
A direct cutover to the newly developed system

58. Other Implementation Activities (continued)

59. Other Implementation Activities (continued)
IS Maintenance
Systems maintenance
Postimplementation review

60. Discussion Questions
Why has prototyping become a popular way to develop e-business applications. What are prototyping’s advantages and disadvantages?
What are the three most important factors you would use in evaluating computer hardware? Computer software?

61. Discussion Questions (continued)
Assume that in your first week on a new job you are asked to use a type of business software that you have never used before. What kind of user training should your company provide to you before you start?
What is the difference between the parallel, plunge, phased, and pilot forms of IS conversion? Which strategy is best?

62. Discussion Questions (continued)
What are several key factors in designing a successful e-commerce or internet website?

63. Real World Case 1 – Fidelity Investments
Evaluating Usability in Website Design
Is a usability lab like Fidelity’s necessary, or are there other alternatives for testing usability in website design?
Which is the better approach?

64. Real World Case 1 (continued)
Evaluate the suggestions for good website design shared by companies in this case. Which are the most important to you?
In what order would you rate the companies in this case in terms of website design?

65. Real World Case 1 (continued)
What are your choices for the top five design failures at business websites?
Why were those your choices?

66. Real World Case 2 – PacifiCorp, Reynolds, & Zurich NA
This case describes a change in focus in IT project management from time to market and market share goals, to profitable projects completed on time and on budget.
Why has there been a change of focus in IT project management?
Is this change necessary?

67. Real World Case 2 (continued)
What are the reasons for the difference in the project management focus of the meetings held by PacifiCorp and Reynolds?
Which is more important?

68. Real World Case 2 (continued)
What are the benefits to IT project management of project status transparency and the project agreement as practiced by Zurich NA?
Will the change in focus in IT project management stifle creativity and innovation in business system design?

69. Real World Case 3 – IMG Worldwide
IT Resource Acquisition Strategies
Do you agree with the methods and criteria that Gergely Tapolyai of IMG uses to evaluate IT products?

70. Real World Case 3 (continued)
What characteristics of the OshKosh B’Gosh buying process should be implemented by other companies?

71. Real World Case 3 (continued)
What other evaluation methods and criteria (whether mentioned in this case or not) are crucial to the IT acquisition process?
Why?

72. Real World Case 4 – Macy’s and Lands’ End
Systems Design Criteria for Website Shopability
Considerations
Trust
Categories
Search
Product pages
Navigation

73. Real World Case 4 (continued)
How does the Macy’s website measure up to the five shopability criteria discussed in this case?
Which do you like best? Macy’s or the Lands’ End websites.

74. Real World Case 4 (continued)
What are several other website design suggestions that either website could make to improve their shopability?

75. Real World Case 5 – GM Locomotive Group
Failure in ERP System Implementation
GM Locomotive says the problem wasn’t with the ERP software. Then what DID cause the major failure of their ERP system?

76. Real World Case 5 (continued)
What major shortcomings in systems implementation, conversion, or project management practices do you recognize in this case?

77. Real World Case 5 (continued)
What would you advise GM Locomotive to do differently to avoid similar problems in their upcoming ERP implementations?