1. Systems Analysis & Design
CSUN Information Systems
Systems Analysis & Design
System Proposal & Project Management
IS 431: Lecture 7

2. System Proposal & Project Management
Feasibility Analysis
Alternative (Candidate) System Solutions.
Cost-benefit Analysis
System Proposal Reports
Project Management
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

3. Feasibility Analysis
Feasibility is the measure of how beneficial or practical the development of an information system will be to an organization.
Creeping Commitment approach to feasibility proposes that feasibility should be measured throughout the life cycle.
Feasibility Analysis Checkpoints:
Systems Analysis — Preliminary Investigation
Systems Analysis — Problem Analysis
Systems Design — Decision Analysis
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

4. Feasibility Analysis …
Technical feasibility is a measure of the practicality of a specific technical solution and the availability of technical resources and expertise.
Operational feasibility is a measure of how well the solution will work in the organization. It is also a measure of how people feel about the system/project.
Economic feasibility is a measure of the cost-effectiveness of a project or solution.
Schedule feasibility is a measure of how reasonable the project timetable is.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

5. Cost-Benefit Analysis
Costs:
Development costs are one time costs that will not recur after the project has been completed.
Operating costs are costs that tend to recur throughout the lifetime of the system. Such costs can be classified as:
Fixed costs — occur at regular intervals but at relatively fixed rates.
Variable costs — occur in proportion to some usage factor.
Benefits:
Tangible benefits are those that can be easily quantified.
Intangible benefits are those benefits believed to be difficult or impossible to quantify.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

6. Costs for a Proposed Systems Solution
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

7. Economic Feasibility Payback Analysis Net Present Value
Payback analysis is to determine if and when an investment will pay for itself.
Payback period is the period of time that will lapse before accrued benefits overtake accrued and continuing costs.
Net Present Value
a dollar today is worth more than a dollar one year from now
Discount rate – a percentage that the business earns on investing money in other projects or investments: opportunity cost
IS 431 : Lecture 7

8. Economic Feasibility …
Return-on-Investment (ROI) Analysis – a technique that compares the lifetime profitability of alternative solutions.
ROI for a solution or project is a percentage rate that measures the relationship between the amount the business gets back from an investment and the amount invested.
Lifetime ROI = (estimated lifetime benefits – estimated lifetime costs) / estimated lifetime costs
Annual ROI = lifetime ROI / lifetime of the system
IS 431 : Lecture 7

9. Payback Analysis
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

10. Net Present Value (NPV) Analysis
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

11. Candidate Systems Matrix
Characteristics
Portion of System Computerized
Brief description of that portion of the system that would be computerized in this candidate.
Benefits
Brief description of the business benefits that would be realized for this candidate.
Servers and Workstations
A description of the servers and workstations needed to support this candidate.
Software Tools Needed
Software tools needed to design and build the candidate (e.g., database management system, emulators, operating systems, languages, etc.). Not generally applicable if applications software packages are to be purchased.
Candidate 1
COTS package from Entertainment Software Solutions would be purchased and customized to satisfy required functionality.
This solution can be implemented quickly because it’s a purchased solution.
Technically architecture dictates Pentium III, MS Windows 2000 class servers and workstations (clients).
MS Visual C++ and MS Access for customization of package to provide report writing and integration.
Candidate 2
Member Services and warehouse operations in relation to order fulfillment.
Fully supports user required business processes for SoundStage Inc. Plus more efficient interaction with member accounts.
Same as candidate 1.
MS Visual Basic 5.0 System Architect 2001 Internet Explorer
Candidate 3
Same as candidate 2.
MS Visual Basic 5.0
System Architect 2001
Internet Explorer
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

12. Candidate Systems Matrix …
Characteristics
Application Software
A description of the software to be purchased, built, accessed, or some combination of these techniques.
Method of Data Processing
Generally some combination of: on-line, batch, deferred batch, remote batch, and real-time.
Output Devices and Implications
A description of output devices that would be used, special output requirements, (e.g., network, preprinted forms, etc.), and output considerations (e.g., timing constratints)
Candidate 1
Package solution
Client/Server
(2) HP4MV department laser printers
(2) HP5SI LAN laser printers
Candidate 2
Custom solution
Same as candidate 1.
(2) HP4MV department laser printers.
(1) PRINTRONIX bar-code printer (includes software & drivers)
Web pages must be designed to VGA resolution. All internal screens will be designed for SVGA resolution.
Candidate 3
Same as candidate 2.
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

13. Candidate Systems Matrix …
Characteristics
Input devices and Implications
A description of input methods to be used, input devices (e.g., keyboard, mouse, etc.), special input requirements (e.g., new or revised forms from which data would be input), and input considerations (e.g., timing of actual inputs).
Storage Devices and Implications
Brief description of what data would be stored, what data would be accessed from existing stores, what storage media would be used, how much storage capacity would be needed, and how data would be organized.
Candidate 1
Keyboard & mouse.
MS SQL Server DBMS with 1000GB arrayed capability.
Candidate 2
Apple “Quick Take” digital camera and software
(15) PSC Quickscan laser bar-code scanners
(1) HP Scanjet 4C Flatbed Scanner
Keyboard and mouse
Same as candidate 1.
Candidate 3
Same as candidate 2.
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

14. Feasibility Matrix
No additional notes
IS 431 : Lecture 7

15. Requirements Statement
No additional notes
IS 431 : Lecture 7

16. Project vs. Process Management
Project Management is the process of scoping, planning, staffing, organizing, directing, and controlling the development of an acceptable system at a minimum cost within a specified time frame.
Process Management is an ongoing activity that documents, manages the use of, and improves an organization’s chosen methodology (the “process”) for system development. Process management is concerned with the activities, deliverables, and quality standards to be applied to all projects.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

17. Measures of Project Success
The resulting information system is acceptable to the customer.
The system was delivered “on time.”
The system was delivered “within budget.”
The system development process had a minimal impact on ongoing business operations.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

18. Poor Expectations Management
Scope Creep – the unexpected and gradual growth of requirements during an information systems project.
Feature Creep– the uncontrolled addition of technical features to a system.
No additional notes.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

19. Causes of Project Failure
Failure to establish upper-management commitment to the project
Lack of organization’s commitment to the system development methodology
Taking shortcuts through or around the system development methodology
Poor expectations management
Premature commitment to a fixed budget and schedule
Poor estimating techniques
Overoptimism
The mythical man-month (Brooks, 1975)
Inadequate people management skills
Failure to adapt to business change
Insufficient resources
Failure to “manage to the plan”
IS 431 : Lecture 7

20. Inter-task Dependencies
Finish-to-start (FS)—The finish of one task triggers the start of another task.
Start-to-start (SS)—The start of one task triggers the start of another task.
Finish-to-finish (FF)—Two tasks must finish at the same time.
Start-to-finish (SF)—The start of one task signifies the finish of another task.
IS 431 : Lecture 7

21. Task Splitting & Delaying
Critical Path – the sequence of dependent tasks that determines the earliest possible completion date of the project.
Tasks that are on the critical path cannot be delayed without delaying the entire project schedule. To achieve resource leveling, critical tasks can only be split.
Slack Time – the amount of delay that can be tolerated between the starting time and completion time of a task without causing a delay in the completion date of the entire project.
Tasks that have slack time can be delayed to achieve resource leveling
IS 431 : Lecture 7

22. PERT Chart Legend Project Initiation Problem Analysis
N/A
Task
Task
N/A
Scheduled
Scheduled
intertask
Scheduled
Scheduled
Start
Finish
dependency
Start
Finish
Actual
Actual
Actual Start
Finish
Actual Start
Preliminary Investigation
Finish
Problem Analysis
Requirements Analysis
Decision Analysis
Design
Construction
In Progress
Implementation
TBD
TBD
IS 431 : Lecture 7

23. Microsoft Project PERT Chart
IS 431 : Lecture 7

24. Critical Path The critical path is highlighted in red Duration
TASK C
Fri 2/9/01
2 days
0 days D
Tue 2/20/01
7 days I
Tue 2/27/01
5 days E
Mon 2/19/01
6 days
1 day B
Wed 2/7/01 A
Mon 2/5/01
3 days H
Thu 2/15/01 F
Wed 2/14/01
Fri 2/16/01 G
Duration
Slack Time
No additional notes
IS 431 : Lecture 7

25. Gantt Chart Legend Today IS 431 : Lecture 7 ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Incomplete Task
Complete Task
Legend ID 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Preliminary investigation
Problem analysis
Requirements analysis
Decision analysis
Design
Construction
Implementation
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
2001
Task Name
Today
IS 431 : Lecture 7

26. Microsoft Project Gantt Chart
IS 431 : Lecture 7

27. Scheduling Strategies
Forward Scheduling – a project scheduling approach that establishes a project start date and then schedules forward from that date.
Reverse Scheduling – a project scheduling strategy that establishes a project deadline and then schedules backward from that date.
IS 431 : Lecture 7