System Analysis and Design

Dr. Aymen Zreikat Mutah University IT department

Systems Analysis and Design

Topics The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)
Planning Analysis Design Implementation

Systems Development Methodologies Project Team Skills and Roles

The Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC)

The SDLC is composed of four fundamental phases: Planning Analysis Design Implementation
Each of the phases include a set of steps, which rely on techniques that produce specific document files that provide understanding about the project.

Phase I: Planning
This phase is the fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be built. The Planning phase will also determine how the project team will go about building the system. The Planning phase is composed of two planning steps.

Two Planning Steps 1. During project initiation, the systems business value to the organization is identified (How will it lower costs and/or increase revenues?) 2. During project management, the project manager creates a work plan, staffs the project, and puts techniques in place to help the project team control and direct the project through the entire SDLC
5

Phase II: Analysis

The analysis phase answers the questions of who will use the system, what the system will do, and where and when it will be used? During this phase the project team investigates any current system(s), identifies improvement opportunities, and develops a concept for the new system. This phase has three analysis steps:
6

Three Analysis Steps

1. Analysis strategy: This is developed to guide the projects teams efforts. This includes an analysis of the current system. 2. Requirements gathering: The analysis of this information leads to the development of a concept for a new system. This concept is used to build a set of analysis models. 3. System proposal: The proposal is presented to the project sponsor and other key individuals who decide whether the project should continue to move forward
7

Three Analysis Steps The system proposal is the initial deliverable that describes what business requirements the new system should meet. The deliverable from this phase is both an analysis and a high-level initial design for the new system.

Phase III: Design

In this phases it is decided how the system will operate, in terms of the hardware, software, and network infrastructure; the user interface, forms, and reports that will be used; and the specific programs, databases, and files that will be needed.

Four Design Steps

1. Design Strategy: This clarifies whether the system will be developed by the company or outside the company. 2. Architecture Design: This describes the hardware, software, and network infrastructure that will be used. 3. Database and File Specifications: These documents define what and where the data will be stored. 4. Program Design: Defines what programs need to be written and what they will do.
10

Phase IV: Implementation

During this phase, the system is either developed or purchased (in the case of packaged software). This phase is usually the longest and most expensive part of the process. The phase has three steps.

11

Three Implementation Steps

1. Installation: Prepare to support the installed system. 2. System Construction: The system is built and tested to make sure it performs as designed. 3. Support Plan: Includes a post-implementation review. PIR: is an assessment and review of the
completed working solution. It will be performed after a period of live running.
12

Systems Development Methodologies

13

Systems Development Methodologies

A methodology is generally a guideline for solving a problem, with specific components such as phases, tasks, methods, techniques and tools. In this class, is a formalized approach to implementing the SDLC. The methodology will vary depending on whether the emphasis is on businesses processes or on the data that supports the business
14

Process models Here, the focus is on defining the activities associated with the system: sell, buy, register, etc. representing the system concept as a set of processes with information flowing into and out of the processes.

15

Data models
Here the focus is on defining the content of the data storage and how they are organized: customers, items, bells, etc. representing the system concept as a set of objects (data items) using some processes to govern the relations between these objects.

16

17

Waterfall Development-based Methodology

18

Waterfall Development
With waterfall development- based methodologies, the analysts and users proceed sequentially from one phase to the next. The two key advantages of waterfall development-based methodologies are: - The system requirements are identified long before programming begins. - Changes to the requirements are minimized as the project proceeds.
19

Waterfall Development
The two key disadvantages of waterfall development-based methodologies are: - The design must be completely specified before programming begins. - A long time elapses between the completion of the system proposal in the analysis phase and the delivery of the system.

20

Parallel Development Methodology

21

Parallel Development
This methodology attempts to address the long time interval between the analysis phase and the delivery of the system.

22

Phased Development-based Methodology

23

Phased Development
This methodology breaks the overall system into a series of versions that are developed sequentially. The team categorizes the requirements into a series of versions, then the most important and fundamental requirements are organized into the first version of the system. As each version is completed, the team begins work on a new version.
24

Prototyping-based Methodology

25

Prototyping
Prototyping-based methodologies perform the analysis, design and implementation phases concurrently. All three phases are performed repeatedly in a cycle until the system is completed. A prototype is a smaller version of the system with a minimal amount of features.

26

Prototyping
Advantage: Provides a system for the users to interact with, even if it is not initially ready for use. Disadvantage: Users can get too involved this results a low standard system and perhaps legal problems.

27

Throwaway Prototyping

28

Throwaway Prototyping
Throwaway prototyping methodologies are similar to prototyping based methodologies. The main difference is that the prototype is not converted to the final product, it is only used to assert the users requirements to help the analysis and design phases. Has relatively a detailed analysis phase.
29

Agile Development Methodology

30

Agile Development Methodology

This methodology uses extreme programming Key principles of XP include: Continuous testing Simple coding Close interaction with the end users to build systems very quickly

31

Selecting the Appropriate Development Methodology

Selecting a methodology is not simple, as no one methodology is always the best. Many organizations have their own standards.

32

Selecting the Appropriate Development Methodology

Some important methodology selection criteria:
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Clarity of User Requirements Familiarity with Technology System Complexity System Reliability Short Time Schedules Schedule Visibility
33

Clarity of User Requirements Methodologies of prototyping, throwaway prototyping and agile are usually more appropriate when user requirements are unclear as they allow users to interact early in the SDLC.

34

Familiarity with Technology If the system is designed without some familiarity with the base technology, risks increase because the tools may not be capable of doing what is needed. Throwaway prototyping methodology increase familiarity with the base technology

35

System Complexity Complex systems require careful and detailed analysis and design. This can be provided by Throwaway prototyping methodologies as the prototype can be tested and the system re-analyzed and re-designed in details.

36

System Reliability System reliability is usually an important factor in system development. Throwaway prototyping methodologies are most appropriate when system reliability is a high priority. Prototyping methodologies are generally not a good choice as they lack careful analysis and design phases.
37

Short Time Schedules Parallel and Phased methodologies are well suited for projects with short time schedules as they increase speed. Waterfall methodologies are the worst choice when time is essential as they do not allow for easy schedule changes.

38

Schedule Visibility Prototyping and Phased methodologies move many of the critical design decisions earlier in the project; consequently, this helps project managers recognize and address risk factors and keep expectations high.

39

Criteria for Selecting a Methodology

Ability to develop systems Unclear user requirements Unfamiliar technology waterfall parallel phased Prototype Throwaway Agile prototyping poor poor poor poor good good good poor good good good good exclnt exclnt exclnt poor poor poor exclnt exclnt exclnt exclnt exclnt exclnt good good exclnt poor poor good exclnt good
40

That one complex good That one reliable With Short time With schedule visibility good poor poor

Project Team Skills and Roles

41

Project Team Skills and Roles

Projects should consist of a variety of skilled individuals in order for a system to be successful. five major skill sets an analyst should have include: Technical Business Analytical Interpersonal Management
42

Project Team Skills and Roles

Technical Must understand how computer, database, operating system and network works Must have enough experience with computer capabilities (H/W & S/W) Should be familiar with Programming language Operating system Database System development tools CASE and CAD tools
43

Project Team Skills and Roles

Business Identify the key business aspects of the system Identify how the system will provide business value Analytical System thinking Components, boundaries, environment, input, output, interface, purpose, sub-system

44

Project Team Skills and Roles

Interpersonal Communication skills Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with others Written form (reports) Verbal form (phone, face to face) Visual (presentation slides, diagrams)

45

Project Team Skills and Roles

Management Resource management Project management Change management

46

Categories of Analysts
Business Analyst Systems Analyst Infrastructure Analyst Change Management Analyst Project Manager

47

End of ch1

48