BUS 394 - Topic 1/2 Flashcards
T1- ; T2 - Planning phase
What is a system?
- a computerized system used to view, transmit, or manipulate
information
Practically, can be almost anything computerized
- Web site
- Mobile app
- Desktop application
systems analyst
responsible for analyzing business problems and
designing technical solutions
Fundamentally, they are responsible for conducting analysis and design
Systems Design Life Cycle (SLDC)
Phases which delineate major activities in developing
a system
- can be completed concurrently or sequentially, depdning on the method used
SLDC phases
Planning, Analysis, Design, Implementation
Planning phase (SLDC)
Project is formally proposed
Feasibility is assessed
Analysis Phase (SLDC)
Requirements are gathered
Detailed writeups/models/diagrams are developed
Design Phase (SLDC)
Solution decisions are finalized
System is fully designed and specifications are documented
Implementation Phase (SLDC)
System is initiated
On-going system support
Project
A project is an activity which achieves specific objectives through a set of defining tasks and effective use of resources
Project goals
Target, time, Budget
These goals are ongoing, but they begin in the planning phase
System
information system that achieves some organizational purpose.
What are the 2 main activities in the planning phase
project selection and feasibility assessment
What are the purposes of the planning phase
- project initiation and definition
- project motivation
- project feasibility
Project selection (components)
Project Competition
- Project selection is very important to organizations. Not all projects will be funded.
- The question is not necessarily “Why do this project?” but rather “Why do this project instead of other projects?”
Project Justification
- Therefore, most organizations ask for a formal proposal before starting a project.
- The proposal typically involves a system request.
What are the elements of a Systems Request?
Project Sponsor, Project overview, Business requirements, Business Value, Special Issues/ constraints
Business Requirements vs Business Value
Business requirements
- brief, high level description
- the system will benefit the org by ….
Business Value
- more specific (qualitative) impacts to the org
Who/ how do they select projects?
Every organization is different
Some possibilities include:
- top management
- steering committee
- functional area
- development team
Who selects the projects determines how they select the projects.
Strategies for project selection
- value chain analysis
- strategic alignment
- potential benefits
- resource availability
- project site/ Duration
- Technical difficulties/ risks
Why determine Feasibility?
- Not every good idea is a good idea.
- System Request presumes a successful project
- Feasibility assessment determines if success is likely and if it is desirable
3 main types of feasibilty
technical feasibility
economic feasibility
organizational feasibility
Technical Feasibility
Evaluates resources:
- people, skills, experience, hardware/ software, etc.
Key questions
- Can we complete this project
if not, can we obtain the resources needed to complete this project
Economic Feasibility
Evaluates Cost/ Benefits:
- Costs: initial and ongoing costs
- benefits: tangible and intangible benefits
Organizational Feasibilty
Evaluation of acceptance:
- perceived usefulness, relative advantage over existing system, impact on the org, cultural fit, etc
Other Considerations for feasibility
- Schedule feasibility
- Legal/Contractual feasibility
