Chapter 20: Introduction to Systems Development and Systems Analysis Flashcards
systems development life cycle (SDLC)
a five-step process used to design and implement a new system
systems analysis
first SDLC step where the information needed to purchase, develop, or modify a system is gathered
conceptual design
second SDLC step where analysts decide how to meet user needs, identify and evaluate design alternatives, and develop detailed specifications for what the system is to accomplish and how it is to be controlled
physical design
third SDLC step where broad, user-oriented conceptual design requirements are translated into the detailed specifications used to code and test software, design input/output, create files/databases, develop procedures, and implement controls
implementation and conversion
fourth SDLC step where the company hires and trains employees, tests and modifies procedures, establishes standards and controls, completes documentation, moves to the new system, and detects and corrects design deficiencies
operations and maintenance
fifth SDLC step where the system is periodically reviewed and necessary modifications and improvements are made
information systems steering committee
high-level management who plan and oversee the IS function, setting IS policies that govern the AIS, ensuring top-management guidance and control, and coordinating and integrating systems activities
systems analysis
people who help users determine their information needs, study existing systems and design new ones, and prepare specifications used by computer programmers
computer programmers
people who write and test programs using the specifications developed by the analysts and modify and maintain existing computer programs
project development plan
document showing project requirements (people, hardware software, and financial), a cost-benefit analysis, and how a project will be completed (modules or tasks to be performed, who will perform them, and completion dates).
master plan
it describes what a system will consist of, how it will be developed, who will develop it, when it will be developed, how needed resources will be acquired, the status of projects in process, the prioritization of planned projects, and the prioritization criteria
program evaluation and review technique (PERT)
a way to plan, develop, coordinate, control, and schedule systems development activities; all activities, and precedent and subsequent relationships among activities, are identified and shown on a PERT diagram
critical path
the PERT path requiring the greatest amount of time to complete a project; if a critical path activity is delayed, the whole project is delayed
Gantt chart
a bar graph used for project planning. It shows project activities on the left, units of time across the top, and the time each activity is expected to take a horizontal bar
feasibility study
an investigation to determine whether it is practical to develop a new application or system
economic feasibility
determining whether system benefits justify the time, money, and resources required to implement it
technical feasibility
determining if a proposed system can be developed given the available technology
legal feasibility
determining if a proposed system will comply with all applicable federal and state laws, administrative agency regulations, and contractual obligations
scheduling feasibility
determining if a proposed system can be developed and implemented in the time allotted
operational feasibility
determining if the organization has access to people who can design, implement, and operate the proposed system and if employees will use the system
capital budgeting model
a return-on-investment technique use to compare estimated benefits and costs to determine whether a system is cost beneficial
payback period
a return-on-investment technique used to calculate the number of years required for the net savings of a system to equal its initial cost
net present value (NPV)
a return-on-investment technique that discounts all estimated future cash flows back to the present using a discount rate that reflects the time value of money
internal rate of return (IRR)
a return-on-investment technique that calculates the interest rate that makes the present value of total costs equal to the present value of total savings
behavioral aspects of change
the positive and negative ways people react to change; managing these behavioral reactions is crucial to successfully implementing a new system
aggression
resistance to change intended to destroy, cripple, or weaken system effectiveness, such as increased error rates, disruptions, or deliberate sabotage
projection
resistance to change that blames anything and everything on the new system, such that it becomes the scapegoat for all real and imagined problems and errors
avoidance
resistance to change where users ignore a new IS in the hope that the new system will eventually go away
request for systems development
a written request for a new or improved system that describes the current system’s problems, the reasons for the change, and the proposed system’s objectives, benefits, and costs
initial investigation
a preliminary investigation to determine whether a proposed new system is both needed and feasible
proposal to conduct systems analysis
a request to complete the systems analysis phase for a project that makes it through the initial investigation
systems survey
an extensive study of the current AIS
systems documentation
a complete description of how the system is supposed to work, including questionnaire copies, interview notes, memos, document copies, and models
physical model
the description of how a system functions by describing document flow, computer processes performed, the people performing them, and the equipment used
logical model
system description that focuses on what essential activities are performed and the flow of information irrespective of how the flow is actually accomplished
systems survey report
a report that summaries all the activities that took place during the systems survey, including all relevant documentation
systems analysis report
comprehensive report summarizing systems analysis that documents the findings of analysis activities
