Chapter 4 : Planning Flashcards
2 major steps for Planning Phase
- Project Initiation ( Project Identifications )
- Preliminary Investigation ( Feasibility Study
What is System Planning?
- Fundamental process of understanding why an information system should be build and determine how the project team will go about building it
When is Project Initiation occurs?
- Someone in an organization identifies that there is a need to improve an existing system or a new system is needed to improve business operations
Where does idea mostly come from?
- Outside IT department
- Marketing
- Accounting
List out the sub steps for Project Initiation ( 3 )
- System Request
- Reasons for System Request ( New / Enhancement )
- Sources of System Request
What is the technique used by most organization when initiating a project?
- Systems Request
- Documents the business reasons for building the system and the value that the system is expected to provide
Why most organization use System Request?
- A formal way of asking for assistance from the information systems department
List out things that Systems Request might propose ( 3 )
- Enhancements for an Existing System
- The correction of problems
- The development of an entire new information system
- Commonly submit a System Request Form
List out the advantages of System Request ( 6 )
- Streamlines the request process
- Ensures consistency
- Easy to understand
- Includes clear instructions
- Indicates what supporting documents are needed
- Most companies use online system request forms that users submitted electrinically
Which organizations have System Review Committee?
- Most Large Organizations
- To evaluate systems request
What is the advantages provided by Systems Review Committee? ( 2 )
- Broader Viewpoint which priorities more effectively than an individual
- One person’s bias is less likely to affect the decisions
What is the disadvantages with system requests? ( 3 )
- Action on requests must wait until the committee meets
- Members might favor projects requested by their own departments
- Internal political differences could delay important decisions
List out 5 reasons for system requests ( 5 )
- Improved Service
- Better Performance
- More Information
- Stronger Controls
- Reduced Cost
What is the aim for Improved Service?
- Improving service to customers, suppliers, or users within the company
- Examples
- Can check balance
- Can register online
Why organizations need to improve performance?
- Current system might not meet performance requirements
- Slow to respond to data inquiries
- Unable to support company growth
- System becomes obsolete when new h/w is introduced
Why organizations need to provide more information for the system
- The system might produce information that is insufficient, incomplete, or unable to provide company’s changing information need
- May not be able to analyze market trends
Why organization need to improve stronger controls
- System might need better security and support functionalities
- Passwords / Encryption
Why organization need to reduce costs of a system?
- To provide a more cost effective and better support for long term objectives
- Expensive to operate & maintain old systems
List out the External Factor affecting System Request ( 7 )
- Software & Hardware Vendors
- Technology
- Suppliers
- Customers
- Competitors
- Economy
- Government
List out the Internal Factor affecting System Request ( 7 )
- Top Management Executives
- User Requests
- Information Technology Department
- Existing Systems
What does the System Analyst have to define after understanding Project Initiation?
- Problems and objectives of the system
- Form the fundation of determining what needs to be accomplished by the system
What does a problem definition usually contains?
- Some sort of Problem Statement, summarized in a paragraph or 2
- Followed by a series of issues, major, independent pieces of the problem
- Issues are current situation
What is Project Objectives?
- Problem Statement / Issues are followed by a series of objective, or goals that match the issues point by point
What is the difference of issues and objectives?
- Issues are the current situation
- Objectives are the desired situation
- Objectives may be very specific or worded using a general statement
What must system analyst do to obtain more precise information about the objectives?
- Follow-up Interview
What must be determined after the objectives are stated?
- Relative importance of the issues or objecties
Who is recommended for the identification of the most critical objectives?
- Users ( Support of Analysis )
- They are domain experts in their business area and in how they work best with technologies in the organization
List out 1 technique to define project objectives
- Ask the users ( Support of Analysis ) to assign a weight for each issue or objective of the first draft of the problem definition
What is the factor for order re-sequenced in problem definition issues and objectives?
- Decreasing importance
List out some of the examples of objectives
- To provide Web access to their account and a means for them to update the
number of guests. Notify management of changes. - To provide a means to determine overall quantities of supplies for events
occurring within a concurrent time frame. - To provide a system for communicating changes to key personnel at event
facilities. - To store all event data and make summary information available in a variety of
formats
- To provide, To create, To store
What does Project Scope defines?
- Define specific boundaries, or extent, of the project
- Example
Very general:-- Payroll is not being produced accurately.
- The project scope is to modify the accounts receivable system.
Very specific:- - Overtime pay is not being calculated correctly for production workers on the second
shift at the Yorktown plant. - The project scope is to allow customers to inquire online about account balances
and recent transactions.
Some analysts find it helpful to define project scope by creating a list with sections, list out 4 of the sections
- Must Do
- Should Do
- Could Do
- Won’t Do
When the Project Scope is reviewed?
- During the systems analysis phase, when the systems requirements document is developed
What projects scope are at risk of expanding gradually?
- Projects with very general scope
What should we need to identify along with defining the scope of the project?
- Constraints
What domain that a constraint can involve? ( 6 )
- Hardware
- Software
- Time
- Policy
- Law
- Cost
- Examples
1. The system must operate with existing hardware, that is a constraint that affects
potential solutions.
2. The order entry system must accept input from 15 remote sites.
3. The human resources information system must produce statistics on hiring
practices.
4. The new Web site must be operating by March 1
What is the advantages using Gantt Chart?
- Effective when seeking to communicate schedule
What is Gantt Chart?
- A horizontal bar chart that graphically display the time relationships between the different task in a project
What is Work Breakdown Structure?
- Process of dividing the project into manageable task and logically ordering them to ensure a smooth transition between tasks
- Hierarchial decomposition of project into phases, activities & tasks
List out the factor to determine successful systems
- Satisfy business requirements
- Meet users needs
- Stay within budget
- Be completed on time
List out reasons for project failure ( 11 )
- Unclear requirements, targets, or scope
- Shortcuts or sloppy work
- Poor design choices
- Insufficient testing or test procedures
- Lack of software change control
- Changes in culture, funding or objectives
- Unrealistic cost estimates
- Poor monitoring and control of progress
- Inadequate reaction to early signs of problems
- Failure to recognize activity independencies
- Personality conflicts and employee turnover
What actions does Systems Analyst conducts?
- Preliminary investigation to study the systems request and recommend specific action
What is the end product of preliminary investigation
- Report to Management
What does Analyst gather facts for?
- Problem
- Opportunity
- Project Scope
- Constraints
- Project Benefits
- Estimated Development Time & Cost
Who does Systems Analyst interact with to describe the project, explain responsibilities, answer questions, invite comments? ( 3 )
- Key Managers
- Users
- IT Staff
What is the purpose of Preliminary Investigation Overview?
- Gather enough information to determine if the information or problems specified in the systems request warrant
List out the table of content for the document ( 8 )
- Introduction
- Systems Request Summary
- Findings
- Case for Action
- Project Roles
- Time and Costs Estimates
- Expected Benefits
- Appendix
