Unit 4

Question 1

Project Identification and Selection

Answer 1

Projects are triggered when someone sees an opportunity to create business value (cost reduction, new products and services, improved productivity) from using information technology.

Users of Current System
IT/MIS group
Top Management
Externally imposed

Question 2

System Request

Lists key elements of the project

Answer 2

Lists key elements of the project
Project name
Project sponsor
Business need (Symptoms)
Functionality (Objectives)
Expected value
Special issues or constraints (Scope)

Question 3

Confirming Project Feasibility

Answer 3

Technological feasibility
CanWe Build It?
Economic feasibility
ShouldWe Build It?
Organizational and cultural feasibility
If we build it, will they come?

Question 4

Systems Analysis Activities

Answer 4

Gather Detailed Information about current system

Interviews, questionnaires, documents, observing business processes, researching vendors, comments and suggestions
Model the current (As-is) System
Analyze the Model to identify solutions to problems
Define Requirements
functional requirements and non-functional requirements
Develop a model for the proposed (to-be) system
Prepare a functional specification document

Question 5

What Are Requirements?

Answer 5

System Requirements =
Functional requirements
Non-functional requirements

Functional Requirements–the activities the system must perform
Business uses, functions the users carry out

Non-Functional Requirements–other system characteristicsConstraints and performance goals

Question 6

FURPS+ Requirements Acronym

Answer 6

Functional requirements
Usability requirements
Reliability requirements
Performance requirements
Security requirements

Question 7

Look at FURPS+ Requirements Acronym Diagram

Answer 7

Do it

Question 8

Information Gathering

Answer 8

1background information such as company’s overall objectives, goals, organization structure etc.

2. employees, their duties and responsibilities within the unit.
3. processes performed, process triggers, who performs those activities, what inputs/data are used, sources of inputs/data, how they are used, what outputs are produced, where those outputs are sent, who uses the outputs
4. the sequence of processes
5. volume and frequency of data and processes
6. controls over input, process, and output.
7. system boundaries

Question 9

Information-Gathering Methods

Answer 9

Review existing reports, forms, and procedure descriptions
Interview and discuss processes with users
Observe and document business processes
Build prototypes
Distribute and collect questionnaires
Conduct joint application design (JAD) sessions

Question 10

Review Existing Reports, Forms, and Procedure Descriptions

Answer 10

Source: External industry-wide professional organizations and trade publications

Source: Existing business documents and procedure descriptions within organization

Identify business rules, discrepancies, and redundancies
Obtain preliminary understanding of processes
Use as guidelines/visual cues to guide interviews
Look for user additions to forms/reports
Look for unused form/report elements

Question 11

Conduct Interviews and Discussions with Users

Answer 11

Effective way to understand business functions and rules
Time consuming and resource expensive
May require multiple sessions to
Meet all users
Understand all processing requirements
Can meet with individuals or groups of users
List of detailed questions prepared

Question 12

Observe and Document Business Processes

Answer 12

Varies from office walkthroughs to performing actual tasks
Not necessary to observe all processes at same level of detail
May make users nervous, so use common sense

Question 13

Build Prototypes

Answer 13

Preliminary working model of a larger, more complex system component
Discovery, design, evolving prototypes
Prototype should be
Operative •Working model to provide “look and feel”
Focused to accomplish single objective
Quick•Built and modified rapidly with CASE tools

Question 14

Distribute and Collect Questionnaires

Answer 14

Limited and specific information from a large number of stakeholders
Preliminary insight into business
Confirm understanding of the system with large user base
Not well suited for gathering detailed process information

Question 15

Joint Application Design

Answer 15

Session leader trained in group dynamics and JAD group facilitation
Knowledgeable business and system users and policy makers
Technical staff representatives to handle
Computer and network configurations
Operating environments
Security issues
Project team members

Question 16

Look at A JAD Facility Diagram

Answer 16

DO IT