Systems
Development
Why is Packaged Software
Sometimes Not Enough?
Chapter 12
Student Learning Outcomes
1. Discuss why organizations develop computer
systems
2. List the six phases within the systems
development life cycle (SDLC) and describe
the major purposes of each
3. Define the people who are included on most
project development teams
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Student Learning Outcomes
4. Describe the reasons why modeling systems
from both a logical and physical perspective is
important
5. Define end user development and how it
differs from the traditional systems
development life cycle (SDLC) and the
advantages and disadvantages of end user
development
6. Describe why organizations choose to
outsource systems development and the major
steps in outsourcing
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Student Learning Outcomes
5. Define end user development and how it
differs from the traditional systems
development life cycle (SDLC) and the
advantages and disadvantages of end user
development
6. Describe why organizations choose to
outsource systems development and the major
steps in outsourcing
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Introduction
Organizations today are very dependent on
computer systems. To develop successful
computer systems requires great skill and
knowledge. Most people will not be involved
in actually developing systems from scratch
but they will certainly be using them.
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12.1 Why Organizations
Develop Systems
Become more efficient
Level the competitive playing field
Achieve an advantage through innovation
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Developing Systems to
Become More Efficient
• Some organizations develop systems just
to be more efficient in their internal
processes
• New system may not be designed to yield
a market advantage but to add to the
survivability and the bottom line of an
organization by making it more productive
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Developing Systems to Level
the Competitive Playing Field
• Developing new
systems to stay
competitive in the
marketplace is often a
“reactionary” measure
– Example: UPS and the
U.S. Postal System
developed a tracking
system similar to
FedEx
p.12.359 Fig. 12.1
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Developing a System to Achieve an
Advantage Through Innovation
FedEx developed its new customer-oriented parcel tracking
software to achieve an advantage over its competitors.
Results
1. Until UPS and others were able to develop similar systems
FedEx attracted many new customers (away from its competition).
2. FedEx was also able to reduce the number of people handling
incoming phone calls for parcel pickup and tracking.
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Example of Achieving
Advantage Through Innovation
• Self-scanning
systems at the
grocery store helped
to achieve a
competitive
advantage
• People can get
through the checkout
process quickly
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12.2 The Traditional Systems
Development Life Cycle
p.12.360 Fig. 12.2
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Why Your Participation is
Important in the SDLC
• You are or will be a:
– Business process
expert
– Quality control
analyst
– Manager of other
people
• Your participation is
important
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Richmond Blood Center
Current System
2
1
4
3
p.12.361 Fig. 12.3
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First Phase of the SDLC Systems Investigation
Four tasks:
SimNet
1. Define the
Problem/Opportunity
2. Assess Initial
Feasibility
3. Build the Project
Team
4. Create A Systems
Development Project
Plan
Concepts Support CD: “Systems Development Overview”
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Systems Investigation
p.12.362 Fig. 12.4
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Initial Feasibility
Assessment
Time feasibility assessment
Technical feasibility assessment
Fiscal feasibility assessment
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Composition of Systems
Development: Project Teams
System
Champion
Programmer(s)
Several
Users
Hardware
Specialist(s)
Systems
Analyst(s)
Project
Manager
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Elements of a Systems
Development Project Plan
p.12.363 Fig. 12.5
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Project Management
Software
• Most project teams use project
management software such as Microsoft
Project to help them effectively manage
the project plan and organize all of the
documents associated with the
development of a specific project
SimNet
Concepts Support CD: “Project
Management Applications”
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Systems Analysis
p.12.364 Fig. 12.6
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Systems Analysis Phase
• Model how the current system works
from a logical point of view
• Identify current system weaknesses
and the opportunities to improve
• Create a logical model of the new
system
• Review the project plan
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Richmond Blood Center
Data Flow Diagram (DFD)
p.12.365 Fig. 12.7
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Systems Design
p.12.366 Fig. 12.8
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Systems Design Phase
• Generate several alternative technical
solutions for the new logical model
• Select the best technical alternative
• Develop detailed software
specifications
• Review the project plan
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Richmond Blood Center
Flowchart
p.12.367 Fig. 12.9
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Intranet Protected by a Firewall
Richmond Blood Center
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Systems Construction
p.12.368 Fig. 12.10
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Systems Construction
Phase
•
•
•
•
•
Acquire and installing new hardware
Write software
Test the software
Review the project plan
Note: 80 to 90 percent of all efforts
are devoted to this phase
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Systems Implementation
p.12.369 Fig. 12.11
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Systems Implementation
Phase
• Convert existing information to the
new system
• Convert users
• Perform Acceptance testing
• Review the project plan
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Conversion Techniques
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Systems Support
p.12.370 Fig. 12.12
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Systems Support Phase
• Provide a formal mechanism for
system review
• Provide mechanism for requesting
changes
• Evaluate proposed system changes
• Initiate system changes
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Systems Support: Seek Answers
Frequently to these Questions
1. Does this system still support the overall
business goals?
2. Do modifications need to be made to this system
in light of changes to business processes?
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Support Costs for a System
p.12.371 Fig. 12.13
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12.3 End User Development
and Prototyping
•
Organizations develop computer systems using
three different methods:
SDLC
End User
Development
Outsourcing
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End User Development
• End user development is growing in
popularity
• It is estimated that most organizations
have a five year back-log of requests for
new proposed systems
• Organizations are empowering employees
to develop small-scale systems
themselves
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Prototyping
• Prototyping is the process of building a
model that demonstrates the features of
a proposed product, service, or system
• People and organizations perform
prototyping all the time i.e.,
– Automobile manufacturers
– Building contractors
– Your instructor (sample exam questions)
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Prototyping: An Iterative
Process
1. Identify the basic requirements of the system
2. Build a prototype from basic requirements
3. Have other users review the prototype and suggest changes
4. Refine and enhance the prototype until it’s complete
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Prototyping
SDLC Prototyping
End User Development Prototyping
p.12.373 Fig. 12.14
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End User Development
Cycle
p.12.374 Fig. 12.15
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Advantages of End User
Development
•
•
•
•
Encourages active user participation
Improves requirements determination
Strengthens user sense of ownership
Increases speed of systems development
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Disadvantages of End User
Development
• Inadequate expertise leads to
underdeveloped systems
• Lack of organizational focus creates
"privatized" system
• Insufficient analysis and design leads to
subpar systems
• Lack of documentation of a system may
lead to its being short lived
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12.4 Outsourcing
•
•
Another alternative to developing a
computer system
Delegation of work to a group outside of
your organization for:
– A specified period of time
– A specified cost
– A specified level of service
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Ways an Organization Can
Outsource
• Purchasing
horizontal software
• Purchasing vertical
market software
• Hiring an
outsource vendor
to develop from
scratch
p.12.375 Fig. 12.16
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How Outsourcing Compares
to SDLC
• Organization turns over much of the
design, construction, implementation, and
support steps to another organization
• Organization is still responsible for:
– Investigation
– Analysis
– Creating a request for proposal
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Outsourcing Cycle
p.12.376 Fig. 12.17
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A System May be Targeted
for Outsourcing When:
• It is determined that the in-house IT
specialists do not have enough time or
resources to build a system
• The organization does not possess the
expertise to develop a given system
• It is determined that it is cheaper to buy
prewritten horizontal or vertical market
software than it is to develop it from
scratch
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Building a Request for
Proposal (RFP)
• RFP is a formal document that outlines the
logical requirements for the proposed
system and invites outsourcing vendors to
bid on its development
• RFP can be long and complex, requiring
months to create. Do not rush through it
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RFP: Outsourcing
p.12.377 Fig. 12.18
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Advantages/Disadvantages
of Outsourcing
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Evaluating an RFP
• Evaluate all bids and decide on which
outsourcing vendor to use
• Once the vendor is decided upon, a lengthy and
legal process follows during which a legally
binding document must be developed that both
organizations sign stating:
–
–
–
–
exactly what work is to be carried out
how and when payments will be made
project time frame
how your organization can get out of the contract if
the outsourcing vendor does not live up to its end
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Test and Accept the
Outsource Solution
• Steps performed during testing and acceptance:
–
–
–
–
software is completely tested
Train users
Convert old information to the new system
Convert users to the new system
• If the software does not perform according to the
specifications – DO NOT accept the system.
Have the outsourcer fix the problem(s)
immediately
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Systems Support and
Relationship Evaluation
• Perform a periodic review of the system
• Provide a formal mechanism through
which users can request changes, and
evaluate their worth
• Reevaluate your relationship with the
outsourcing vendor
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12.5 Key Terms
• End user
development
• Outsourcing
• Prototyping
• Request for
proposal
• Systems analyst
• Systems
construction phase
• Systems design phase
• Systems
implementation phase
• Systems investigation
• Systems support
• Traditional systems
development life cycle
(SDLC)
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Review of Concepts
1. Understanding Your Roles in Each Step of
the SDLC
 When are you a business process expert, quality
control analyst, and manager of other people?
2. Understanding the Relationships among the
SDLC and a Request for Proposal
3. Identifying Steps within Phases of the SDLC
 A great way to study for your exam
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Hands On Projects
E-Commerce
1. Researching Horizontal Market Software
2. Buying Sports Gear
3. Buying Event Tickets
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Hands On Projects
Ethics, Security & Privacy
1. When Should You Consider Ethics,
Security, and Privacy while Developing a
System?
 During which phases is it most important?
2. What to do When Software Produces the
Wrong Result
 If you won the lottery because of a computer
error, should you get the big prize?
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Hands On Projects
on the Web
1. Researching IT Outsourcing Vendors
 Who provides vertical market software for
schools?
2. Understanding Degrees of Freedom
 Count the clicks
3. Finding Free Flowcharting and Data
Flow Diagramming Tools
4. Building Synergistic Teams
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Hands On Projects
Group Activities
1. Creating a Program Flowchart
 How do you get a driver’s license?
2. Identifying Outsourcing at Your School
3. Everyday Prototyping
4. Creating a Data Flow Diagram for a
Vending Machine
 How do you pay with a cell phone?
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