James A. Senn’s
Information Technology, 3rd Edition
Chapter 11
Creating Enterprise
Applications
Senn, Information Technology, 3rd Edition
© 2004 Pearson Prentice Hall
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Objectives
• Describe the principal functions and roles of a
system analyst.
• Identify the characteristics of shared systems.
• Discuss the changing process for developing
information systems applications.
Senn, Information Technology, 3rd Edition
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Objectives (Continued)
• Describe the tools and techniques available to
system analysts for collecting data and
developing IT applications.
• Summarize the purpose and characteristics of
unified modeling language (UML).
• Explain the roles of the four types of IT
systems development professionals.
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Developing Open Shared Systems
Development Alternatives
• Build the application itself.
• Purchase a prewritten application.
• Contract out the application development.
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Developing Open Shared Systems
Open Systems for Sharing
• Open System: A software system that performs
on different computer and communications
hardware.
• Interoperability: The perfect exchange of data
and information in all forms (data, text, sound,
and image, including animation) between the
individual components of an application
(hardware, software, network).
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Developing Open Shared Systems
Shifting Development Model
• Craft Approach
• Assembly Approach
• Object: A component that contains data about
itself and how it is to be processed.
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Developing Open Shared Systems
Building IT with Components
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Definition
• Systems Analyst: The IT professional
responsible for working with users to
determine a system’s requirements and for
describing the features needed in the system.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Collection Techniques
• Interviews
– Structured Interview: An interview in which
the questions are prepared in advance and
each interviewee is asked the same set of
questions.
– Unstructured Interview: An interview in
which the questions may be prepared in
advance, but follow-up questions vary,
depending on the interviewees’ background
and answer.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Collection Techniques (Continued)
• Questionnaire: A sheet of questions used to
collect facts and opinions from a group of
people.
• Document Examination/Record Inspection: The
review of company documents about a system
or opportunity under investigation.
• Observation: The process of watching an
activity take place to collect information about
that activity.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Collection Techniques (Continued)
• Sampling: The process of collecting data and
information at prescribed intervals.
Senn, Information Technology, 3rd Edition
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
System Flowcharts
• System Flowcharts: A graphical description of
a business process or procedure using
standard symbols to show decision logic.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
System Flowcharts (Continued)
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Dataflow Diagram
• Dataflow Diagram (DFD): A chart showing the
movement of data through a system.
– DFD Levels
• Leveling: The process of exploding
processes in a dataflow diagram to show
more detail.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Dataflow Diagram (Continued)
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Dataflow Diagram (Continued)
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Dictionaries
• Data Dictionary/Repository: A catalog that lists
and describes all the types of data flowing
through a system. Composed of data elements
and a data structure.
• Data Element: The component of a data
dictionary that includes data names, alternate
names, and length allowances.
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Dictionaries (Continued)
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The System Analyst’s Tools and
Techniques
Data Dictionaries (Continued)
• Data Structure: The set of data elements used
together and the name that collectively
identifies the set.
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Computed-Aided Systems
Engineering (CASE)
Definition
• Computed-Aided Systems Engineering/Computer-Aided
Software Engineering (CASE): A set of tools used in
systems development to improve the consistency and
quality of the system while automating many of the most
tedious and time-consuming systems tasks.
– Charting and Diagramming Tools
– Centralized Information Repository
– Interface Generators
– Code Generators
– Project Management Tools
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Computed-Aided Systems
Engineering (CASE)
Definition (Continued)
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Computed-Aided Systems
Engineering (CASE)
Front-End, Back-End, and Integrated CASE
• Front-End CASE Tool: A CASE tool that
automates the early (front-end) activities in
systems development.
• Back-End CASE Tool: A CASE tool that
automates the later (back-end) activities in
systems development.
• Integrated CASE (I-CASE) Tool: A CASE tool
that spans activities throughout the entire
systems development life cycle.
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Computed-Aided Systems
Engineering (CASE)
Front-End, Back-End, and Integrated
CASE (Continued)
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition
• Unified Modeling Language (UML): The
standard vehicle for visualizing,
describing,and documenting the details of an
IT application.
• Actor: Anyone or anything that will interact
with the application.
• Activity Diagram: Shows the flow of control in
an application.
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition (Continued)
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition (Continued)
• Use Case Diagram: Provides context for the
system, illustrating the actors, the use cases,
and the flow or interaction between use cases
and actors.
– Use Case: Identifies the sequence of
activities performed for an actor.
• Use Case Description: Describes the use case
in ordinary language, including its identifying
name and actors.
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition (Continued)
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition (Continued)
• Class Diagram: Describes an object class,
including the class name, attributes, and
methods.
• Other UML Diagrams
– Sequence Diagram
– State Transition Diagram
– Component Diagram
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Unified Modeling Language
Definition (Continued)
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IT Development Personnel
The Systems Analyst: The Key Roles
• Change Agent: A person who acts as a catalyst
for change.
• Professional Skills
– Problem Solving
– Outcome Thinking
– Creativity
– Meeting Skills
– Communication Skills
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IT Development Personnel
The Systems Analyst: The Key Roles
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IT Development Personnel
The Chief Information Officer
• Chief Information Officer (CIO)/IT
Director/Director of Information Systems: The
person given the responsibility of managing
and developing the firm’s information
technology capabilities.
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IT Development Personnel
The Chief Information Officer (Continued)
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IT Development Personnel
Computer Programmers
• Computer Programmers
– Responsible for turning detailed
specifications into computer software.
– Responsible for documenting the program.
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© 2004 Pearson Prentice Hall
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IT Development Personnel
System Contractors
• System Contractor: An outside person or firm
that contracts with a company to develop IT
applications.
• System Integrator: A type of systems
contractor who is retained to take
responsibility for acquiring hardware, software
and network capacity for an application, as
well as for implementing the application.
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© 2004 Pearson Prentice Hall
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