SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
Page: 2-1
ESSS
MILESTONE 2 – PROBLEM ANALYSIS
 Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints Matrix
We are providing a sample Problems, Opportunities, Objectives, and Constraints Matrix. The
matrix should be completed based on the solution of Milestone 1, the case background
information, and the user interviews. The students should try to identify the causes and effects of
the problems identified in Milestone 1. Make sure they identify causes rather than restating the
problem. Also, make sure they specify proper objectives to correct the problems. You will have a
multitude of different answers. Evaluate students’ thought processes in arriving at them. The
following completed matrix illustrates one possible solution.
Note: When this case study appeared in the fifth edition of the textbook, it emphasized
Savings Bond purchases as well as United Way contributions. The removal of Savings
Bonds was one of the changes for the case study in this edition. Though it is unlikely any
students remain on campus from the days of the fifth edition, any submissions that
mention Savings Bonds are likely recycled.
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
Page: 2-2
PROBLEMS, OPPORTUNITIES, OBJECTIVES AND CONSTRAINTS MATRIX
Project:
Employee Self Service System
Project Manager:
Jack Mills
Created by:
Kira Webster
Last Updated by:
Kira Webster
Date Created:
03/22/2006
Date Last Updated:
03/22/2006
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
1.
Hardcopy telephone book,
published quarterly, becomes
quickly out of date. (Information)
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Causes and Effects
1.
The company is growing and is
very dynamic with lots of personnel
changes that occur on a daily basis.
Quarterly publication is not
sufficient.
System Objective
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
2.
Redundancy of keying employee
information in both micro and
mainframe. (Efficiency)
1.
2.
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
No automated interface between
mainframe application and micro
application.
Employee information is not stored
in a single source repository.
1.
System Constraint
Decrease time required by
administrator to maintain employee
information from 12 hours per
week to 1 or 2. (Administrator will
still need to perform updates on a
limited basis and add new
employees.)
Eliminate hardcopy telephone
books – savings of $27,000.
Eliminate need for micro standalone application.
Create an online “White Pages”
possible viewed via the Web.
Allow employees to input changes
real-time.
Integrate with phone and E-mail
systems.
1.
Eliminate duplicate keying of
information by providing a single
source of entry for employee
information – eliminate need for
micro system.
1.
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
2.
2.
System must be platform
independent and accessible from all
desktops and remote locations.
New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized data access or
modification.
System must be platform
independent and accessible from all
desktops and remote locations.
New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized data
modifications.
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
3.
Cost of maintaining and operating
current mainframe system
excessive. (Economics)
2.
3.
4.
Employee data may be out of sync
across company systems.
(Information)
1.
2.
5.
HR cost and labor required for
processing employee information
changes excessive. (Economics and
Efficiency)
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Causes and Effects
1.
1.
System Objective
Duplicate employee information
stored in different databases.
(Information)
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
1.
2.
System Constraint
Processing costs may be excessive
due to the reprocessing of
transactions to correct information
discrepancies.
The mainframe platform is
expensive to use in terms of
transactions.
Age and technology of system
require a high level of IS support.
1.
Reduce operating costs by 50
percent.
1.
None
Information changes are submitted
via forms and then have to be keyed
into the system by an administrator,
thus creating a lag time before the
data in the system is current.
Sequential files are used to transfer
employee data to other systems on
a periodic basis. Data is not
available real-time.
1.
Provide a single source of entry for
employee information and have the
data available real-time for
interfaces with other legacy
systems.
Allow employees to maintain their
own information online.
1.
New interfaces must be according to
legacy system specifications.
The process is too labor intensive
for HR staff, which includes
interacting with employees over
information discrepancies and
inputting data.
1.
Provide a single source of entry for
employee information and have the
data available real-time.
Allow employees to maintain their
own information online.
Eliminate need for micro standalone application.
1.
System must be platform
independent and accessible from all
desktops and remote locations.
New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized data
modifications.
Provide single source (database) for
employee information.
1.
2.
2.
3.
6.
Page: 2-3
Employee databases are application
specific and not enterprise specific.
Employee information is not stored
in a single source repository.
1.
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
2.
Project budget of $225,000 may not
be sufficient to modify legacy
applications to use single employee
database. Provide sufficient
interfaces instead.
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
7.
Users cannot get reports that they
need in a timely fashion.
(Information)
2.
8.
Less than ideal United Way
participation. (Service)
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Causes and Effects
1.
1.
2.
Page: 2-4
System Objective
System Constraint
Current system’s technology does
not support ad-hoc report and
inquiry functionality.
IS cannot respond to reporting
requests in a timely fashion because
of backlogs and priorities
1.
Provide an ad-hoc reporting and
inquiry feature for users
1.
New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized access of
employee data
Maybe non-system related.
No tracking mechanisms exist to
monitor employee contributions
1.
Allow employees to setup
contributions online.
Provide management inquiry and
reporting mechanisms to monitor
contribution activity and status
1.
System must be platform
independent and accessible from all
desktops.
New system must be secured to
prevent unauthorized data
modifications.
2.
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
2.
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
Page: 2-5
 Context Diagram
The Context Diagram below is one possible solution based on the interviews in Milestones 1 and
2. This was drawn in Microsoft Visio. Visio cannot easily produce a Context Diagram exactly
like the one shown in chapter 5. The Data Flow Model template found in the Software category
can produce one that is like the sample except that the square Interface symbol must be used
instead of the Actor symbol. This, of course, is DFD style.
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007
SADM 7/ed – ESSS CASE STUDY - Milestone 2: Problem Analysis Solution
Page: 2-6
 Tentative List of Requirements
The list of requirements below is one possible solution based on the interviews in Milestones 1
and 2. Students may combine some requirements; evaluate their thought processes in building
the list. Pay careful attention to the classification. In your class discussion you might point out
that functional requirements show up in the context model, while generally non-functional
requirements do not other than to specify the actors that can do send or receive certain
information.
Requirement
The system should allow employees to update their own information, including
addresses, phone numbers, emergency contact information, beneficiary
information, paycheck deductions, office location, office phone number, and
office e-mail address.
The system should be accessible over the web and be secure.
The system must provide a searchable online company directory.
The system should provide a facility that makes it easy for employees to sign up
and manage United Way deductions and other payroll deductions from their desk.
The system should provide managers with the tools to monitor United Way
participation activity
The system should provide ad-hoc query and reporting functionality.
The system should run on a system that is less expensive to operate than the
mainframe.
The system should integrate all employee data databases into a single unified
database.
A given employee's information (other than company directory information)
should be accessible only by that employee, that employee's manager, and HR
administrators.
The system should allow users to view the organization structure, meaning
information about who an employee’s manager is and other employees who report
to the same manager
The system should be easy to use, intuitive, and employ a graphical user interface
Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 7ed
by J. L. Whitten, L. D. Bentley, & K. C. Dittman
Classification
Functional
Non-functional
Functional
Functional
Functional
Functional
Non-functional
Non-functional
Non-functional
Functional
Non-functional
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 2007