CSIS3600 Systems Analysis and
Design
Systems Implementation:
Installation
Implementation Phase
• After maintenance and continuing support, the
implementation phase of the systems development
life cycle is the most resource intensive and timeconsuming phase of the entire life cycle.
• It is resource intensive because so many people
are involved in the process.
• Implementing a new information system into an
organizational context is shaped and reshaped by
the people who work in the organization.
Major Activities
Six major activities of System Implementation:
– Coding
– Testing
– Installation
– Documentation
– Training
– Support
Coding
• Coding is the process whereby the physical
design specifications are turned into
working computer code.
Coding in Teams
• A team of programmers normally works on
program development.
• Using multiple programmers compresses
the development schedule by allowing
many portions of the system to be
developed simultaneously.
• Component architectures are supported well
by a team approach to programming
Issues in Using Teams
• Organization of the team
• Task assignment to specific teams or
members
• Member and team communication and
coordination
Team Type
Collaborating
Peers
Characteristics
Equal Skill Level
Overlapping specialties
Consensus-based
Project Type
• Experimentation
• Creative problem
solving
Chief Developer
• Organized as a military
platoon or squad
• One leader makes all
important decisions
• Well-defined objectives
• Well-defined path to
completion
Collaborative
Specialist
• Wide variation in skill and
experience
• Minimal overlapping
technical specialties
• Leader is primarily an
administrator
• Consensus–based
• Diagnosis or
experimentation
• Creative and
integrative problem
solving
• Wide range of
technology
Moving to a New System
• Transitioning to new systems involves managing
change from pre-existing norms and habits.
• Change management involves:
– Unfreezing -- loosening up peoples’ habits and norms
– Moving -- transition from old to new systems
– Refreezing -- institutionalize and make efficient the
new way of doing things
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Implementing Change
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Migration Planning
• What activities will be performed when and
by whom
– Technical aspects
• Installing hardware and software
• Converting data
– Organizational aspects
• Training users on the system
• Motivating employees to use the new system to aid in their work
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Systems Analysis and Design
Copyright 2001 © John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All rights reserved.
Elements of a Migration Plan
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Installation or Conversion
• Installation is the stage where the system is moved
into production.
• It can be a very difficult stage.
• There is much documentation about system
implementation failures.
• Installation often means replacing an existing
system be it another computer system or a manual
system
• Implementation as an organizational change
process is not always successful.
Factors of Success
Factors contributing to successful implementation of
a computer system
– management support of the system,
– involvement of the users in the development of the
system,
– organizational commitment to change,
– strong leadership,
– system characteristics such as ease of use
– users perception of how the system helps them do their
work
Factors for Success
• On the other hand, research has also shown
that even when these factors exist, system
implementations sometimes fail.
• So while these factors may help, there are
no sure recipes you can follow to guarantee
success.
Approaches to Conversion
The four basic approaches to installation,
the one chosen will depend on:
– the current organizational environment,
– the scope of the project,
– the complexity of the change that the
new system represents
– and the organization's risk aversion.
Key Factors in Selecting a
Conversion Strategy
• Risk
– Seriousness of consequences of remaining bugs
• Cost
– Parallel requires paying for two systems for a period of
time
– Simultaneous requires more staff to support all locations
• Time
– Parallel, phased, and modular require more time
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Conversion Styles
• Direct conversion
– The new system instantly replaces the old
• Parallel conversion
– For a time both old and new systems are
used. The old is abandoned when the new
is proven fully capable
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Conversion Location
• Pilot conversion
– One or more locations are converted to work out
bugs before extending to other locations
• Phased conversion
– Locations are converted in sets
• Simultaneous conversion
– All locations are converted at the same time
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Conversion Modules
• Whole system conversion
– All modules converted in one step
• Modular conversion
– When modules are loosely associated, they can
be converted one at a time
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Direct Conversion
• The old system is 'turned off' and replaced by the
new system, all at one time
• Sometimes called the 'cold turkey' approach
• It can be very risky because the abruptness of the
change may not be well received.
• On the other hand, it is usually the least costly
approach and in some cases, where the old system
cannot co-exist with the new system, the only
plausible approach available.
Parallel Conversion
• This is the least risky approach.
• The old system is left in place and the new system
turned on.
• Both systems are running alongside each other until
end users feel comfortable and confident with the
new system.
• The main problem with this approach is the cost of
running dual systems and ensuring the stay in sync.
• It is not usually practical with large systems.
Single Location (Pilot)
Conversion
• Often referred to as the 'pilot approach.'
• Rather than converting the entire organization, a
single location is selected and the current system in
replaced with the new system at that location
• The key advantage is that it limits potential damage
and potential cost by providing the opportunity to
assess the impact of the new system.
• The primary roadblock is when data must be shared
between systems as extra programs would be required
to keep the data in sync.
Phased Conversion
• The new system is brought on-line in functional
components; different parts of the old and new
systems are used in cooperation until the whole new
system is installed.
• The benefit, just like that for single location
installation, is reduced exposure to risk.
• The main drawbacks are extra focus on insuring
synchronization and a long period of time for
complete installation.
• Not workable when the old system and new system
are completely incompatible.
Simultaneous Conversion
• All sites are converted at the same time
CHANGE MANAGEMENT
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Key Roles in Change
Management
• The sponsor is the business person who
initiated the request for the new system
• The change agent is the person(s) who lead
the change effort
• The potential adopter(s) are the people who
must change.
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Understanding Resistance to
Change
• What is good for the organization, is not
necessarily good for the individuals who
work there
• Cost versus benefit of transition as well as of
to-be system
• Adapting to new work processes requires
effort, for which there may be no additional
compensation
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Costs and Benefits of Change
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Revising Management Policies
• No computer system will be successfully
adopted unless management policies support
its adoption
• Management tools for supporting adoption
– Standard operating procedures (SOPs)
– Measurements and rewards
– Resource allocation
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Motivating Adoption
• The information strategy aims to convince
adopters that change is better
• The political strategy uses organizational
power to motivate change
• Differentiate between ready adopters,
reluctant adopters, and resistant adopters
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Training
• Every new system requires new skills
• New skills may involve use of the technology
itself
• New skills may be needed to handle the
changed business processes
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Training and User
Documentation
• Training and user documentation are important
factors that contribute to the success of system
implementation and use.
• It is through training and user documentation that
users gain exposure to the system. System
implementation plans must account for how
training and user documentation will be developed
and delivered to the end user.
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Systems Analysis and Design
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What to Train
• Should focus on helping users accomplish
their tasks
• Use cases provide an outline for common
activities and a basis to plan training
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Systems Analysis and Design
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Types of Training
•
•
•
•
•
•
Use of the system
General computer concepts
Information system concepts
Organizational concepts
System management
System installation
Methods of Training
• Tutorial – one person taught at a time
• Course – several people taught at a time
(instructor lead)
• Computer- aided – CBT, etc.
• Interactive Training Manuals – combination of
tutorial and course
• Resident Expert
• Software help components
• External sources – such as vendors
Project Failure
If you want to investigate examples of project
failure, visit:
• http://www.scit.wlv.ac.uk/~cm1995/cbr/cbr
quest.html