What is System Analysis?

What is System Analysis?


A Formal Definition:
 Systems analysis is the dissection of a system into its
component pieces for purposes of studying how those
component pieces interact and work.
Systems analysis is done for the purpose of subsequently
performing a systems synthesis.
 Systems synthesis is the re-assembly of a system’s component
pieces back into a whole system – hopefully an improved
system.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS
1
Survey and
plan the
project
Documentation
Repository
Project and
System Scope
2
Study and
analyze the
existing
system
Documentation
Documentation
System
Improvement
Objectives
3
Define
and priortize
the business
requirements
Business
Requirements
Business
Requirements
to the design phase
to the configuration phase
Systems Analysis Activities

Survey problems, opportunities, and directives


The purpose of this activity is to quickly survey and evaluate each
identified problem, opportunity, and directive with respect to
urgency, visibility, tangible benefits, and priority.
Negotiate project scope

The purpose of this activity is to define the boundary of the
system and project.
• The boundary should be defined as precisely as possible to
minimize the impact of ‘creeping scope’.

Plan the project
System
Owners
Request
for
system
services
1.1
Survey
problems
and
opportunities
Request
for
system
services
Request
for
system
services
problem
survey
statement
Project
charter
Project charter
1.4
Present
the
project
Problem statement
Scope statement
Project plan
Problem survey
statement
Repository
Problem
statement
Project
plan
Scope
statement
System
Management
Project templates
and
Project standards
1.3
Plan
the
project
System
Owners
and Users
scope
statement
1.2
Negotiate
project
scope
INFORMATION SYSTEMS FRAMEWORK
SYSTEM
OWNERS
Survey
Phase
(scope)
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
DATA
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
PROCESSES
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
INTERFACES
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
GEOGRAPHY
FAST
Methodology
Business Subjects
Business Functions
System Context
Operating Locations
Survey Phase
(establish scope
and project plan)
Customers order zero,
one, or more products.
Products may be ordered
by zero, one, or more
customers.
Account s
Recei vabl e
Dat abase
M a rk e ti n g
Credi t
Ad v e rti s i n g
Cust omer
Sa l e s
O r der
O r der
M anagement
Syst em
Pi cki ng
O r der
War ehouse
Credi t
Voucher
Ord e rs
Ca n c e l l a tio n s
Se rv i c e s
Bank
data scope
S
Y
S
T
E
M
A
N
A
L
Y
S
T
S
process scope
other systems
geographic scope
SYSTEM
USERS
(requirements)
SYSTEM
DESIGNERS
(specification)
SYSTEM
BUILDERS
(components)
Existing
Databases
and
Technology
Existing
Applications
and Technology
Existing
Interfaces
and
Technology
Existing
Networks
and
Technology
PROBLEM STATEMENTS
PROJECT:
Member Services Information System
PROJECT MANAGER:
Sandra Shepherd
CREATED BY:
Sandra Shepherd
LAST UPDATED BY:
Robert Martinez
DATE CREATED: January 15, 1997
DATE LAST UPDATED: January 17, 1997
Brief Statements of Problem, Opportunity, or Directive
Urgency Visibility
Annual
Benefits
Priority
or Rank
Proposed Solution
1.
Order response time as measured from time of order receipt to time of customer delivery
has increased to 15 an average of 15 days
ASAP
High
$175,000
2
New development
2.
The recent acquisitions of Private Screenings Video Club and GameScreen will further
stress the throughput requirements for the current system.
6 months
Med
75,000
2
New development
3.
Currently, three different order entry systems service the audio, video, and game divisions.
Each system is designed to interface with a different warehousing system; therefore, the
intent to merge inventory into a single warehouse house been delayed.
6 months
Med
515,000
2
New development
4.
There is a general lack of access to management and decision-making information. This
will become exasperated by the acquisition of two additional order processing systems
(from Private Screenings and GameScreen).
12 months
Low
15,000
3
after new system is
developed, provide users
with easy-to-learn and use reporting tools.
5.
There currently exists data inconsistencies in the member and order files.
3 months
High
35,000
1
Quick fix; then new
development
6.
The Private Screenings and GameScreen file systems are incompatible with the
SoundStage equivalents. Business data problems include data inconsistencies and lack of
input edit controls.
6 months
Med
unknown
2
New development.
Additional quantification
of benefit might increase
urgency.
7.
There is an opportunity to open order systems to the Internet, but security and control is
an issue.
12 months
Low
unknown
4
Future version of newly
developed system
8.
The current order entry system is incompatible with the forthcoming automatic
identification (bar coding) system being developed for the warejhouse
3 months
High
65,000
1
Quick fix; then new
development
Systems Analysis Activities


Study the current system
Model the Current System

Purpose:
 The purpose of this activity is to learn enough about the current
system’s data, processes, interfaces, and geography to expand
the understanding of scope, and to establish a common working
vocabulary for that scope.
• Draw system models.
– The recommended sequence of models is (1) INTERFACE, (2)
DATA, (3) PROCESS, and (4) GEOGRAPHY.
• Verify the system models.
– The goal is to reach consensus agreement on ‘what’ the current
system is all about.
Systems Analysis Activities
Analyze business processes
Analyze problems and opportunities

The
purpose of this activity is to:
•(1) understand the underlying causes and effects of
all perceived problems and opportunities, and
•(2) understand the effects and potential side effects of
all perceived opportunities.
Establish system improvement objectives
and constraints

Systems Analysis
Modify project scope
Outline business system requirements

The purpose of this activity is to identify, in general
terms, the business requirements for a new or improved
information system. A classic input-process-output
framework should prove sufficient to structure the
activity

Prepared by Kevin C. Dittman for
Systems Analysis & Design Methods 4ed
by J. L. Whitten & L. D. Bentley
9
Copyright Irwin/McGraw-Hill 1998
System
Owners
Approval
to
continue
project
2.1
Model
the
current
system
Process models
2.2
Analyze
the
business
processes
scope
statement
Detailed
Study
Findings
Process anaysis
models
system
models
Process
analysis data
1.4
Present
the
project
All prior
deliverables
and
revised
project plan
Project
plan
2.5
Modify
project
scope and
plan
problem statement
Repository
System
models
cause/effect
analysis
system
improvement
objectives
and constraints
cause/effect
analysis
System
models
Cause/effect
analysis
System
improvement
objectives and
constraints
2.4
Establish
system
improvement
objectives
2.3
Analyze
problems
and
opportunities
INFORMATION SYSTEMS FRAMEWORK
Study
Phase
SYSTEM
OWNERS
(scope)
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
DATA
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
PROCESSES
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
INTERFACES
FOCUS ON
SYSTEM
GEOGRAPHY
FAST
Methodology
Business Subjects
Business Functions
System Context
Operating Locations
Survey Phase
(establish scope
and project plan)
Customers order zero,
one, or more products.
Products may be ordered
by zero, one, or more
customers.
Account s
Recei vabl e
Dat abase
M a rk e ti n g
Cr edi t
Ad v e rti s i n g
Cust om er
Sa l e s
O r der
O r der
M anagement
Syst em
Pi cki ng
O r der
War ehouse
Cr edi t
Voucher
Ord e rs
Ca n c e l l a ti o n s
Study Phase
Se rv ic e s
Bank
S
Y
S
T
E
M
A
N
A
L
Y
S
T
S
SYSTEM
USERS
(requirements)
Data Problems
and Opportunities
Process Problems
and Opportunities
Interface Problems
and Opportunities
Geographic Problems
and Opportunities
data capture
data access
data reliability
info accuracy
info timeliness
throughput
response time
cost and value
efficiency
service
control
service
integration
interoperability
service
service
cost and value
response time
accessibility
security
Database Scehma
Application Schema
Interface Schema
Network Schema
Database Structures
Application Programs
Component Programs
Network Programs
SYSTEM
DESIGNERS
(specification)
SYSTEM
BUILDERS
(components)
Existing
Databases
and
Technology
Existing
Applications
and
Technology
Existing
Interfaces
and
Technlogy
Existing
Networks
and
Technology
(establish
system
improvement
objectives)
PROBLEMS, OPPORTUNITIES, OBJECTIVES AND CONSTRAINTS MATRIX
Project:
Member Services Information System
Project Manager:
Sandra Shepherd
Created by:
Robert Martinez
Last Updated by:
Robert Martinez
Date Created:
January 21, 1997
Date Last Updated:
January 31, 1997
CAUSE AND EFFECT ANALYSIS
Problem or Opportunity
1.
Order response time is unacceptable.
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENT OBJECTIVES
Causes and Effects
1.
2.
3.
4.
Throughput has increased while
number of order clerks was downsized. Time to process a single order has remained relatively constant.
System is too keyboard dependent.
Many of the same values are keyed
for most orders. Net result is (with
the current system) each order
takes longer to process than is
ideal.
Data editing is performed by the
AS/400. As that computer has approached its capacity, order edit responses have slowed. Because order clerks are trying to work faster
to keep up with the volume, the
number of errors have increased.
System Objective
System Constraint
1.
Decrease the time required to process a single order by 30%.
1.
There will be no increase in the
order processing workforce.
2.
Eliminate keyboard data entry for
as much as 50% of all orders.
2.
3.
For remaining orders, reduce as
many keystrokes as possible by replacing keystrokes with point-andclick objects on the computer display screen.
Any system developed must be
compatible with the existing Windows 95 desktop standard.
3.
New system must be compatible
with the already approved automatic identification system (for bar
coding).
4.
Move data editing from a shared
computer to the desktop.
5.
Replace existing picking tickets
with a paperless communication
system between member services
and the warehouse.
Warehouse picking tickets for orders were never designed to maximize the efficiency of order fillers.
As warehouse operations grew, order filling delays were inevitable.
Page 1 of 5
System
Owners
Revised
scope
and
plan
3.5
Modify
project
plan
and
scope
3.1
Outline
Business
Requirements
Approval
to
continue
project
system
improvement
objectives
Revised
plan
requirements
statement
outline
All prior
deliverables
Repository
Business
requirements'
priorities
3.4
Prioritize
Business
Requirements
3.2
Model
business
system
requirements
requirements
statement outline
system models
Discovery prototypes
Business
requirements
outline
System
models
Discovery
prototypes
Requirements
statement
outline
3.3
Build
discovery
prototypes
System
models