Lesson-11 Information System Development
• Describe the motivation for a system development process in terms of the
Capability Maturity Model (CMM) for quality management.
• Differentiate between the system life cycle and a system development
methodology.
• Describe eight basic principles of system development.
• Define problems, opportunities, and directives—the triggers for systems
development projects.
• Describe the PIECES framework for categorizing problems, opportunities,
and directives.
• Describe the traditional, basic phases of system development. For each phase,
describe its purpose, inputs, and outputs.
• Describe cross life cycle activities that overlap all system development
phases.
Lesson Map
Process of System Development
A system development process is a set of
activities,
methods,
best
practices,
deliverables, and automated tools that
stakeholders (Lesson 7) use to develop and
maintain information systems and software.
The CMM Process Management Model
The Capability Maturity Model (CMM) is a framework to assess
the maturity level of an organization’s information system
development and management processes and products. It consists
of five levels of maturity as measured by a set of guidelines called
the key process areas.
– Level 1—Initial: System development projects follow no prescribed process.
– Level 2—Repeatable: Project management processes and practices are
established to track project costs, schedules, and functionality.
– Level 3—Defined: A standard system development process (sometimes called a
“methodology”) is purchased or developed, and integrated throughout the
information systems/services unit of the organization.
– Level 4—Managed: Measurable goals for quality and productivity are
established.
– Level 5—Optimizing: The standardized system development process is
continuously monitored and improved based on measures and data analysis
established in Level 4.
Capability Maturity Model (CMM)
RISK
Level
5
OPTIMIZED
Level
4
MANAGED
Level
3
DEFINED
Level
2
REPEATABLE
Level
1
INITIAL
COMPETITIVENESS
Life Cycle versus Methodology
• A system life cycle divides the life of an information
system into two stages, systems development and
systems operation and support.
• A system development methodology is a very formal
and precise system development process that defines
(as in CMM Level 3) a set of activities, methods, best
practices, deliverables, and automated tools that
system developers and project managers are to use to
develop and maintain information systems and
software.
A System Life Cycle
Conversion
LIFE CYCLE STAGE
System Development
using
System Development
Methodology
LIFE CYCLE STAGE
Lifetime
of a
System
Obsolescence
System Operation
and Support
using
Information Technology
Principles of System Development
• Get the owners and users involved.
• Use a problem-solving approach.
• Establish phases and activities.
• Establish standards.
• Justify systems as capital investments.
• Don’t be afraid to cancel or revise scope.
• Divide and conquer.
• Design systems for growth and change.
Phases of a Representative Methodology
Overlap of System Development
Phases
2004
ID
2005
Task Name
May
1
Project management
2
Preliminary investigation
3
Problem analysis
4
Requirements analysis
5
Decision analysis
6
Design
7
Construction
8
Implementation
9
Operations and support
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
Project Identification and Initiation
• Problems are undesirable situations that prevent
the organization from fully achieving its
purpose, goals, and/or objectives.
• Opportunities are chances to improve the
organization even in the absence of specific
problems.
• Directives are new requirements that are
imposed by management, government, or some
external influence.
The PIECES Problem-Solving Framework
P
the need to improve performance
I
the need to improve information (and
data)
E
the need to improve economics, control
costs, or increase profits
C
the need to improve control or security
E
the need to improve efficiency of people
and processes
S
the need to improve service to customers,
suppliers, partners, employees, etc.
FAST System Development Phases
Cross Life Cycle Activities
Cross life cycle activities are activities that
overlap many or all phases of the methodology.
– Fact-finding
– Documentation and presentation
– Feasibility analysis
– Process and project management
Sharing Knowledge via a Repository
A
repository is a
database where system
developers
store all
documentation,
knowledge,
and
products for one or more
information systems or
projects.