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Data Gathering

The document discusses various techniques for data gathering in systems analysis, including interviews, observation, forms analysis, and questionnaires. It provides details on each technique such as how to conduct structured vs unstructured interviews, what to observe, and how to design an effective questionnaire. The goal of data gathering is to discover all relevant business information, user needs, and system details in order to define requirements and identify opportunities for improvement or issues. Organized data gathering methods are needed to ensure a thorough analysis.

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Jenny Sison-Wilson
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35K views

Data Gathering

The document discusses various techniques for data gathering in systems analysis, including interviews, observation, forms analysis, and questionnaires. It provides details on each technique such as how to conduct structured vs unstructured interviews, what to observe, and how to design an effective questionnaire. The goal of data gathering is to discover all relevant business information, user needs, and system details in order to define requirements and identify opportunities for improvement or issues. Organized data gathering methods are needed to ensure a thorough analysis.

Uploaded by

Jenny Sison-Wilson
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Data Gathering

Data Gathering
• used to discover business
information details to define the
information structure
• helps to establish the priorities of the
information needs
• further leads to opportunities to
highlight key issues which may cross
functional boundaries or may touch
on policies or the organization itself
Data Gathering…
• highlighting systems or
enhancements that can quickly
satisfy cross-functional information
needs
• a complicated task especially in a
large and complex system
• must be organized to ensure that
nothing is overlooked and all system
details are eventually captured
Data Gathering…
• must identify most if not all system
problems, user requirements and
objectives
• must avoid repetitive actions
• a search strategy is necessary to
achieve the above criteria
Data Gathering…
• Two Important Points:
1. identification of information sources
including the manner of obtaining the
information
2. use of the proper modeling methods
for building system models to aid the
analysts to keep track of what has
been done to date and what remains to
be done for work completion
Sources of Information
• System users
– usually the first information source
investigated by analysts
• Forms and Documents
– useful sources of information for data
flows and transactions
• Computer Programs
– used to determine the details of data
structures or processes
Sources of Information…
• Procedure Manuals
– specify what people do in an
organization, used to determine user
activities
• Reports
– indicate the kinds of outputs needed by
the users
Steps in Data Gathering
• Schedule initial visit to user site
• Gather and read background materials
• Establish data gathering objectives
• Determine what data gathering
techniques to use
• Identify contact persons
• Schedule data gathering activities
• Assign to data gathering teams
• Identify deliverables
Generic Techniques
• Observation
• Searching existing and special
purpose records
• Sampling
• Questionnaire
• Written Reports

(Discussion of each techniques on the


next slides)
Face to Face/ Group
Communication
• Interviews
• Meetings and presentations
• Vendor presentations
• Visits to other installations
• Data Collection
• External Research
(Discussion of each techniques on the
next slides)
Observation
• A simple watching or looking at how the
components of the system interact with
one
• Conclusions derived from this method
are inferential in nature and may be
inductive or deductive.
• Kinds of Information sought in
observations:
– activities
– messages
– Relationships
– influence
Observation…
• Some Common things to observe:
– Office conditions - Noise, lighting,
temperature, etc
– Layout- Ample space for staff movements,
Access to filing cabinets, etc
– Furniture- Ample desk size, filing cabinets,
etc., Standard Furniture
– Workload- Regular load, Peak/Slack Periods
– Bottlenecks- Uneven distribution of workload,
Redistribution of workload
– Pace of Work - Time and motion study
– Methods of Work - Processing sequence,
Redtape, Supervision
Observation…
• Analysis use observation for:
– gaining information about decision-
makers and their environment
– helping to confirm what has been found
through interviewing and questionnaires
– negating or reversing what was found
by other methods
Observation…
• Seven concrete elements to be
observed:
– office location
– placement of the decision-maker’s desk
– stationary office equipment
– Props
– trade journals and newspapers
– office lighting and color
– clothing worn by decision-makers
Observation…
• Steps in observing a manager’s
typical decision-making activities:
– Decide what is to be observed (activities)
– Decide at what level of concreteness
activities are to be observed
– Create categories that adequately capture
key activities
– Prepare appropriate scales, checklists or
other materials for observation
– Decide when to observe
Interviewing
• The verbal asking of questions to system
player
• The most widely used method for data
gathering in systems analysis
– interview preparation
– systems analyst should never go unprepared to
an interview session with the system players
– the possibility of rendering the whole exercise
practically useless
– there is the danger of imparting to the client
an impression of non-professionalism
– they may perceive a lack of seriousness
towards the systems development task at hand
Interviewing…
Question Types
• Open-ended Questions
– general questions that allow the interviewee to answer
as they please
Example: “Could you please explain how your current
inventory system works? ”
• Benefits
– puts the interviewee at ease
– allows the interviewer to pick up on the interviewee’s
vocabulary
– provides a richness of detail
– makes it more interesting for the interviewee
– reveals avenues of further questioning that may have
gone untapped
– allows for more spontaneity
– one can also use them in a pinch if the interviewer is
caught unprepared
Open-ended questions can ask the
respondent for lists....or detailed responses
Interviewing…
Question Types
• Closed Questions
– specific questions in which the response is limited to a
finite number of choices.
• Benefits
– saves time
– makes it easy to compare interviews with different
players
– allows the interviewer to get directly to the point
– gives the interviewer control over the interview
– the interviewer can cover lots of ground quickly
– faster at getting to relevant data
Closed Question Example

Closed questions may require the respondent to


check a box... or circle a number
Shake hands and introduce yourself.
Make eye contact and smile.
Begin with easy, open-ended questions
to create a comfortable atmosphere.
Let the interviewee know what you
expect, i.e., in-depth or brief responses.
Structured Interviews
Structured interviews are easier to evaluate.
They also require less time.
Little training is needed to conduct it.
The interview is more controlled and reliable.
It allows the interviewer to anticipate possible
responses and how to follow them.
Unstructured Interviews
Unstructured interviews allow for spontaneity and
interviewee insight.
They are also more flexible, allowing for both
breadth and depth
To close the interview, analyst may use
double check responses. “Is there
something we haven’t touched on that
you feel is important for me to know?”
If no further issues need to be taken
up,inform interviewee about
subsequent steps.
a set of prepared questions are sent
to the system player source and the
answers given back to the systems
analyst
Forms analysis
The systems analyst collects all forms,
reports, input and output screen
formats, etc. used in existing or similar
situations
The data elements are then analyzed for
completeness and relevance to the
requirements being established
best used as a complement to the other
methods usually focuses on information
relevant to the system being studied but
may not necessarily be residing in the
system itself
Sources of Data:
The InternetDemographic Statistics
NEDA & NSOReportsLabor Statistics
DOLE, OWWAFookien Times’ Top 7000
Corporations inthe Phils.Securities & Exchange
Commission
Enables the study of:
Attitudes
Beliefs
Behaviors
Characteristics of people
May quantify what was found in interviews
Help to determine how wide spread or limited
a sentiment expressed in interview
May be used to sense problems or raise
important issues before an interview
Design
Questionnaire Format
Allow ample white space
Allow adequate space for responses
Ask respondents to circle their answers
Use objectives to help determine format
Be consistent in style
Order of Questions
Questions of importance to respondents go first
Cluster items of similar content together
Employ respondents’ associational tendencies
Bring up less controversial items first
Administering the questionnaire
respondents

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