Chapter 1

Introduction to Systems Analysis

and Design
 Describe the impact of information
technology
 Define systems analysis and design and the
role of a systems analyst
 Define an information system and describe
its components
 Explain how to use business profiles and
models
 Explain Internet business strategies and
relationships, including B2C and B2B

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 Identify various types of information
systems and explain who uses them
 Distinguish among structured analysis,
object-oriented analysis, and agile methods
 Explain the waterfall model, and how it has
evolved
 Discuss the role of the information
technology department and the systems
analysts who work there

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• Companies use
information as a
weapon in the battle to
increase productivity,
deliver quality
products and services,
maintain customer
loyalty, and make
sound decisions
• Information technology
can mean the
difference between
success and failure FIGURE 1-1 These headlines show the
enormous impact of information
technology on our lives.
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 Information Technology (IT)
◦ Combination of hardware and software products
and services that companies use to manage, access,
communicate, and share information
 Welcome to the 21st Century: The IT Journey
Continues
◦ Changes in the world
◦ Changes in technology
◦ Changes in client demand

FIGURE 1-3 How times

have changed!

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 Systems Analysis and Design
 Step-by-step process for developing high-quality
information systems
◦ What Does a Systems Analyst Do?
 Plan, develop, and maintain information systems
 Also manages IT projects, including tasks, resources,
schedules, and costs
 Conducts meetings, delivers presentations, and writes
memos, reports, and documentation

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• A system is a set of related
components that produces
specific results
• Mission-critical systems are
vital to a company’s
operations
• Information systems have
five key components:
hardware, software,
data, processes, and people
FIGURE 1-6 An information
system needs these components.

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 Hardware
◦ Is the physical layer of the information system
◦ Moore’s Law
 Software
◦ System software
◦ Application software
 Horizontal system
 Vertical system
 Legacy systems
FIGURE 1-7 Server farms provide the
enormous power and speed that modern
IT systems need.

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 Data
◦ Tables store data
◦ Linked tables work
together to supply
data
 Processes
◦ Describe the tasks and
business functions that
users, managers, and IT
staff members perform to
achieve specific results
 People
◦ Stakeholders
◦ Users or end users
FIGURE 1-8 In a typical payroll system,
data is stored in separate tables that are
linked to form an overall database.
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 Three major trends:
◦ Rapidly increasing globalization
◦ Technology integration for seamless information
access
◦ Rapid growth of cloud-based computing and
services
 All trends are Internet-centric and driven by
the immense power of the Web

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 E-commerce or I-commerce
 B2C (Business-to-Consumer)
 B2B (Business-to-Business)
◦ EDI
◦ Supply chain management (SCM)
◦ Supplier relationship management (SRM)
 What’s Next?
◦ Traditionally, IT companies were product-oriented
or service-oriented
◦ Today’s IT companies offer a mix of products,
services, and support

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 Internet-dependent firms
◦ Primary business depends on the Internet rather
than a traditional business channel
 Brick-and-mortar firms
◦ Have physical stores where customers can see and
touch the products
◦ Have expanded their Web-based marketing
channels to increase sales and serve customers
better
 Combine convenience of online shopping and the
alternative of hands-on purchasing
 Lowe’s, Costco, Target, and Wal-Mart are examples

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 The Web-based business model leveled the
playing field for small firms that now can
reach a global marketplace
 Discount coupon business gets a new life
◦ eBay and Groupon
◦ Firms now using global positioning system (GPS)
coordinates to tempt buyers with nearby deals

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• Business Profiles
– Overview of a company’s mission, functions,
organization, products, services, customers,
suppliers, competitors, constraints, and future
direction
– Business Processes
– Specific set of transactions, events, and results
that can be described and documented
– A business process model (BPM ) graphically
displays one or more business processes

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FIGURE 1-14 A simple business model
might consist of an event, three
processes, and a result.

FIGURE 1-15 This sample uses

business process modeling notation
(BPMN) to represent the same events,
processes, and workflow shown in
Figure 1-14. 15
Business Information Systems
◦ The old way:
 Administrative staff used office systems
 Operational people used operational systems
 Middle managers used decision support systems
 Top managers used executive information systems
◦ The “now” way
 All employees use office productivity systems
 Operations users require decision support systems

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 A new set of system definitions
◦ Enterprise computing systems
◦ Transaction processing systems
◦ Business support systems
◦ Knowledge management systems
◦ User productivity systems

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Enterprise Computing
◦ Information systems that support company-wide
operations and data management requirements
◦ Examples:
 Wal-Mart’s inventory control system
 Boeing’s production control system
 Hilton Hotels’ reservation system
 Applications called enterprise resource planning (ERP)
systems provide cost-effective support for users and
managers throughout the company

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Transaction Processing
 Transaction processing (TP) systems process data
generated by day-to-day business operations
Examples:
 Customer order processing
 Accounts receivable
 Warranty claim processing
 A TP system verifies
customer data, checks
customer credit, checks
stock status, posts to
accounts receivable,
adjusts inventory levels,
and updates the sales file
FIGURE 1-17 A single sales transaction
consists of six separate tasks, which the
TP system processes as a group.

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Business Support
 Provide job-related information support to users at
all levels of a company
 Can work hand-in-hand with a TP system
 New development is RFID
 Radio frequency
identification (RFID)
technology uses
high-frequency radio
waves to track physical
objects.
FIGURE 1-18 With an RFID tag, items
can be tracked and monitored
throughout the shipping process.
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 Knowledge Management
◦ Uses a large database called a knowledge
base
◦ Allows users to find information by
entering keywords
◦ Uses inference rules, which are logical
rules that identify data patterns and
relationships

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 User Productivity
◦ Technology that improves productivity
◦ Groupware
 Systems Integration
◦ Most large companies require systems
that combine transaction processing,
business support, knowledge
management, and user productivity
features

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FIGURE 1-20 A typical organizational model identifies business functions
and organizational levels.

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 Top Managers
◦ Develop long-range strategic plans, which define
the company’s overall mission and goals
◦ Need information on economic forecasts,
technology trends, competitive threats, and
governmental issue
 Middle Managers and Knowledge Workers
◦ Provide direction, necessary resources, and
performance feedback to supervisors and team
leaders
◦ Need more detailed information than top
managers

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 Supervisors and Team Leaders
◦ Oversee operational employees and carry out
day-to-day functions
◦ Need decision support information, knowledge
management systems, and user productivity
systems
 Operational Employees
◦ Rely on TP systems to enter and receive data they
need to perform their jobs
◦ Need information to handle tasks and make
decisions previously made by supervisors

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 Modeling
◦ Business model
◦ Requirements model
◦ Data model
◦ Object model
◦ Network model
◦ Process model

FIGURE 1-21 Microsoft Visio allows you to

drag and drop various symbols and connect
them to show a business process.

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 Prototyping
◦ Early working version of an information system
◦ Speeds up the development process significantly
◦ Important decisions might be made too early,
before business or IT issues are thoroughly
understood
◦ A prototype based on careful fact-finding and
modeling techniques can be an extremely
valuable tool

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 Computer-Aided Systems Engineering
(CASE) Tools
◦ Provide an overall framework for systems
development and support a wide variety of design
methodologies such as:
 Structured analysis
 Object-oriented analysis
◦ Can generate program code, which speeds the
implementation process

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 Structured Analysis
◦ Traditional method for developing systems
◦ Organized into phases
 Object-Oriented Analysis
◦ More recent method for developing systems
◦ Objects represent actual people, things, or events
 Agile/Adaptive Methods
◦ Latest trend in software development
◦ Team-based effort broken down into cycles

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 Structured Analysis
◦ Time-tested and easy to understand
◦ Uses phases called the systems development life
cycle (SDLC)
◦ Predictive approach
◦ Uses process
models to
describe a
system
graphically
FIGURE 1-24 This Visible Analyst screen
shows a process model for a school registration
system. The REGISTER STUDENTS process
accepts input data from two sources and
transforms it into output data. 30
◦ The SDLC model usually includes five
steps
 Systems Planning
 Systems Analysis
 Systems Design
 Systems Implementation
 Systems Security and
Support

FIGURE 1-25 Development

phases and deliverables are
shown in the waterfall model.
The circular symbols indicate
interaction among the phases.
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 Systems Planning
 Systems request – begins the process and describes
problems or desired changes
 Purpose of this phase is to perform a preliminary
investigation – a critical step
 Key part of preliminary investigation is a feasibility
study

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 Systems Analysis
 Build a logical model of the new system
 Perform fact-finding techniques
 Build business models, data and process models, and
object models
 Deliverable is the system requirements document

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 Systems Design
 Create a physical model that satisfies all documented
requirements
 Design user interface
 Identify outputs, inputs, and processes
 Deliverable is the system design specification
 Management and user involvement is critical

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 Systems Implementation
 New system is constructed
 Programs are written and tested
 System is installed
 Deliverable is a completely functioning and
documented information system
 Systems Support and Security
 A well-designed system must be secure, reliable,
maintainable, and scalable
 Most information systems need to be updated
significantly or replaced after several years of
operation

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 Object-Oriented Analysis
 Combines data and the processes that act on the data
into things called objects
 Objects are members of a
class, which is a collection
of similar objects
 Built-in processes,
called methods, can
change an object’s
properties
 O-O methodology
provides easy transition
to O-O programming
languages like Java
FIGURE 1-26 The PERSON class includes
INSTRUCTOR and STUDENT objects, which
have their own properties and inherited
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properties.
 Agile Methods
 Newest development technique as systems are
developed incrementally
 A series of prototypes are built and adjusted to
meet user requirements
 As the process continues, developers revise,
extend, and merge earlier versions into the final
product
 Agile method emphasizes continuous feedback
 Iterative development
◦ Agile community has published the Agile Manifesto
◦ Spiral model

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 Agile Methods
◦ Agile process determines the end result
◦ Other adaptive variations and related methods exist
◦ Two examples are Scrum and Extreme
Programming (XP)
◦ Analysts should understand the pros and cons of
any approach before selecting a development
method

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 Other Development Methods
 Teams consists of IT staff, users, and managers
 joint application development (JAD)
 Focuses on team-based fact-finding
 Rapid application development (RAD)
 A compressed version of the entire development
process

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 Develop a project plan
 Involve users and listen carefully to them
 Use project management tools to identify
tasks and milestones
 Develop accurate cost and benefit
information
 Remain flexible

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FIGURE 1-29 Depending on its size, an IT department might have separate organizational
units for these functions, or they might be combined into a smaller number of teams.

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Application Development
– Systems are developed by teams consisting of
users, managers, and IT staff members
• Knowledge, Skills, and Education
• Need technical knowledge, strong oral and written
communication skills and analytic ability, an
understanding of business operations, and critical
thinking skills
• Certification
– Important credential

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Application Development
• Systems are developed by teams consisting of
users, managers, and IT staff members
Systems Support and Security
• Provides vital protection and maintenance services
User Support
• Provides users with technical information, training,
and productivity support

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Database Administration
 Involves data design, management, security, backup, and access
systems
Network Administration
 Includes hardware and software maintenance, support, and security
Web Support
 Web support specialists design and construct Web pages, monitor
traffic, manage hardware and software, and link Web-based
applications to the company’s information systems
Quality Assurance
 Team that reviews and tests all applications and systems
changes to verify specifications and software quality standards

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 Role  Knowledge, Skills,
◦ Analysts build a series of and Education
models, diagrams, and
decision tables and uses ◦ Technical Knowledge
other descriptive tools and ◦ Communication Skills
techniques
◦ Business Skills
◦ An analyst’s most valuable
skill is the ability to listen ◦ Critical Thinking
◦ An effective analyst will Skills
involve users in every step ◦ Education
of the development
process ◦ Certification

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 Career Opportunities
◦ Companies will need systems analysts to apply new
information technology, and the explosion in e-commerce will
fuel IT job growth
 What’s important?
◦ Job Titles
◦ Company Organization
◦ Company Size
◦ Salary, Location and Future Growth
◦ Corporate Culture

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• IT refers to the combination of hardware and
software resources that companies use to
manage, access, communicate, and share
information
• The essential components of an information
system are hardware, software, data,
processes, and people
• Successful companies offer a mix of
products, technical and financial services,
consulting, and customer support

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• Information systems are identified as
enterprise computing systems, transaction
processing systems, business support
systems, knowledge management systems, or
user productivity systems
• Organization structure includes top
managers, middle managers and knowledge
workers, supervisors and team leaders

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 The IT department develops, maintains, and
operates a company’s information systems
 Systems analysts need a combination of
technical and business knowledge, analytical
ability, and communication skills
 Systems analysts need to consider salary,
location, and future growth potential when
making a career decision

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