Unit 3

Topics: System Analysis, System Design, System Analysis and Design Tools, System
Implementation and system maintenance.

1. System Analysis

It is a procedure of collecting and interpreting data, identifying the issues, and

decomposition of a system into its components.

System analysis is conducted for the cause of studying a system or its elements in
order to identify its objectives. It is a trouble solving technique that improves the
system and ensures that all the components of the system work effectively to
accomplish their purpose.

Analysis specifies what the system should do.

2. System design
It is a method of planning a new business system or replacing a present system by
defining its components or modules to satisfy the specific requirements. Before
planning, we need to understand the antique system thoroughly and decide how
computers can best be used in order to operate efficiently.

System design focuses on how to perform the objective of the system.

System analysis and design (SAD) mainly focuses on –

Systems, Processes and Technology

3. System Analysis Tools

1. Data Flow Diagrams

2. Data Dictionary.
3. Decision Trees.
4. Decision Tables.
5. Structured English.
6. Pseudocode.

3.1. Data Flow Diagrams (DFD) or Bubble Chart

 It is a technique developed by Larry Constantine to express the requirements of
system in a graphical form.
It shows the flow of data between various functions of system and specifies how
the current system is implemented.
It is an initial stage of design phase that functionally divides the requirement
specifications down to the lowest level of detail.
Its graphical nature makes it a good communication tool between user and analyst
or analyst and system designer.
It gives an overview of what data a system processes, what transformations are
performed, what data are stored, what results are produced and where they flow.

Basic Elements of DFD

DFD is easy to understand and quite effective when the required design is not clear
and the user wants a notational language for communication. However, it requires
a large number of iterations for obtaining the most accurate and complete solution.
The following table shows the symbols used in designing a DFD and their
significance −

Symbol Name Symbol Meaning

Square Source or Destination of Data

Arrow Data flow

Circle Process transforming data flow

Open Rectangle Data Store

Types of DFD
DFDs are of two types: Physical DFD and Logical DFD. The following table
lists the points that differentiate a physical DFD from a logical DFD.
 Physical DFD Logical DFD

It is implementation dependent. It It is implementation independent. It

shows which functions are performed. focuses only on the flow of data between
processes.

It provides low level details of It explains events of systems and data

hardware, software, files, and people. required by each event.

It depicts how the current system It shows how business operates; not how
operates and how a system will be the system can be implemented.
implemented.

3.2. Decision Tables

Decision tables are a method of describing the complex logical relationship in a

precise manner which is easily understandable.
It is useful in situations where the resulting actions depend on the occurrence of one
or several combinations of independent conditions.
It is a matrix containing row or columns for defining a problem and the actions.
Components of a Decision Table
 Condition Stub − It is in the upper left quadrant which lists all the condition to be
checked.
 Action Stub − It is in the lower left quadrant which outlines all the action to be
carried out to meet such condition.
 Condition Entry − It is in upper right quadrant which provides answers to questions
asked in condition stub quadrant.
 Action Entry − It is in lower right quadrant which indicates the appropriate action
resulting from the answers to the conditions in the condition entry quadrant.
The entries in decision table are given by Decision Rules which define the
relationships between combinations of conditions and courses of action. In rules
section,

 Y shows the existence of a condition.

 N represents the condition, which is not satisfied.
 A blank - against action states it is to be ignored.
 X (or a check mark will do) against action states it is to be carried out.
For example, refer the following table −
 CONDITIONS Rule 1 Rule 2 Rule 3 Rule 4

Advance payment made Y N N N

Purchase amount = Rs 10,000/- - Y Y N

Regular Customer - Y N -

ACTIONS

Give 5% discount X X - -

Give no discount - - X X

3.3. Structured English

Structure English is derived from structured programming language which gives

more understandable and precise description of process. It is based on procedural
logic that uses construction and imperative sentences designed to perform operation
for action.
It is best used when sequences and loops in a program must be considered and
the problem needs sequences of actions with decisions.
It does not have strict syntax rule. It expresses all logic in terms of sequential
decision structures and iterations.
For example, see the following sequence of actions –

if customer pays advance

then
Give 5% Discount
else
if purchase amount >=10,000
then
if the customer is a regular customer
then Give 5% Discount
else No Discount
end if
else No Discount
end if
end if

3.4. Decision Trees

Decision trees are a method for defining complex relationships by describing decisions and
avoiding the problems in communication. A decision tree is a diagram that shows alternative
actions and conditions within horizontal tree framework. Thus, it depicts which conditions
to consider first, second, and so on.
Decision trees depict the relationship of each condition and their permissible actions. A
square node indicates an action and a circle indicates a condition. It forces analysts to
consider the sequence of decisions and identifies the actual decision that must be made.

The major limitation of a decision tree is that it lacks information in its format to describe
what other combinations of conditions you can take for testing. It is a single representation
of the relationships between conditions and actions.
For example, refer the following decision tree −
 4. System Implementation
Systems implementation is the process of: defining how the
information system should be built (i.e., physical system design), ensuring that the
information system is operational and used, ensuring that the
information system meets quality standard (i.e., quality assurance).

The stages described in the guide include: 1) exploration, 2) installation, 3)

initial implementation, 4) full implementation, and 5) expansion and scale-up.
Each stage has specific steps and associated activities.

The Four methods of system implementation and conversion are:

Conversion Methods
The four methods of conversion are −

 Parallel Conversion
 Direct Cutover Conversion
 Pilot Approach
 Phase-In Method

Method Description Advantages Disadvantages

Provides fallback Causes cost

when new system overruns.
fails.
Parallel Old and new systems New system may
Conversion are used simultaneously. Offers greatest not get fair trail.
security and
ultimately testing of
new system.

Forces users to No fall back if

Direct New system is make new system problems arise
Cutover implemented and old work with new system
Conversion system is replaced Immediate benefit Requires most
completely. from new methods careful planning
and control.

Pilot Supports phased Allows training and A long term phase

 installation without in causes a
unnecessary use of problem of
approach that gradually resources. whether
Approach implement system conversion goes
across all users Avoid large
well or not.
contingencies from
risk management.

Provides experience Gives impression

Working version of and line test before that old system is
system implemented in implementation erroneous and it is
one part of not remote.
Phase-In organization based on When preferred
Method feedback, it is installed new system
throughout the involves new
organization all alone technology or
or stage by stage. drastic changes in
performance.

5. System Maintenance / Enhancement

Maintenance means restoring something to its original conditions. Enhancement means
adding, modifying the code to support the changes in the user specification. System
maintenance conforms the system to its original requirements and enhancement adds to
system capability by incorporating new requirements.
Thus, maintenance changes the existing system, enhancement adds features to the existing
system, and development replaces the existing system. It is an important part of system
development that includes the activities which corrects errors in system design and
implementation, updates the documents, and tests the data.
Maintenance Types
System maintenance can be classified into three types −
 Corrective Maintenance − Enables user to carry out the repairing and correcting
leftover problems.
 Adaptive Maintenance − Enables user to replace the functions of the programs.
 Perfective Maintenance − Enables user to modify or enhance the programs
according to the users’ requirements and changing needs.