Systems Design

Systems Design

 The design phase decides how the system will

operate, in terms of the hardware, software, and
network infrastructure; the user interface, forms,
and reports that will be used; and the specific
programs, databases, and files that will be needed.
Look and feel or blueprint of the system on paper is
developed in this phase.
Systems Design

 Systems design phase can be broken into two

phases:
 Logical design
 Physical design
Logical Design

 In this phase, the system analyst uses the

information collected earlier to develop a logical
design of the information system. It includes the
following:
 Database structure: Identifies external entities and
relationships through E-R diagrams and
normalization.
Physical Design

 The logical design is implemented through the

physical design.
 It identifies the file and database structures, system
structure, program structure, and hardware and
software necessary to implement the system.
Interaction Methods and Devices
 Interface: a method by which users interact with an
information system.
 All human-computer interfaces must:
 have an interaction style; and
 use some hardware device(s) for supporting this
interaction.
Methods of Interacting

 Command line
 Includes keyboard shortcuts and function keys.
 Menu
 Form
 Object-based
 Natural language
Command Language Interaction

 Command language interaction: a human-

computer interaction method whereby users enter
explicit statements into a system to invoke
operations.
 Example from MS DOS:
 COPY C:PAPER.DOC A:PAPER.DOC
 This copies a file from C: drive to A: drive.
Menu Interaction

 Menu interaction: a human-computer interaction

method in which a list of system options is provided
and a specific command is invoked by user selection
of a menu option.
 Pop-up menu: a menu-positioning method that
places a menu near the current cursor position.
 Drop-down menu: a menu-positioning method that
places the access point of the menu near the top line
of the display:
 When accessed, menus open by dropping down onto
the display.
 Visual editing tools help designers construct menus.
Form Interaction

 Form interaction: a highly intuitive human-

computer interaction method whereby data fields
are formatted in a manner similar to paper-based
forms.
 Allows users to fill in the blanks when working with
a system.
Object-Based Interaction

 Object-based interaction: a human-computer

interaction method in which symbols are used to
represent commands or functions.
 Icons: graphical pictures that represent specific
functions within a system.
 Use little screen space and are easily understood by
users.
Natural Language Interaction

 Natural language interaction: a human-computer

interaction method whereby inputs to and outputs
from a computer-based application are in a
conventional spoken language such as English.
 Based on research in artificial intelligence.
 Current implementations are tedious and difficult
to work with, not as viable as other interaction
methods.
System Implementation
System Implementation

 Six major activities:

 Coding
 Testing
 Installation
 Documentation
 Training
 Support
System Implementation (Cont.)

 Purpose:
 To convert final physical system
specifications into working and reliable
software.
 To document work that has been done.
 To provide help for current and future
users.
The Process of Coding, Testing, and
Installation
 Coding
 Physical design specifications are turned into
working computer code.
 Testing
 Tests are performed using various strategies.
 Testing performed in parallel with coding.
 Installation
 The current system is replaced by new system.
The Process of Documenting the System,
Training Users, and Supporting Users
 Two audiences for final documentation
 Information systems personnel who will maintain the
system throughout its productive life.
 People who will use the system as part of their daily
lives.
 User Training
 Application-specific.
 General for operating system and off-the-shelf
software.
The Testing Process

 The purpose of testing is to confirm that the

system satisfies the requirements,
 Testing must be planned.
 Test case is a specific scenario of
transactions, queries or navigation paths.
Types of Tests
 Inspection: a testing technique in which participants
examine program code for predictable language-specific
errors.
 Unit testing: each module is tested alone in an attempt to
discover any errors in its code.
 Integration testing: the process of bringing together all of
the modules that a program comprises for testing purposes.
 Modules are typically integrated in a top-down incremental
fashion.
 System testing: the bringing together of all of the programs
that a system comprises for testing purposes.Programs are
typically integrated in a top-down, incremental fashion.
Acceptance Testing by Users

 Acceptance testing: the process whereby actual

users test a completed information system, the end
result of which is the users’ acceptance of it.
 Alpha testing: user testing of a completed
information system using simulated data.
 Beta testing: user testing of a completed
information system using real data in the real user
environment.
Acceptance Testing by Users (Cont.)

 Types of Alpha Test:

 Recovery testing - forces software (or environment)
to fail in order to verify that recovery is properly
performed.
 Security testing - verifies that protection
mechanisms built into the system will protect it
from improper penetration.
 Stress testing - tries to break the system.
 Performance testing - determines how the system
performs on the range of possible environments in
which it may be used
Installation

 Installation: the organizational process of

changing over from the current information
system to a new one.
 Four installation strategies:
 Direct Installation.
 Parallel Installation.
 Single-location installation.
 Phased Installation.
Installation

 Direct installation: changing over from the old

system to a new one by turning off the old system
when the new system is turned on.
 Parallel installation: running the old information
system and the new one at the same time until
management decides the old system can be turned
off.
Installation

 Phased Installation: changing from the old

information system to the new one incrementally,
starting with one or a few functional components
and then gradually extending the installation to
cover the whole new system.
 Single-location installation: Trying out an
information system at one site and using the
experience to decide if and how the new system
should be deployed throughout the organization.
 Also known as location or pilot installation.
Documenting the System

 System documentation: detailed information about

a system’s design specifications, its internal
workings, and its functionality.
 User documentation: written or other visual
information about an application system, how it
works, and how to use it.
Training and Supporting Users

 Support: providing ongoing educational and

problem-solving assistance to information system
users.
 For in-house developed systems, support materials
and jobs will have to be prepared or designed as
part of the implementation process.
system maintenance.
Types of System Maintenance

 Maintenance: changes made to a system to fix or

enhance its functionality.
 Corrective maintenance: changes made to a system
to repair flaws in its design, coding, or
implementation.
 Adaptive maintenance: changes made to a system
to evolve its functionality to changing business
needs or technologies.
Types of System Maintenance (Cont.)

 Perfective maintenance: changes made to a system

to add new features or to improve performance.
 Preventive maintenance: changes made to a system
to avoid possible future problems.