The System Life

Cycle
SECTION 7 (USING THE NEW TEXT)
 Systems
Life Cycle
• Stages need to be
carried out in
order, to create a
new/modified IT
System.
• Tasks need to be
completed for
each stage.
• -Copy p. 92
Waterfall Model
Waterfall Model Approach to Systems Life Cycle - p92
• -At each level, it is possible to be back to a
previous stage. This is called an iteration.
 1. Analysis
•

Types of Systems:
communication, finance, manufacturing, etc.
Who does this? Systems Analysts (IT Specialists)
Why? To improve systems, to become more efficient, and for businesses,
more profitable.
What is needed:
 Problems that need solving
 Facts to gather
 Changes needed
 Gathering / Collecting Information
• Methods of research: e.g. Why Low Morale at School
Blu?
• Observation –the sysems analyst can learn from watching
what is going on
• how things are done & the culture of the workplace
-Interviews -to ask people operating the system at the
moment how things work and don’t work
• -questions can be modified as the interviewer inquires and
probes for new information
More Methods of research:
• Questionnaires –Can canvas many people in a short period
of time about their views. Participants may feel more free
to express themselves, but some may not take Qs seriously
• Document Collection –Can capture not just key data, but
also processes and procedures about how data is collected
and used.
 Hardware and Software Requirements for the
New System

• Hardware
• How many computers? network? Servers? Storage devices?
• Any special input devices? (e.g. barcode readers, touch screen)
• Any special output devices? (e.g. screens, printers)
• Software
• Is ready-made, off-the-shelf software available? Online/Offline?
• Is custom-written software required, written by programmers?
 Hardware and Software Requirements for the New System
-What does it need to do?

• Hardware
• How many computers? network? Server(s)? Storage devices?
• Any special input devices? (e.g. barcode readers, touch screen)
• Any special output devices? (e.g. screens, printers)
• Software
• Is ready-made, off-the-shelf software available?
• Is custom-written software required, written by programmers?
 2: Design Stage (Read text, pp. 94-96)
What do you think this company is needing to design?
What will determine whether they are successful?
Waterfall Model Approach to Systems Life Cycle - p92
• Remember ADD-IDE (Fun Fact: Michael Phelps has ADD, and is the
most decorated athlete of all time with 23 gold medals)
 Input Designs and Output Designs
Using the list of requirements, the systems analyst
now has to design the new system.
Often what is needed is something computer-
based. They can easily communicate and process
data.
Start by looking at output
measuring results
Start with a prototype
 Examples of Types of Input/Output:
 Data capture forms (input)
 Data capture forms Screen
displays for output (output)
 Report Layouts, after creating
a Database (MS Access)
• (all of: input, processing,
storage and output)
 Input Designs –How to collect and input data?
• Sensors (like temperature) automatically collects data
• Questionnaires: Use OMR or OCR machines?
• Touch-screen or traditional keyboard customer-manual
data entry?
 Data Validation Techniques

 Is the data is sensible? (no dates of birth in the future, etc.) - it does not
mean that the data is the right data.

For example, if you are entering a date of birth and you mis-type it…
Correct date of birth: 12/11/1982
Date of birth entered: 12/11/1928
•
To check that data is the correct value, we use a validation routine. (p. 96)
 More Data Validation Techniques (see p. 96)
• Presence Check
• Is data actually present in a field, or has it been left out?

• Length Check
• Is an item of text too short or too long? E.g. Password under min. of 8 characters

• Type Check
• Is the data the correct type?
(E.g. the letter ‘A’ should not be allowed in a numeric field)
• Range Check
• Is the data value within a set range?
(E.g. an exam mark should be between 0% and 100%,
a month should be between 1 and 12)
• Format Check
• Is the data in the correct format?
 Data Storage
• How much data to be stored?
• Overall volume of data?
• How often does it need to be
accessed? How quickly?
• Hardware needed, or cloud storage
arrangements?
evelopment and
ing

PART 3 OF THE SYSTEMS LIFE CYCLE

 1. Test Design
• Determine a test strategy before the software is
produced.
• -Decide what needs to be tested.
• -Draw up a test plan, testing the input, output, storage,
and indended software functions.
• Try to spot as much inaccurate data as possible.
 Testing

• -Test individual modules as standalone units—called unit testing.

• When this is complete, link modules together for integration
testing.
 Live data may be easiest to use. (eg. actual report marks in a
current class at Bingham)
 Test data is a more thorough approach (eg. selecting normal,
abnormal and extreme report card values to test on a new marks
report system.
 Then, test the whole system.
Normal, Extreme and Abnormal Data (p. 97)

Test for
• Normal data -valid/acceptable
• Extreme data -borderline data, but
acceptable.
• abnormal –invalid, and not acceptable.
Q. On a Quiz out of 10, which values below are:
normal, abnormal and extreme?

4, 12, 9, 1, A, 0, 10, 5, -1
Answers: normal, abnormal and extreme

4, 12, 9, 1, A, 0,
10, 5, -1
 Testing Strategies

 Use a test plan.

Include: test number, data clearly
specified, reason for test, and
expected result.
 Include the client as a party to the
test plan. They need to be convinced
that the software works as planned.