DE LA SALLE JOHN BOSCO

COLLEGE
B.Sc. (Information Technology)

2nd Semester

SYSTEM ANALYSIS
AND DESIGN
Course References:
1. System Analysis and Design (10 th edition Global)
by: Kenneth E. Kendall & Julie E. Kendall ; ISBN: 1-292-28415
2. System Analysis and Design in a changing world (7 th edition)
by: Satzinger & Jackson & Burd ; ISBN: 978-305-11720-4
3. System Analysis and Design (12 th edition)
by: Shelly Cashman ; ISBN: 978-357-1178-1
4. System Analysis and Design (2022 series)
by: Prof. Dr. Girish Kathuria Amity Global Business School University
Vikas Publishing 2021 original published
 BLOCK II: SYSTEM ANALYSIS
UNIT 5 FACT FINDING TECHNIQUES

5.1 OBJECTIVES

After going through this unit, you will be able to:

 Explain about the various fact finding techniques

 Discuss about the system analysis
 Understand the feasibility study and its types
 Describe the steps in feasibility analysis
 Define the feasibility report and oral presentation
 5.2 FACT FINDING TECHNIQUES

- include the interview, questionnaire, record review and observation.

5.2.1 Interview

- Analysts use interviews to collect information from individuals or from groups.

- The respondents may be managers or employees who provide data for the proposed system or who will be affected by
it.

- It provides the analyst an opportunities for gathering information form respondents who have been chosen for their
knowledge of the system under study.

- Best source for qualitative information (opinion, policies, and subjective)

- Best source for collecting quantitative data (numbers, frequencies, and quantities).

- Allows analyst to discover areas of misunderstanding, unrealistic expectations, and even indications of resistance to the
proposed system.
- Unstructured interviews, using a question and answer format - these are appropriate when analysts want
to acquire general information about a system.
This format encourages respondents t share their
feelings, ideas, and beliefs.

- Structured interviews using a question in an open – response or closed – response format. The former allows
a respondents to answer in their own words; the latter
uses a set of prescribed answers.

5.2.2 Questionnaire

• The use of questionnaires allows analysts to collect information about the system.

• The use of standardized question formats can yield more reliable data than other fact – finding techniques. However, this method does not
allow analysts to observe the expressions or reactions or respondents.

• Analysts often use open – ended questionnaires to learn about feeling, opinions, and general experiences or to explore a process or problem.

• As with interviewees, recipients, of questionnaires would be selected for the information they can provide. The analysts should ensure that
the respondents, background and experiences qualify them to answer the questions
5.2.3 Record Review

• Provides with valuable information about organizations and operations.

• Analyst examine information that has been recorded about the system and the user.

• Record inspection can be performed at the start of the study, as an introduction.

• Records includes the policy manuals, regulations, and standard operating procedures.

5.2.4 Observation

• Observation allows analysts to gain information they cannot obtain by any other fact finding method.

• Analysts can obtain first hand information about how activities are carried out. This method is most useful when analysts need to actually
observe how documents are handled, how processes are carried out, observers know what to look for and how to assess the significance of
what they observe.
 5.3 ANALYSING SYSTEMS DATA

• The process of analysis involves a detailed study of the current system leading to specifications of a new system.

• During analysis, data are collected on the available files, decision points and transactions handled by the present system.

• Interviews, onsite observation and questionnaire are the tools used for system analysis.

Using the following steps it becomes easy to draw the exact boundary of the new system under consideration:

 Keeping in view the problems and new requirements.

 Workout the pros and cons including new areas of the system.
All procedures, requirements must be analyzed and documented in the form of detailed Data Flow Diagrams or DFDs, data dictionary, logical
data structures and miniature specifications.

System analysis also includes sub-dividing of complex process involving the entire system, identification of data store and manual processes.

The features discussed in system analysis are as follows:

 Specification of what the new system is to accomplish based on the user requirements

 Functional hierarchy showing the functions to be performed by the new system and their relationship with
each other.

 Function network which are similar to function hierarchy but they highlight those functions which are
common to more than one procedure.

 List of attributes of the entities (data items) which need to be held about each entity, i.e., record.
• The purpose of system analysis phase is to build a logical model of the new system.

• The first step is related to requirements modelling where you investigate business processes and documents what the new system must do
to satisfy users.

• Requirements modelling continues the investigation which begins during the system planning phase.

• To understand the system, you perform information gathering, such as interviews, observations, surveys, document review, observation and
sampling.

• You can use information gathering result produced by the tools to build business models, data and process models, and object models.

• The deliverable from the system analysis phase is the system requirement document.

• The system requirements document describes management and user requirements, costs and benefits, and outlines alternative development
strategies.

• The system analysis phase placed in software development life cycle is shown in Figure 5.1.
• System analysis is a process in which data are collected and then interpreted to identify the problems within the system.

• System analysis includes identification, understanding and examining a system so that the objectives of the system can be achieved.

• The predetermined objectives of the system analysis are as follows:

 It produces knowledge of the system operation.

 It identifies the user requirements for the proposed system.

The system analysis stage investigates the system operations and determines the solutions to solve the problem.

• System analysis is really vital in the completion of the development process of a system. It may be possible that a user is aware of the
problem but may not have the solution to it.

• A system analyst can work with a user to obtain the complete knowledge of a system.

• For having the complete information about a system, a logical model of the system is developed based on the detailed study of the given
system.

• The detailed study should be done using various modern tools and techniques which includes data flow diagrams, data dictionary and
rough descriptions of the relevant algorithms.
 5.4 FEASIBILITY STUDY
• A feasibility study is an evaluation of a proposal to determine the difficulty in carrying out a task.

• The major purpose of the feasibility study is to evaluate and consider alternative systems solutions, evaluate their feasibility
and propose the best possible alternative to the organization.

• The objectives of the feasibility study:

 To decide on the number and designation of the persons involved in operating the proposed
system in the organization.

 To determine the probable achievements of the proposed system.

 To estimate the benefits of the new system.

 The organizational changes needed for its successful implementation.

 What will be the estimated cost of the system.

• There are several components based on which a feasibility study is evaluated.

• These components or types are as follows:

 Economic – should be carried out to assess the cost, benefits and liabilities of the project.

 Operational – determines how well the solution of problems or a specific solution will work in an organization.

 Technical – Issues are identified and analyzed.

 Marketing – Basically, analyzed the market potential of the product or services.

 Cultural – It deals with aspects like the impact of the proposed project on the local culture.

 Legal – It determines if the proposed is within the local and state legal frameworks.

 Schedule – involved following factors: solution in time, project schedule constraints, time available, can it be built?, etc?
 5.6 SUMMARY

• The specific methods analysts use for collecting data about requirements are called fact finding techniques.

• These include the interview, questionnaire, record review and observation.

• Analysts usually employ more than one of these techniques to help ensure an accurate and comprehensive investigation.

• Analysts use interviews to collect information from individuals or from groups.

• The respondents are generally current users of the existing system or potential users of the proposed system.

• It is important to remember that respondents and analysts converse during an interview – the respondents are not being
interrogated.

• Interviews provide analysts with opportunities for gathering information form respondents who have been chosen for their
knowledge of the system under study.

• Interviews allow analysts to discover areas of misunderstanding, unrealistic expectations, and even indications of resistance
to the proposed system.
• Unstructured interviews, using a question and answer format, are appropriate when analysts want to acquire general
information about a system. This format encourages respondents to share their feelings, ideas, and beliefs. Structured
interviews use standardized questions in either an open – response or closed – response format. The former allows
respondents to answer in their own words; the latter uses a set of prescribed answers.

• The success of an interview depends on the skill or the interviewer and on his or her preparation for the interview.

• It is important to have adequate verification of data through other data collection methods.

• The use of questionnaires allows analysts to collect information about various aspects of a system from a large number of
persons. The use of standardized question formats can yield more reliable data than other fact – finding techniques, and the
wide distribution ensures greater anonymity for respondents, which can lead to more honest responses.

• The high cost of developing and distributing questionnaires demands that analysts carefully consider the objective of the
questionnaire and determine what structure will be most useful to the study and most easily understood by the respondents.
Questionnaires should also be tested and, if necessary, modified before being printed and distributed.
• Many kinds of records and reports can provide analysts with valuable information about organizations and operations.

• In record reviews, analysts examine information that has been recorded about the system and user. Record inspection can be
performed at the beginning of the study, as an introduction, or later in the study, as a basis for comparing, actual operations
with the records indicate should be happening.

• Records include written policy manuals, regulations and standard operating procedures used by most organizations and a
guide for managers and employees.

• Observation allows analysts to gain information they cannot obtain by any other fact finding method. Through observation,
analysts can obtain first hand information about how activities are carried out.

• This method is most useful when analysts need to actually observe how documents are handled, how processes are carried
out, observers know what to look for and how to assess the significance of what they observe.

• The process of analysis involves a detailed study of the current system leading to specifications of a new system. The
approach of analysis is a detailed study of various operations performed by a system and their relationships within and
outside the system. During analysis, data are collected on the available files, decision points and transactions handled by the
present system. Interviews, onsite observation and questionnaire are the tools used for system analysis.
• All procedures, requirements must be analysed and documented in the form of detailed Data Flow Diagrams or DFDs, data
dictionary, logical data structures and miniature specifications.

• System analysis also includes sub-dividing of complex process involving the entire system, identification of data store and
manual processes.

• The purpose of system analysis phase is to build a logical model of the new system.

• The first step is related to requirements modelling where you investigate business processes and documents what the new
system must do to satisfy users.

• To understand the system, you perform information gathering, such as interviews, observations, surveys, document review,
observation and sampling. You can use information gathering result produced by the tools to build business models, data and
process models, and object models.

• The system requirements document describes management and user requirements, costs and benefits, and outlines alternative
development strategies.

• System analysis is a process in which data are collected and then interpreted to identify the problems within the system
• The system analysis stage investigates the system operations and determines the solutions to solve the problem.

• System analysis is really vital in the completion of the development process of a system.

• A system analyst can work with a user to obtain the complete knowledge of a system.

• A set of system requirements for a proposed information system is the final product of the system analysis stage.

• A feasibility study is an evaluation of a proposal to determine the difficulty in carrying out a task. The major purpose of the
feasibility study is to evaluate and consider alternative systems solutions, evaluate their feasibility and propose the best
possible alternative to the organization.

• For any project to go ahead, it is essential during the early development that the economic feasibility study is carried out. It
forms the essential component of any system development process in any business.

• Based on the information in the economic feasibility report, a case is put before the stakeholders of the selected project to be
implemented. This case will provide the requisite details for the selection of a particular project over others.
• Factors like time value of money, quality of available data, investment and operating costs, suitability of assumptions, risk and
uncertainty are essential to the Economic Feasibility Study (EFS).

• Operational feasibility study (OFS) determines how well the solution of problems or a specific solution will work in an
organization and also how people feel about the solution provided.

• The marketing feasibility study basically analyses the market potential of the product or services, which will be produced as a
result of implementation of the proposed system.

• These feasibility factors provide the grounds for definitive recommendations on system development strategy, cost
effectiveness and sales strategy for the product/services, which are produced as a result of the implementation of the proposed
project.

• The cultural feasibility study deals with aspects like the impact of the proposed project on the local culture. It also determines
if an alternative project would better suit the proposed project and the environmental factors and cultural traditions and values.
This study checks whether the prevalent culture would accept or refuse the project.

• The legal feasibility study determines if the proposed study is within the local and state legal frameworks

• Preliminary investigations examine the feasibility of the software project under study. In the preliminary investigation and
feasibility study, the analyst collects information about what the end user expects from the new system.
• Feasibility study helps management to make a decision about whether the system under study is feasible. Since it is not
possible to implement all proposed projects, feasibility study should be completed within a short period of time.

• The foundation for the project effort, in totality, is set by a project team at the very beginning of the Software Development
Life Cycle (SDLC). While initiating a project, it is very important to justify it, i.e., to determine whether it should be built
or not.

• The first phase of the feasibility study is to identify the possible implementation alternatives for a project.  Technical,
economical and operational areas of the feasibility study must be addressed for the further development of the system.

• Decision regarding feasibility of the project should be made by the management and not the systems analyst.

• The systems analyst must address the three areas technical, economic and operational feasibility in the preliminary study of
the system under development.

• The most critical requirements for the analyst who gives the oral presentation are: (1) communication skills and knowledge
about the candidate system that can be translated into language understandable to the user and (2) the ability to answer
questions, clarify issues, maintain credibility and pick up on any new ideas or suggestions.
• The substance and form of the presentation depend largely on the purposes sought. The presentation may aim at informing,
confirming, or persuading.

• A presentation with this purpose verifies facts and recommendations already discussed and agreed upon. Unlike the
persuading approach, no supportive evidence is presented to sell the proposed change, nor is there elaborate reasoning
behind recommendations and conclusions.

• The presentation should be brief, factual and interesting Clarity and persuasiveness are critical. Skill is needed to generate
enthusiasm and interest throughout the presentation.

• The most important element to consider is the length of the presentation. The duration often depends on the complexity of
the project, the interest of the user group and the competence of the project team.

• After the completion of software project planning, the task of the software project manager is to make a proper
documentation of the software project planning results and this document is termed as Software Project Management Plan
(SPMP)
 5.7 KEY WORDS

• Interview: Analysts use interviews to collect information from individuals or from groups. The respondents are generally
current users of the existing system or potential users of the proposed system.

• Questionnaire: The use of questionnaires allows analysts to collect information about various aspects of a system from a
large number of persons.

• Record review: In record reviews, analysts examine information that has been recorded about the system and user.

• Observation: Observation allows analysts to gain information they cannot obtain by any other fact finding method.

• Study phase report: It refers to the process of executing plan with the help of lower and upper level planning on the basis of
report.

• Informing: This simply means communicating the decisions already reached on system recommendations and the resulting
action plans to those who will participate in the implementation.
THANK YOU!