The systems analyst is involved in every phase of system development. These ranges from project planning, analysis, design, implementation and support activities. Each phase is important and involves a great detail of information and work. The approaches compliment each other and help define the functional and non-functional requirements for the project.
The key components when doing a system deployment should be defining the system requirements, prioritizing the requirements, developing a prototype and reviewing and calculating alternatives. When planning a project, an analyst must identify the key stakeholders who are going to be essential. Some of the key people are the users who will be working on the system on a daily basis, the clients who are funding and own the system and the technical staff who will implement the system and provide continued support afterwards in production.
When determining system requirements, each process is important and should never be overlooked as it can result in a loss of time and effort. Some key goals are technical, performance, usability, reliability, and security. These are all non-functional characteristics. The functional requirements are based on the procedures and guidelines the organization uses to run its business. Also, key questions need to be asked such as “What are the business processes? ”, “How are the business processes performed? ”, and “What information is currently being required? . These questions need to be answered to help mold the logical model of the system. It is important for a Systems Analyst to use a standardized approach as this helps them gain a better understanding of the system and helps reduce the complexity of the system. Analysts use many types of models when developing systems. A couple of examples of models that are used are a mathematical model, which encompasses formulas, and a descriptive model which takes all the text that is accumulated to assist with writing process and procedures.
The Term Paper on Viable Systems Model (VSM) and Soft Systems Model (SSM)
1.1 Viable System Model The VSM is a powerful tool; it establishes the adequacy of the strategies used by an organization to cope with the complexity of its tasks. The VSM is a model of the web of regulatory mechanisms that are needed in an organization to cope successfully with the inherent large complexity of real-world tasks. 1.1.1 A brief overview of VSM There are five systems in the process ...
One popular model is the graphical model, as it contains diagrams and makes it easier to understand all the connecting pieces and subsystems involved. As the analyst gathers information from the input of users and the business, these processes should be documented. With all the information gathered you can start to devise a workflow. The documentation can help compose an activity diagram and you can start to see all the requirements all the way from the user to the computer processing to achieve the required tasks.
This approach can also assist with new concepts the business unit would like to deploy or new features to help enhance the system. In addition, the documentation acquired will help develop a prototype of the system. The prototype will help test all the functional and non-functional requirements that were discussed during your interview sessions. When the system analyst creates the system requirements, there may be several options and the path taken needs to be decided. The analyst should discuss their findings and review recommendations with management, clients and users to ensure everyone is on the same page.
It is important to obtain sign-off to see if the project should continue at all and if it can be completed within budget and timeline. Listing all the options and approaches that can be taken to implement the system is very helpful for those making the decisions. In my experiences, routine walkthroughs with the essential audience is very important. The walkthrough can cover a range of topics to acquire the necessary documentation and ensures the proper procedures are in place. This essential information can help direct the project in the right direction and can help illustrate the phases of the project.
The Term Paper on Project Management For Information Systems
Abstract Information systems (IS) projects are vulnerable to resource cutbacks and the increasing complexity of systems and advances in information technology make finding the right personnel difficult and the associated development costs high. Good project management is essential for success. Some alignment methodologies include IBM's business systems planning (BSP), Robert Holland's strategic ...
It is up to the project manager and/or the system analyst to ensure the quality of the system and that all the specific tasks and procedures are executed. If applicable a QA environment should be established. A prototype can help establish feedback and help identify any glitches in the system as well as identify if certain features were not implemented or calculated correctly. In overview, there is much fact-finding and investigation needed when trying to determine system requirements; from functional to non-functional requirements to what type of models to use when describing system requirements. Preparation and execution are vital when validating the requirements with the appropriate staff to ensure a productive, accurate and stable system.