STARTING THE SYSTEMS DEVELOPMENT PROCESS.
Do we have business problem (or opportunity)? What is causing the problem? Would a new or improved information system help solve the problem? What would be a feasible information system solution to our problem? These are the questions that have to be answered in the system investigation stage-the first step in the systems development process. This stage may involve consideration of proposals generated by an information systems planning process.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
The process of developing a major information system can be costly, the systems investigation stage frequently requires a preliminary study called a feasibility study. A feasibility study is a preliminary study which investigates the information needs of prospective users and determines the resource requirements, costs, benefits, and feasibility of proposed project. You would use the methods of gathering information to collect data for a feasibility study. Then you might formalize the findings of this study in written report that includes preliminary specifications and a development plan for the proposed system. If management approves the recommendations of the feasibility study, the development process can continue.
The goal of feasibility studies is to evaluate alternative systems and to propose the most feasible and desirable systems for development. The feasibility of a proposed system can be evaluated in terms of four major categories.
The focus of organizational feasibility is on how well a proposed information system supports the objectives of the organization and its strategic plan for information systems. For example, projects that do not directly contribute to meeting an organization’s strategic objectives are typically not funded. Economic feasibility is concerned with whether expected cost savings, increased revenue, increased profits, reductions in required investment, and other types of benefits will exceed the costs of developing and operating a proposed system. For example, if a project can’t cover its development costs, it won’t be approved, unless mandated by government regulations or other considerations.
Technical feasibility can be demonstrated if reliable hardware and software capable of meeting the needs of a proposed system can be acquired or development by the business in the required time. Finally, operational feasibility is the willingness and ability of the management, employees, customers, suppliers, and others to operate, use, and support a proposed system. For example, if the software for a new system is too difficult to use, employees may make too many errors and avoid using it. Thus , it would fail to show operational feasibility.
Cost/Benefit Analysis. Feasibility studies typically involve cost/benefit analysis. If costs and benefits can be quantified, they are called tangible costs are the costs of hardware and software, employee salaries, and other quantifiable costs needed to develop and implement an IS solution. Intangible costs are difficult to quantity; they included the loss of customer goodwill or employee morale caused by errors and disruptions arising from the installation of a new system.
Tangible. Benefits are favorable results, such as the decrease in payroll costs caused by a reduction in personnel or a decrease in inventory carrying costs caused by a reduction in inventory. Intangible benefits are harder to estimate. Such benefits as better customer service or faster and more accurate informations for management fall into this category.
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS.
It is an in-depth study of end user information needs that produces functional requirements that are used as the basis for the design of a new information system. Systems analysis traditionally involves a detailed study of:
ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS.
An organization analysis is an important first step in systems analysis. How can anyone improve an information system if they know very little about the organizational environment in which that system is located? They can’t. That’s why the members of a development team have to know something about the organization, its management structure, its people, its business activities, the environmental systems I must deal with, and its current information system. Someone on the team must know this information in more detail for the specific business units or end user workgroups that will be affected by the new or improved information system being proposed. For example, a new inventory control system for a chain of department stores cannot be designed unless someone on a development team knows a lost about the company and the types of business activities that affect its inventory.
Do we have business problem (or opportunity)? What is causing the problem? Would a new or improved information system help solve the problem? What would be a feasible information system solution to our problem? These are the questions that have to be answered in the system investigation stage-the first step in the systems development process. This stage may involve consideration of proposals generated by an information systems planning process.
FEASIBILITY STUDIES.
The process of developing a major information system can be costly, the systems investigation stage frequently requires a preliminary study called a feasibility study. A feasibility study is a preliminary study which investigates the information needs of prospective users and determines the resource requirements, costs, benefits, and feasibility of proposed project. You would use the methods of gathering information to collect data for a feasibility study. Then you might formalize the findings of this study in written report that includes preliminary specifications and a development plan for the proposed system. If management approves the recommendations of the feasibility study, the development process can continue.
The goal of feasibility studies is to evaluate alternative systems and to propose the most feasible and desirable systems for development. The feasibility of a proposed system can be evaluated in terms of four major categories.
The focus of organizational feasibility is on how well a proposed information system supports the objectives of the organization and its strategic plan for information systems. For example, projects that do not directly contribute to meeting an organization’s strategic objectives are typically not funded. Economic feasibility is concerned with whether expected cost savings, increased revenue, increased profits, reductions in required investment, and other types of benefits will exceed the costs of developing and operating a proposed system. For example, if a project can’t cover its development costs, it won’t be approved, unless mandated by government regulations or other considerations.
Technical feasibility can be demonstrated if reliable hardware and software capable of meeting the needs of a proposed system can be acquired or development by the business in the required time. Finally, operational feasibility is the willingness and ability of the management, employees, customers, suppliers, and others to operate, use, and support a proposed system. For example, if the software for a new system is too difficult to use, employees may make too many errors and avoid using it. Thus , it would fail to show operational feasibility.
Cost/Benefit Analysis. Feasibility studies typically involve cost/benefit analysis. If costs and benefits can be quantified, they are called tangible costs are the costs of hardware and software, employee salaries, and other quantifiable costs needed to develop and implement an IS solution. Intangible costs are difficult to quantity; they included the loss of customer goodwill or employee morale caused by errors and disruptions arising from the installation of a new system.
Tangible. Benefits are favorable results, such as the decrease in payroll costs caused by a reduction in personnel or a decrease in inventory carrying costs caused by a reduction in inventory. Intangible benefits are harder to estimate. Such benefits as better customer service or faster and more accurate informations for management fall into this category.
SYSTEMS ANALYSIS.
It is an in-depth study of end user information needs that produces functional requirements that are used as the basis for the design of a new information system. Systems analysis traditionally involves a detailed study of:
- The information needs of the organization and end users like yourself.
- The activities, resources, and products of any present information systems.
- The information system capabilities required to meet your information needs, and those of other end users.
ORGANIZATIONAL ANALYSIS.
An organization analysis is an important first step in systems analysis. How can anyone improve an information system if they know very little about the organizational environment in which that system is located? They can’t. That’s why the members of a development team have to know something about the organization, its management structure, its people, its business activities, the environmental systems I must deal with, and its current information system. Someone on the team must know this information in more detail for the specific business units or end user workgroups that will be affected by the new or improved information system being proposed. For example, a new inventory control system for a chain of department stores cannot be designed unless someone on a development team knows a lost about the company and the types of business activities that affect its inventory.
