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Effective System Development Strategies for IS Projects

This session delves into analyzing and designing systems through different development models like Prototyping and Spiral Model. Learn about Software Development Alternatives and Risk Management in IS projects. Explore various Systems Development Options and Standards for successful project outcomes.

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Effective System Development Strategies for IS Projects

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  1. MIS 746 IS Project Management Dr. Honghui Deng Assistant Professor MIS Department UNLV

  2. Session 9: System Development Analyzing & designing systems Prototyping IS project types

  3. State of the Industry • There are many good ideas for implementing computer systems in business • Bringing in a project: on time within budget as specified is very difficult

  4. Software Development Alternatives • Code-and-Fix: laissez faire • Waterfall: sequential • Prototyping • Spiral Model • Rapid Prototyping • others

  5. Waterfall Model • System feasibility Boehm (1988) • Software plans & requirements • Product design • Detailed design • Code • Integration • Implementation • Operations & Management

  6. Prototyping • Develop system on a small scale • let user try the system • User identifies needed improvement especially good if benefits hard to identify (“better decision making”) also appropriate to compare alternatives

  7. Spiral Model Boehm (1990) • Iterative prototypes • risk analysis • prototype • progress • Operations concept Requirements plan • Software requirements Req’ts validation • Software product design verification • Detailed design, code implement

  8. Risks and Responses • Personnel best talent training team building • Budget & schedule multiple estimates design to budget requirements scrubbing • Wrong functions user surveys, prototype • User interface prototyping, scenarios

  9. Risks and Responses • Excessive features requirements scrubbing • Many changes high change threshhold • External problems benchmarking • Real-time perform simulation, benchmark prototyping • Technical limits cost/benefit prototyping

  10. Rapid Prototyping Feedback from users • Problem Analysis • Requirements Description • Requirements Specification • Design/Implement Prototype • Evaluate Prototype • Formal Specifications

  11. Other Systems Development Options • Component Assembly Projects: typically object oriented modules • Rapid Application Development: compress life cycle Computer Aided Software Engineering Joint Application Development

  12. Software Development Standards • ISO 9000 • European set of standards • Focus on process rather than product • Capability Maturity Model • From Software Engineering Institute (Carnegie-Mellon University) • Levels of different competencies

  13. Effect of CMM LevelMcConnell [1993]

  14. IS PROJECT TYPES project management characteristics of different IS projects

  15. IS Projects • programming more automated • CASE tools, code generators, 4GL, systems re-engineering tools, OOL • focus therefore on • systems design • development • implementation

  16. IS Project Types • maintenance • conversion • new systems development

  17. Maintenance Projects by far the most common • duration • training • categories • fixing errors • minor enhancements • major enhancements

  18. Duration of Maintenance Projects • Impact on Organization’s Master Plan biggest factor • if significant contribution to revenue, more likely to have established maintenance team • can contribute as revenue source (royalties) or as a production tool • if less revenue impact, MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PROJECT TEAMfor maintenance

  19. Training & Maintenance Projects • some companies use maintenance as a training ground • exposure to maintenance can make an organization’s operations much clearer

  20. FIXING ERRORS • clear objective - complexity depends on • nature of the system, error, personnel • BEST CASE: • small system, easily traced • can assign to someone familiar with it • WORST CASE: • nobody familiar with system • very large & complex system • system evolved from earlier versions

  21. MINOR ENHANCEMENTS • adding, modifying, deleting data or reports • a degree of original design • constrained by original design • usually not under critical conditions • therefore, more likely to examine alternative approaches • more likely assigned to those with design capabilities, knowledge of the organization

  22. MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS • design & implementation scope high • wide-scale modification of existing module, or development of new module • can be a collection of minor enhancements with some common characteristic • need experienced personnel

  23. MAJOR ENHANCEMENTS • EASIEST IF • personnel know system • clear connection to a corporate goal • straightforward processes • CASE tool used to develop • DIFFICULT WHEN • new personnel • hard to assess criticality of system • no design & implementation standards

  24. CONVERSION PROJECTS • change an existing system (not necessarily computerized) • manual to computer-based • one computer platform to another

  25. Convert Manual to Automated • closest to pure design & development • major pitfalls • improper specification • failure to accommodate changes • need knowledge of existing system, desired system, how to make transition

  26. Conversion Change Management • need senior management support • need to convince affected employees that the change will lead to better working environment • JOB REDEFINITION • MAY DISPLACE EMPLOYEES- need retraining

  27. Convert to New Technologies • from one computer system to another • NEW JOB DESCRIPTIONS • example - text only to text & image keyboard only to scanning, working with objects • DATA RETRIEVAL changes • Conversion to new or emerging technologies much more involved

  28. Convert to New Technologies • SIMPLEST • new hardware similar to old • new operating system similar to old • existing applications modular • vendor supplied routines for conversion • WORST • major change: single task to multi-task • line-oriented to icon-oriented • keyboard to mouse

  29. Language-Based Conversions • translate from one language to another • most from 3GL (COBOL) to 4GL • need experts in both old & new languages • impact on data & code structure • take full advantage of 4GL

  30. Non-procedural Conversions • instead of sequential control, statements written as rules fired when all conditions satisfied • object-oriented approaches • objects control processing • need expertise in old & new languages • more code reuse in object-oriented

  31. Hardware-based Conversions • causes • convert to new platform for marketing purposes • bring in-house a formerly time-shared system • purchase new computing platform • most effort in converting low-level input & output processing routines

  32. Hardware-based Conversions • same vendor - little problem • IBM 32 bit words with 8 bit bytes • CDC 60 bit words with 6 bit bytes • code (even in same language) won’t run same • vendors may supply different codes • BEST CASE - vendor specific I/O localized in routines supplied by vendor • USUALLY some adjustments required

  33. New Systems Development each type of system has different project management characteristics • transaction processing • management control • decision support systems • group support systems • executive information systems

  34. Transaction Processing • high volumes of quantitative data, variety of input sources • drive standard reports, basis for other systems • complexity arises from volume • may involve complex calculations

  35. Management Control more specialized than transaction processing • monitor manpower allocations • monitor project progress • monitor production levels • monitor sales compare expected with actual if variance too great, trigger action

  36. Major Types of Systems

  37. Decision Support Systems • explore decision alternatives • data from a variety of sources • may include models • Project Team needs expertise in models

  38. Group Support Systems • allow multiple decision makers to work on decision problem • PROCESS oriented (communicate) • can be different time, place • Features • anonymity • brainstorming • consensus building

  39. Executive Support Systems • access to data of all types • much more subjective data, long range • INTERFACE critical • drill-down data tools • trend analysis - graphics & statistics • exception reports

  40. Enterprise Resource Planning What is ERP? ERP stands for Enterprise Resources Planning, which represents an information technology system that support business operations throughout an entire enterprise by optimizing, planning, maintaining, and tracking the use of company resources…. Raw Materials Equipment Finished Goods Human Resources Facilities

  41. Enterprise Resource Planning ERP systems have the capability to integrate the functions that make up the backbone of most businesses, such as financials, manufacturing, distribution, and human resources….. Financials • General Ledger • Accounts Payable • Receivables • Asset Management • Expense Reporting • Cash Management Manufacturing & Distribution • Inventory Control • Demand Planning • Scheduling • Engineering • Bills of Materials • Production Human Resources • Benefits • Payroll • Recruiting • Pensions • Time & Labor • Training

  42. Enterprise Resource Planning The origin of ERP systems can be traced back to the early 1960’s when businesses began looking at improving their operations by automating basic shop-floor systems….. MRP Systems ERP Systems MRP II Systems The Next Big Thing 1960 1975 1985 1992 1997 2000 2005 Manufacturing Systems Lifecycle

  43. Enterprise Resource Planning The top tier ERP suppliers include the following software companies…….

  44. Information Systems Enterprise Resource Planning Working as an IT project manager, you’ll find yourself faced with developing and implementing a variety of information technology systems…. Strategic Level Executive Support Systems Expert Support Systems Tactical Level Decision Support Systems Management Information Systems Office Automation Systems Operational Level Transaction Processing Systems

  45. Enterprise Resource Planning It has been estimated that 90% of the fortune 500 companies use ERP systems as the “information technology backbone” to run their business operations…

  46. Recap • IS project management can involve a wide variety of tasks • Need to be able to get technical expertise as well as experience with old systems • Apply systems approach

  47. Reengineering Projects Kralovec (1998) • USAA: high-density storage (optical) • Picture Tel System: video conferencing to save travel • Cellular Automated Transmission System: portable communications - trucks to HQ, laptops for generating paper • United Parcel Service: pen-based computing (DIAD)

  48. Babson College Kesner (1998) • reengineered business processes - 3 year project • improve records, advising, placement, field-learning • Data warehousing, reduced costs 20% • internet access

  49. Systems Development Approach Life cycle Criteria: cost, time, performance • Specification • Design • Code • Test • Implementation

  50. Specification • User identifies need • Systems analyst plans solution • Feasibility study: clear, concise statement of the problem • Statement of work: specification of what is to be done • MOST PROJECTS DIE IN THE SPECIFICATION PHASE

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