7/10: Ch. 3 Solving Business Problems

1. 7/10: Ch. 3 Solving Business Problems • The systems approach to problem solving • Define problem (systems thinking) • Develop alternative solutions • Select the solution • Design the solution • Implement the solution • Developing IS solutions • Investigation • Analysis • Design • Implementation • Maintenance

2. A Systems Approach to Problem Solving Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

3. Systems Approach: Define the Problem • Symptoms vs. problems • Systems thinking: “See the forest and the trees” Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

4. Systems Approach: Develop Solutions • Use previous experience • Research: print, web, people resources • Imagination • One alternative: do nothing Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

5. Systems Approach: Select the Solution • Evaluate the alternatives: • various requirements: financial, business, HR, etc. • use specific criteria to evaluate • Select the solution: • might not be the best in the “rankings” Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

6. Systems Approach: Design the Solution • Elaborate on specifications • Create implementation plan • hardware • software – including operating procedures • HR – IT techs, training • timetables for conversion & finalization Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

7. Systems Approach: Implement the Solution • Do it. • Follow up with a post-implementation review Define Problem Develop Alternative Solutions Select the Solution Design the Solution Implement the Solution

8. Developing IS Solutions Systems Approach Developing IS Solutions Define Problem Investigation Analysis Develop Alternative Solutions Design Select the Solution Design the Solution Implementation Implement the Solution Maintenance

9. Small Groups: Cases Use the systems approach to analyze these cases: • Millipore Corporation (pg. 90): Find the 5 steps • Camelot Music (pg. 79): Find the 5 steps • George W. Bush’s campaign:“not knowledgeable enough”: recommend a solution • New stadium for Cardinals baseball: is this the right solution? What is the problem? • The SLU bookstore: What is the problem? Recommend a solution.

10. Developing IS Solutions • A cycle, not a one-time-through process • Encompasses thesystems approach, butadds maintenance andthe cycle concept Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

11. Developing IS Solutions: Investigation • Is there a problem? • What is the cause?effects? system? • What is feasible? • organizational • economic • technical • operational Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

12. Developing IS Solutions: Systems Analysis • Cost/Benefit Analysis • intangibles • tangibles • Systems Analysis • in-depth analysis of what end users need • organizational analysis • Functional requirements Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

13. Developing IS Solutions: Systems Design • User Interface Design • simple • clean • logical • Data Design • relationships • data elements • attributes • Process Design • System Specifications Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

14. Developing IS Solutions: Systems Design • Prototyping • web based • physical prototypes • mockups • speeds up design time Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

15. Developing IS Solutions: Implementation • Installation • Training • Testing • Documentation • possible ways: • pilot • parallel • phasing Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance

16. Developing IS Solutions: Maintenance • Post-implementation review • Fixing errors & bugs • Modifications becauseof changed environment Investigation Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance