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System Analysis and Design. System Analysis. - Mr. Ahmad Al-Ghoul. learning Objectives. Understand the concept of observation for data gathering Write effective questions for surveys Understand the concept of sampling and other fact finding techniques. Introduction.
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System Analysis and Design System Analysis - Mr. Ahmad Al-Ghoul
learning Objectives • Understand the concept of observation for data gathering • Write effective questions for surveys • Understand the concept of sampling and other fact finding techniques System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Introduction • As noted from the previous sequence, asking questions of the people who use a system every day or who have an interest, as an effective way to gather information about current and future systems. • There are anther techniques like observing current system users in more direct way of seeing how an existing system operates • Anther technique is examining system and organizational documentation to discover more detail about current system and the organization these system support • Questionnaires allows systems analyst to study attitudes, beliefs, behavior, and characteristics of several key people in the organization who may be affected by the current and proposed systems. System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Document Review • Help you understand how the current system is supposed to work • Four types of useful documents • Written work procedures • Describes how a job is performed • Includes data and information used and created in the process of performing the job or task • Business form • Explicitly indicate data flow in or out of a system • Report • Enables the analyst to work backwards from the report to the data that generated it • Description of current information system • Enables the analyst to how the current systems designed and how they work System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Types of information to be discovered: • Problems with existing system ( e.g., missing information or redundant steps) • Opportunity to meet new need (e.g., analysis of sales based on customer type) • Organizational direction that can influence information system requirements (e.g., trying to link customers and suppliers closely to the organization) • Names of key individuals who have an interest in relevant existing systems System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Types of information to be discovered: • Values of organization or individuals who can determine priorities for different capabilities desired by different users (e.g., maintaining market share even if it means lower short-term profits) • Special information processing circumstances (e.g., special handling needed for a few very large-volume customers and which requires use of customized customer ordering procedures) • Reasons for current system design (e.g., data about customer’s purchase of competitors’ products were not available when the current system was designed) • Rules for processing data, and principles by which the organization operates that must be enforces by the information system System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Observation • Seeing the system in action gives you additional perspective and a better understanding of the system procedures • Observation allows you to verify and to determine whether procedures really operate as they are described • You can discover the accuracy of the system documentation • Observation can provide the knowledge needed to test or install future changes System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Plan your observations in advance • Prepare a checklist of specific tasks you want to observe and questions you want to ask • Issues to be considered when you prepare your list • ask sufficient questions to ensure that you have complete understanding of the present system operation • Observe all steps in a transaction and note the documents, input, outputs, and process involved • Examine each form, record, and report • Consider each user who works with the system and the following questions • What information does the person receive from other people? • What information does this person generate? • How is the information communicated? • How often do interruption occur? • How much down time occur? • Talk to the people who receive current reports to see whether the reports are complete, timely, accurate, and in a useful form System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Questionnaires and Surveys • Surveys is a document containing a number of a standard questions that can be sent to many individuals • When designing a questionnaire, the most important rule of all is to make sure that your questions collect the right data in a form that you can use to further your fact-finding • Questionnaires are valuable if • Organization members are widely dispersed • Many members are involved with the project • A typical questionnaire starts with heading, which includes a title, a brief statement of purpose, the name and telephone number of the contact person, the deadline date for completion, and how the member and when to return the form • General instructions that provide a clear guidelines on how to answer the question • Introduction for each main section of the survey System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Good response rates can be achieved with consistent control of questionnaire • Format and style • Allow enough space for responses to be typed for open-ended questions • Ask respondents to clearly mark their answers • Use objectives to help determine format • Be consistent in style • Meaningful ordering and clustering of questions • Most important questions go first • Similar topics should be clustered together System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Sampling • Sampling is a process of systematically selecting representative elements of a population • Samples might include records, reports, operational logs, data entry documents, complaint summaries, work requests, and various types of forms • The reasons systems analysts do sampling are • Reduction of costs • Speeding up the data-gathering process • Improving effectiveness • Reduction of data-gathering bias • Main objective of a sample is to ensure that it represents the overall population accurately System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Choosing the type of sample • Systematic sample • Simplest method of probability sampling • Choose every kth person on a list • Not good if the list is ordered • Stratified sample • Identifying subpopulations • Selecting objects or people for sampling from the subpopulation • Random sample • Chose randomly depending on the size of sample System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Research • Research can include the Internet, IT magazines, and books • You can obtain background information, technical material, and news about industry trends and developments • Using the Internet you can access information from federal and state governments, as well as from publishers, universities, and libraries • You can obtain information about hardware and software products and services offered by the company’s and send e-mail with specific questions to company representatives • Newsgroups • Good resources for exchanging information with other professionals, seeking answers to questions, and monitoring discussions • Site visit • Objective from site visit is to observe a system in use at anther location • Site visits are important when considering the purchase of a software package System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Interviews versus Questionnaires • When you seek input from a large group, a questionnaire is a very useful tool • If you required detailed information from only few people, then you probably should interview each person individually • Interview is more familiar and personal • Questionnaire gives many people the opportunity to provide input and suggestions System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Anther popular method of obtaining input is called • Brainstorming: A fact-finding technique for gaining information, through use of a small group discussion of a specific problem, opportunity, or issue. • Brainstorming can be structured or unstructured • Structured brainstorming: A group discussion where each participant speaks when it is his or her turn, or passes. • Unstructured brainstorming: A group discussion where any participant can speak at any time. System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Other Fact-Finding Techniques • Documentation • Keeping accurate records of interviews, facts, ideas, and observations • The ability to manage information is the mark of a successful systems analyst • The Need for Recording the Facts • As you gather information, the importance of a single item can be overlooked or complex system details can be forgotten • You should document your work according to the following principles: • Record information as soon as you obtain it • Use the simplest recording method • Record your findings in such a way that they can be understood by someone else • Organize your documentation System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Sequence Summary • The fact-finding process includes interviewing, document review, observation, questionnaires, sampling, and research • Document review help you understand how the current system is supposed to work • Surveys is a document containing a number of a standard questions that can be sent to many individuals • The process of systemically selecting representative elements of a population is called sampling • Analysts use observation as an information gathering technique, through observation they gain insight into what is actually done System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Sequence Summary • In this Sequence we have • Explained how to find facts from documents • Described the types of documents to review • Explained the concept of observation for data gathering • Explained the Issues to be considered when you prepare your observation list • Discussed how to Write effective questions for surveys • Explained the concept of sampling • Identified the types of sampling includes: systematic sample, stratified sample, and random sample • Described other fact finding techniques includes: research and brainstorming • Distinguished between Interviews and Questionnaires • Explained how to document the interviews and other fact finding techniques System Analysis and Design System Analysis
Reference [1] System Analysis and Design, Sixth Edition Authors: Gary B. Shelly, Thomas J. Cashman and Harry J. Rosenblatt Publisher: SHELLY CASHMAN SEWIES. [2] system analysis and design, sixth edition Authors: Kenneth E. Kendall and Julie E. Kendall Publisher: Prentice Hall [3] Modern Systems Analysis and Design Third Edition Authors: Jeffrey A. Hoffer , Joey F. George, Joseph S. Valacich Publisher: prentice hall System Analysis and Design System Analysis