System analysis and design refers to the process of examining a business situation with the intent of improving it through better procedures and methods.
System Development can generally be thought of as having two major components: System analysis and system designs.
System design is the process of planning a new business System or one to replace or complement an existing system. But before this planning can be done, the lod system must be thoroughly understood and determine how computers can best be used (if at all) to make its operation more effective.
System Analysis is the process of gathering and interpreting facts, diagnosing problems, and using the information to recommend improvements to the system. This is the job of the system Analyst.
REQUIREMENTS OF A GOOD SYSTEM ANALYST
SYSTEM ANALYST:
A person who conducts a methodical study and evaluation of an activity such as a business to identify its desired objectives in order to determine procedures by which these objectives can be gained.
The various skills that a system analyst must passes can be divided into two categories.
1) Interpersonal skills
2) Technical skills.
Interpersonal skills deal with relationships and the interface of the analyst with people in business.
Technical skills focus on procedures and techniques for operations analysis, systems analysis, and computer science.
Interpersonal Skills Include
1) Communication:
He/She must have the ability to articulate and speak the language of the user, a “there” for mediation and a knack for working with virtually all managerial levels in the organization.
2) Understanding:
Identifying problems and assessing their ramifications having a grasp of company goals and objectives and showing sensitivity to the impact of the system on people at work.
3) Teaching:
Educating people in use of computer systems, selling the system to the user and giving support when needed.
4) Selling:
Selling ideas and promoting innovations in problem solving using computers.
Technical skills include:
1) Creativity:
Helping users model ideas into concrete plans and developing candidate systems
to match user requirements.
2) Problem Solving:
Reducing problems to their elemental levels for analysis, developing alternative solutions to a given problem and delivcating the pros and cons of candidate system.
3) Project Management:
Scheduling, performing well under time constraints, coordinating team efforts and managing costs and expenditures.
4) Dynamic Interface:
Blending technical & non-technical considerations in functional specifications and general design.
5) Questioning attitude and inquiring mind
Knowing the what, when, why, where, who and how a system works.
6) Knowledge of the basics of the computer and the business function
The above skills are acquired by a system analyst through his/her education, experience and personality.
Educational Background:
He/She must have knowledge of systems theory and organization behavior.
Should be familiar with the makeup and inner workings of major application areas such as financial accounting, personnel administration, marketing and sales, operations management, model building and production control.
Competence in system tools and methodologies and a practical knowledge of one or more programming and data base languages.
Experience in hardware and software specifications, which is important for selection.
Personal Attributes
1) Authority:
The confidence to tell people what to do.
Project management and to get the team to meet deadlines is the result of this
quality.
2) Communication skills:
Ability to articulate and focus on a problem area for logical solution.
3) Creativity:
Trying one’s own ideas, developing candidate systems using unique tools or
methods.
4) Responsibility:
Making decisions on one’s own and accepting the consequences of these
decisions.
Varied Skills:
Doing different projects and handling change.
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Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance
Interpersonal and Technical Skills Necessary in System Development
Analysis Design Implementation Maintenance
Interpersonal and Technical Skills Necessary in System Development
System:
System is an orderly grouping of interdependent components linked together
according to a plan to achieve a specific objective.
CHARACTERISTICS OF A SYSTEM:
Below are listed characteristics that are present in all systems
1) Organization:
Structure & Order.
Arrangement of components
Hierarchical relationships.
2) Interaction:
Manner in which each component functions with other components of the
system.
Purchasing must interact with production.
Advertising with sales.
In computer system – CPU must interact with input device.
3) Interdependence:
Parts of the organization or computer system depend on one another.
One subsystem depends on the input of another Subsystem for proper
functioning.
i.e. output of one Subsystem is the required input for another Subsystem.
4) Integration:
How a system is tied together.
Successful integration will typically produce a Synergistic effect & greater
total impact than if each component works separately.
TYPES OF SYSTEMS
Classification
1) Physical or abstract
2) Open or closed
3) “Man-made” Information systems.
1) Physical or abstract
i) Physical:
Tangible entities that may be static or dynamic.
a) STATIC in operation
b) DYNAMIC in operation.
a) Static in operation:
Physical part of a computer centre, then can be seen and counted.
b) Dynamic in operation:
Programmed computer is a dynamic system. Data, programs, output
and applications change as the users demand.
ii) Abstract:
Abstract systems are conceptual or non-physical entities.
Formulas of relationships among sets of variables.
MODEL:
A model is a representation of a real or a planned system.
The use of models makes it easier for the analyst to visualize relationships in the system under study.
The objective is to point out the significant elements and the key interrelationships of a complex system.
1) Schematic Model:
A schematic model is a two-dimensional chart depicting system elements &
their linkages.
2) Flow System Models:
It shows the flow of the material, energy and information that hold the system
together.
There is an orderly flow of logic
Example: PERT (Program Evaluation & Review Technique).
3) STATIC SYSTEM MODELS:
This type of model exhibits one pair of relationships such as activity-
time or cost-quantity.
Gantt chart.
4) Dynamic System Models:
Business Organizations are dynamic systems.
It depicts an ongoing, constantly changing system.
It consist of
i) Inputs that enter the system.
ii) Processor through which transformation takes place.
iii) The programs required for processing
iv) The outputs that result from processing.
OPEN OR CLOSED SYSTEMS:
This classification is based on the systems degree of independence.
Open System:
An open system has many interfaces with its environment. It persist interaction across its boundary. It receives inputs from and delivers output to the outside.
Closed system:
A closed system is isolated from environmental influences.
A completely closed system is rare.
Five important characteristics of Open System
1) Input from outside:
Open system are self-adjusting & self-regulating.
It reaches a steady state or equilibrium when functioning properly.
E.g.: In a retail firm, a steady state exists when goods are purchased and sold
without being either out of stock or overstocked.
2) Entropy – Loss of energy:
All dynamic systems tend to run down over time, resulting in entropy.
Open systems resist entropy by seeking new inputs or modifying the processes
to return to a steady state.
3) Process, output and cycles:
Open systems produce useful output and operate in cycles, following a
continuous flow path.
4) Differentiation:
Open systems have a tendency toward an increasing specialization of
functions and a greater differentiation of their components.
5) Equifinality:
This term implies that goals are achieved through differing courses of action &
a variety of paths.
Man-made Information systems:
Information reduces uncertainty about a state or event.
Definition:
An information system may be defined as a set of devices, procedures and operating systems designed around user-based criteria to produce information and communicate it to the user for planning, control and performance.
Information System:
1) Formal
2) Informal
3) Computer based
Formal information system:
A formal information system is based on the organization represented by the organization chart.
Categories of Information:
1) Strategic Information
2) Managerial Information
3) Operational Information
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