learning objectives for m1 - psna cet · 2.4 what benefits do you expect if an information system...

System Analysis and Design Prof. V.Rajaraman

Indian Institute of Science Bangalore

System Analysis and Design/ Systems Analysis and Design Life Cycle Learning Objectives

Learning Objectives

Nine Steps in designing Information Systems

Tasks performed in each step.

Nature of tasks performed by Systems Analysts

The attributes of Systems Analysts.

The tools used by Systems Analysts

V. Rajaraman/IISc. Bangalore //V1/June 04/1



System Analysis and Design/ Systems Analysis and Design Life Cycle Learning Objectives Motivation

Designing Information system for an organization is very complex job.

Students should know how to logically divide a complex job into smaller

manageable steps.

Each step must have a logical beginning and end and must be self contained.

Division of large jobs into logical steps will

Enable one to assess progress at the end of each step

Steps may be assigned to persons with specialized competence

Allocation of human and financial resources appropriate for each step can be

planned.

V. Rajaraman/IISc. Bangalore //V1/July 04/1

V.Rajaraman M2/LU1/V1/2004 1

Steps involved in Analysis and Design1. Requirements Determinations2. Requirements Specifications3. Feasibility Analysis4. Final Specifications5. Hardware Study6. System Design7. System Implementation8. System Evaluation9. System Modification

LIFE CYCLE OF SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND DESIGN


Step 1 : Requirements Determination

Arrived at by a consensus among managers

Priorities among applications determined

Pick high priority applications.



Step 2 : Requirements Specification

Known as System Requirements Specification (SRS)

Understand the existing System

Applications where a system is required are listedArrive at the specifications of the users’ Requirements

after discussions with the user

A system may encompass several applications



Step 3 : Feasibility Analysis

Formulate Goals of the system and quantify goals

Find alternative methods of meeting the goals

For each alternative assess resources needed

- Human Resources

- Time and Money

- Equipment needed

Assess cost of each alternative

Find the best alternative method subject to resource constraints

Life Cycle Of Systems Analysis And Design


Step 4 : Final Specifications

Specifications would state what the system would

achieve.

Specification drawn up are improved for

implementation.

SRS written- given to user and agreement

reached



Step 5 : Hardware Study

Determine Hardware and Software required

to execute the application.

Determine Response time,Volume of data to

be processed, Frequency of reports etc & then

pick the hardware.



Step 6 : System Design

Logical Design of the System

Objects Identified

Database Designed

Program Specification drawn up

Implementation Plan Drawn up

Test Plan



Step 7 : System Implementation

Write Programs

Create Database

Document System

Train Users

Trial run of the system

Test and Accept



Step 8 : System evaluation

Find out from Users whether the System

meets specified requirements.

List areas of dissatisfaction and find reasons

Suggest if there has to be any improvements to

the system



Step 9 : System Modification

Fix errors

Add/Delete features as required by users

Tune the Syste

Continuously monitor system and assess

performance



RequirementsDetermination

RequirementsSpecification

FeasibilityAnalysis

SystemImplementation

SystemDesign

SystemSpecification

Analysis

HardwareStudy

SystemEvaluation

SystemMaintenance Improved System

RevisedRequirements

Budget & schedule

PhysicalRequirements

ConfigurationData

System

LogicalDesign

UserRequirements

FeasibilityStudyFunctional

Specifications

Decision toDesign Information System

Revised PrioritizedRequirements Specifications

Test Plan

System Life Cycle Diagram


Defining Requirements

- Involves Interviewing Users

Prioritizing Requirements

- Obtain Users Consensus

Fact Gathering

- Data, Facts, Opinions of Managers

- Lower level Users should be consulted

Role Of Systems Analyst


Analysis and evaluation

- Arrive at appropriate system

Solving problems

- Hazy requirements converted into specific requirements - Suggest many alternative solutions

- Quantify cost and benefits



Drawing up specifications

- Functional Specifications

- Understood by users and programmers

- Accepted by users

- Precise and detailed

- Account for possible changes



System Design

Logical design of system

- Objects identification

- Normalizing database

- Test plan

Design must be modular to accommodate change



Evaluating Systems

- Evaluation after use for sometime

- Plan periodicity for evaluation

- Modify as needed



Knowledge Of Organisation

- Knowing user’s jargon & practices

- Know Management functions.

Knowledge Of Computers And Software

- Knowledge of system design tools

- Keep abreast of modern developments

Attributes Of A Systems Analyst


Good Interpersonnal Relations

- Need to work as team member

- Lead smaller teams

- Interface with programmers & Users

- Motivator.

Ability To Communicate- Oral Presentation

- Report Writing

- Answer queries



Analytical Mind

- Problem solving attitude

- Ability to assess trade offs

- Sound commonsense

- Curiosity to learn about new organizations

Breadth Of Knowledge

- Broad Liberal Knowledge

- Variety of jobs to be tackled in diverse organizations



Data Flow Diagram

Decision Tables

Modeling Language such as UML

Normalization of Databases

Testing tools

ISO/CMM procedure manuals

Tools Used By Systems Analyst



System Analysis and Design /System Analysis and Design Life Cycle Worked Examples

2.1 Who do you think should participate in determining the information

requirements of a student’s hostel?

• Warden of hostel

• Hostel Superintendent

• Accountant

• Student Representatives

• Principal of college is consulted at the beginning

2.2 What is the difference between information requirement determination and

specification?

• Information requirement determination attempts to find out what strategic,

tactical, operational information is needed to effectively manage an

organization.

• Information specification defines the manner in which the information will be

presented and what analyzed data it

2.3 Why is feasibility analysis necessary before designing a system?

Feasibility analysis mean to analyze whether there is a reasonable chance of the project

succeeding given the constraints of computing equipment, human resources, data

availability i.e. before investing money and time one should know what resources are

needed for it to succeed and whether the resources are available. If the resources are

limited, then the goals to be met by the system can be curtailed. One should have a

quantitative and qualitative idea of cost of the system and what benefits one may gain

from the system.

2.4 What benefits do you expect if an information system for a hostel is designed?

• Mess bills will be promptly generated and can give itemized details of extras.

• Can control mess expenses by finding out consumption of various items

against an average.

• Can try to optimize daily menus based on cost of vegetables etc.

• Can find out the names of the students with large dues left and sending them

reminders.

• Can quickly find out which student stays in which room and his home

address when needed.





2.5 What activities will you carry out during implementation of a hostel information

System?

1. Programs Written for

a. Mess accounting

b. Billing

c. Stores control

2. Database Created

a. Students

b. Mess stores

c. Mess finance

3. Training

a. Hostel office staff will be trained to input data and generate queries

4. Documentation

a. Documentation of the system will be created.

5. Testing

a. The computerized system will be operated in parallel with the manual

system and tested.

2.6 When should a system should be evaluated?

A rough thumb rule is to evaluate a system when the "transients” die down and it

reaches a quasi "steady-state". Transients are caused by changes made due to errors in

the system and when some minor changes are introduced. Normally a system is

evaluated after being in use for 6 months, but this period may vary according to the

application.

2.7 Are excellent programmers necessarily excellent system analysts? Justify your

answer.

A Programmer is not necessarily an excellent system analyst. A programmer is given

clear specification and designs efficient programs. He need not have good

communication skills and inter-personal relations. A programmer works with clear

specifications whereas an analyst has to arrive at clear specifications from fuzzily

stated requirements.

2.8 Why should a systems analyst be able to communicate well?

He has to understand users’ requirements mostly by interviewing them and thus he has

to ask the right questions, listen carefully and summarize orally the gist of





conversation. He also must be able to present and explain orally to the users the system

designed by him and clarify doubts they may have after the oral presentation. His

main job is to interact with the management, users’ and the programmers so it is

obvious that he must possess good communication skills.




System Analysis and Design/Information Gathering Multiple Choice Questions

Systems Analysis and Design Life Cycle

2.1 The major goal of requirement determination phase of information system

development is

a. determine whether information is needed by an organization

b. determine what information is needed by an organization

c. determine how information needed by an organization can be provided

d. determine when information is to be given

2.2 Information requirements of an organization can be determined by

a. interviewing managers and users and arriving at the requirements based on

consensus

b. finding out what similar organizations do

c. telling organization what they need based on your experience

d. sending a questionnaire to all employees of the organization

2.3 It is necessary to prioritize information requirements of an organization at the

requirements determination phase as

a. it is always good to prioritize

b. there are conflicting demands from users

c. there are constraints on budgets, available time, human resource and

requirement

d. all good organization do it

2.4 Requirement specification is carried out

a. after requirements are determined

b. before requirements are determined

c. simultaneously with requirements determination

d. independent of requirements determination

2.5 The role of a system analyst drawing up a requirements specification is similar

to

a. architect designing a building

b. a structural engineer designing a building

c. a contractor constructing a building

d. the workers who construct a building

V. Rajaraman/IISc. Bangalore M2/V1/July 04/1




2.6 It is necessary to consult the following while drawing up requirement

specification

a. only top managers

b. only top and middle management

c. only top, middle and operational managers

d. top, middle and operational managers and also all who will use the system

2.7 In order to understand the working of an organization for which a computer

based system is being designed, an analyst must

a. look at only current work and document flow in the organization

b. discuss with top level and middle level management only

c. interview top, middle, line managers and also clerks who will enter data and

use the system

d. only clerical and middle level staff who have long experience in the

organization and will be users of the system

2.8 A feasibility study is carried out

a. after final requirements specifications are drawn up

b. during the period when requirements specifications are drawn up

c. before the final requirements specifications are drawn up

d. at any time

2.9 The main objective of feasibility study is

a. to assess whether it is possible to meet the requirements specifications

b. to assess if it is possible to meet the requirements specified subject to

constraints of budget, human resource and hardware

c. to assist the management in implementing the desired system

d. to remove bottlenecks in implementing the desired system

2.10 It is necessary to carry out a feasibility study as

a. top management can not ensure that a project is feasible before calling a

system analyst

b. top management is not sure what they want from the system

c. even though top management is in favor of the system, technology may not

be mature for implementation

d. all organizations do it

2.11 Feasibility study is carried out by





a. managers of the organization

b. system analyst in consultation with managers of the organization

c. users of the proposed system

d. systems designers in consultation with the prospective users of the system

2.12 Initial requirements specification is

a. not changed till the end of the project

b. continuously changed during project implementation

c. only a rough indication of the requirement

d. changed and finalized after feasibility study

2.13 Final specifications are drawn up by

a. system analyst in consultation with the management of the organization

b. the managers of user organization

c. system analyst in consultation with programmers

d. system designers along with users

2.14 The main goal of arriving at a final specification is

a. to tell the organization’s managers how the system will function

b. to tell the organization’s managers what the proposed system will achieve in

a language understood by them

c. to compute the cost of implementing the system

d. to assist in designing the system

2.15 The final specifications are arrived at

a. after feasibility study

b. during feasibility study

c. just before implementation phase

d. when the system is being designed

2.16 System approval criteria are specified

a. when the final specifications are drawn up


c. during the requirements specifications stage

d. during system study stage

2.17 System test plan is specified

a. when the final specifications are drawn up






c. during the requirements specifications stage

d. during system study stage

2.18 Hardware study is required

a. to find out cost of computer system needed

b. to determine the type of computer system and software tools needed to meet

the final system specification

c. to make sure that the system does not become obsolete

d. to find how to implement the system

2.19 Hardware study is carried out

a. after the final system is specified

b. at the requirements specification stage

c. before the requirements are specified

d. whenever management decides it is necessary

2.20 System design is carried out

a. as soon as system requirements are determined

b. whenever a system analyst feels it is urgent

c. after final system specifications are approved by the organization

d. whenever the user management feels it should be done

2.21 The primary objective of system design is to

a. design the programs, databases and test plan

b. design only user interfaces

c. implement the system

d. find out how the system will perform

2.22 The primary objective of system implementation is

i) to build a system prototype

ii) to train users to operate the system

iii) to implement designed system using computers

iv) write programs, create databases and test with live data

a. i, iii

b. i, ii, iii

c. ii ,iii

d. ii, iv





2.23 During system implementation the following are done

i) programs are written and tested with operational data

ii) user documentation is created and users trained

iii) programmers are recruited and trained

iv) the system is tested with operational data

a. i and iii

b. ii and iii

c. ii and iv

d. i, ii & iv

2.24 System evaluation is carried out

a. after the system has been operational for a reasonable time

b. during system implementation

c. whenever managers of user organization want it

d. whenever operational staff want it

2.25 The main objective of system evaluation is

a. to see whether the system met specification

b. to improve the system based on operational experience for a period

c. to remove bugs in the programs

d. to asses the efficiency of the system

2.26 Systems are modified whenever

a. user’s requirements change

b. new computers are introduced in the market

c. new software tools become available in the market

d. other similar organization modify these system

2.27 The main objective of system modification is

a. to use the latest software tools

b. to meet the user’s new/changed needs

c. to use the latest hardware

d. to have the most modern system

2.28 To easily modify the existing system it is necessary to

a. use good software tools

b. use the best hardware available





c. design the system which can be changed at low cost

d. keep the programming team happy

2.29 It is necessary to design an information system to easily accommodate

change, because

a. new computers are introduced every year

b. new computer languages become popular every year

c. organizations’ requirements change over a period of time

d. systems need continuous debugging

2.30 Changing an operational information system is

a. impossible

b. expensive and done selectively

c. never required

d. usually done

2.31 System analysts have to interact with

i) managers of organizations

ii) users in the organization

iii) programming team

iv) data entry operator

a. iii and iv

b. i, ii and iii

c. ii, iii and iv

d. ii and iii

2.32 The primary responsibility of a systems analyst is to

a. specify an information system which meets the requirements of an

organization

b. write programs to meet specifications

c. maintain the system

d. meet managers of the organization regularly





2.33 The responsibilities of a system analyst include

i) defining and prioritizing information requirement of an organization

ii) gathering data, facts and opinions of users in an organization

iii) drawing up specifications of the system for an organization

iv) designing and evaluating the system

a. i and ii

b. i, ii and iv

c. i, ii, iii and iv

d. i, ii and iii

2.34 The most important attribute of a systems analyst is

a. excellent programming skills

b. very good hardware designing skills

c. very good technical management skills

d. very good writing skills

2.35 Among the attributes of a good systems analyst the following are essential

i) knowledge of organization

ii) analytical mind

iii) ability to communicate orally

iv) excellent mathematical abilities

a. i and ii

b. i, ii and iii

c. i, ii and iv

d. i, iii and iv

2.36 Among the attributes of a systems analyst the following are most important

i) knowledge of computer systems and currently available hardware

ii) good interpersonal relations

iii) broad knowledge about various organizations

iv) very good accountancy knowledge

a. i, iii and iv

b. i and iii

c. i, ii and iv

d. i, ii and iii

2.37 Managers in organizations should not design their own systems as





a. systems have to interact with other systems

b. they do not have the special skills necessary to design systems

c. it is not their job

d. they are always very busy

2.38 Systems analyst should use software tools in their work as

a. all analysts use them

b. they assist in systematic design of systems

c. they are inexpensive

d. they are easily available





Key to Objective Questions

2.1 b 2.2 a 2.3 c 2.4 a 2.5 a 2.6 d

2.7 c 2.8 c 2.9 b 2.10 c 2.11 b 2.12 c

2.13 a 2.14 b 2.15 a 2.16 a 2.17 a 2.18 b

2.19 a 2.20 c 2.21 a 2.22 d 2.23 d 2.24 a

2.25 b 2.26 a 2.27 b 2.28 c 2.29 c 2.30 b

2.31 b 2.32 a 2.33 d 2.34 c 2.35 b 2.36 d

2.37 b 2.38 b




System Analysis and Design/System Analysis and Design Life Cycle Question Bank

Module 2: System Analysis and Design Life Cycle 2.1 How is information requirements arrived at in an organization?

2.2 Who do you think should participate in determining the information requirements of a

student hostel?

2.3 As a student what information would you consider as important in a students hostel?

2.4 What is the difference between information requirement determination and

specification?

2.5 Specify the information requirement you stated in answer to question 2.3.

2.6 What do you understand by the term consensus?

2.7 Why is feasibility analysis necessary before designing a system?

2.8 In designing an information system for a hostel what constraints should be taken into

account during feasibility analysis?

2.9 What benefits do you expect if an information system for a hostel is designed?

2.10 What factors are taken into account in arriving at the final specifications of an

information system?

2.11 What should be the important characteristics of the final specifications?

2.12 What are the inputs and outputs of the system design phase?

2.13 What activities are carried out in the system implementation phase?

2.14 What activities will you carry out during implementation of a hostel information

system?

2.15 When should a system be evaluated?

2.16 What are the characteristics of a good information system?

2.17 What special skills should a systems analyst possess?

2.18 Why should a systems analyst be able to communicate well?

2.19 Are excellent programmers necessarily excellent systems analysts? Justify your

answer.

2.20 List eight tasks performed by systems analysts.

2.21 List six desirable attributes of a systems analyst.

2.22 Should managers design their own systems? What are the advantages and

disadvantages of such a decision?

2.23 What are the tools currently available to design systems? What are the advantages of

using these tools?




System Analysis and Design/Information gathering Pointers

V. Rajaraman/IISc M3/V1/July 2004/1

REFERENCE BOOKS

1. Most of the material including the case study has been adapted from Chapter

4, Analysis and Design of Information Systems by V.Rajaraman published by

Prentice Hall of India 2002 with permission from publisher.

2. Systems Analysis and Design, by K.E.Kendell and J.E.Kendell published by

Pearson Education Asia 2002 discuss in detail fact gathering in pp.117-196.

They cover interviewing, questionnaire use and observing an organization

very thoroughly.

learning objectives for m1 - psna cet · 2.4 what benefits do you expect if an information system...

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