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Introduction to Systems Development Environment and Information Systems Design, Assignments of Computer Science

Catholic University of Eastern AfricaComputer Science

This chapter serves as an overview of systems analysis and design, introducing students to the modern approach of combining process and data views of systems. Students will learn about organizational roles, types of information systems, and the traditional systems development life cycle. The textbook is primarily intended for junior information systems majors, but can be adapted for other levels. The chapter aims to provide a general organizational context for systems development.

Typology: Assignments

2020/2021

Uploaded on 04/05/2021

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Chapter 1
The Systems Development Environment
Chapter Overview
Chapter 1 serves as an overview of systems analysis and design, as well as an overview of the
textbook. This chapter introduces students to systems analysis and design and the components of
the systems development environment. Students are introduced to several systems development
components, including the process and data-oriented approaches to systems development;
organizational roles and responsibilities in systems development; different types of information
systems; and the traditional systems development life cycle.
This textbook is intended primarily for juniors taking a core course in the information systems
major, although the book can be adapted for a similar course at the junior college level or for a two-
course sequence on analysis and design. Often students are not familiar with the systems
development process, different organizational components, or how these components work together.
This chapter provides the general organizational context in which systems development takes place.
Instructional Objectives
Specific student learning objectives are included at the beginning of the chapter. From an
instructor’s point of view, the objectives of this chapter are to:
1. Define and discuss the modern approach to systems analysis and design, with an emphasis on
the combination of both process and data views of systems.
2. Show how systems development in an organizational context involves many different roles
beyond those played by the systems analyst and others in the information systems unit.
3. Illustrate how systems development extends to many different types of information systems
and not just transaction processing systems.
4. Introduce the traditional information systems development life cycle, which serves as the basis
for the organization of the material in this textbook, starting with “Making the Business Case”
in Part II and running through “Implementation and Maintenance” in Part V.
5. Show students that the life cycle is a flexible basis for systems analysis and design and that it
can support many different tools and techniques, such as prototyping and JAD.
Classroom Ideas
1. Emphasize the differences among methodologies, techniques, and tools. Such differences are
not obvious to students; often students think of methodologies as a set of techniques and that
techniques and tools are synonymous.
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Chapter 1

The Systems Development Environment

Chapter Overview

Chapter 1 serves as an overview of systems analysis and design, as well as an overview of the textbook. This chapter introduces students to systems analysis and design and the components of the systems development environment. Students are introduced to several systems development components, including the process and data-oriented approaches to systems development; organizational roles and responsibilities in systems development; different types of information systems; and the traditional systems development life cycle. This textbook is intended primarily for juniors taking a core course in the information systems major, although the book can be adapted for a similar course at the junior college level or for a two- course sequence on analysis and design. Often students are not familiar with the systems development process, different organizational components, or how these components work together. This chapter provides the general organizational context in which systems development takes place.

Instructional Objectives

Specific student learning objectives are included at the beginning of the chapter. From an instructor’s point of view, the objectives of this chapter are to:

  1. Define and discuss the modern approach to systems analysis and design, with an emphasis on the combination of both process and data views of systems.
  2. Show how systems development in an organizational context involves many different roles beyond those played by the systems analyst and others in the information systems unit.
  3. Illustrate how systems development extends to many different types of information systems and not just transaction processing systems.
  4. Introduce the traditional information systems development life cycle, which serves as the basis for the organization of the material in this textbook, starting with “Making the Business Case” in Part II and running through “Implementation and Maintenance” in Part V.
  5. Show students that the life cycle is a flexible basis for systems analysis and design and that it can support many different tools and techniques, such as prototyping and JAD.

Classroom Ideas

  1. Emphasize the differences among methodologies, techniques, and tools. Such differences are not obvious to students; often students think of methodologies as a set of techniques and that techniques and tools are synonymous.

Modern Systems Analysis and Design, 3rd^ edition Instructor’s Manual

  1. Figure 1-1, Figure 1-2, and Table 1-1 summarize the major points about the data-oriented and process-oriented systems development approaches. Use these figures and table to clarify the differences between the two approaches and emphasize the need to balance the data and process orientations.
  2. Chapter 1 introduces several organizational roles and discusses how these roles are involved in systems development. Figure 1-3 is an organization chart for a typical IS department. Students are interested to know that not all organizations have differentiated IS units. At this point, use different organization charts to show the relative importance of IS to an organization and the different sizes IS units can assume. Use whatever organization charts you have available to illustrate these differences. One example is to compare a bank, where IS reports to the chairman, to a city government, where IS is several hierarchical units below the city manager, to an organization where there is no IS unit.
  3. Discuss the history of IS units in organizations, from the days where IS was a part of the accounting function, to when IS became an independent unit, to when IS was becoming less centralized (and less relevant) in the days of departmental IS shops, through end-user computing and microcomputers, to the reemergence of strong IS units in the current trend of networking and client/server.
  4. During class discussion, provide concrete examples of the different types of IS: transaction processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, and expert systems. Ask students to provide examples of the different types of IS. Table 1-3 summarizes the different IS types.
  5. When presenting the different types of information systems, discuss the differences between systems that support back room operations, such as basic accounting functions, and systems that directly affect the bottom line.
  6. When introducing the textbook’s systems development life cycle model, introduce other life cycle models. This reinforces to students that no one standard life cycle model exists and the model they will use as a systems analyst will likely differ from the textbook’s life cycle model. The point is that the life cycle represents activities that must be done, and the phases are a way to introduce, in an organized way, the methods, techniques, tools, and skills necessary for successful systems analysis and design.
  7. Provide a brief overview of the activities and outputs from each of the six life cycle phases, based on your own experience or from reading the rest of the textbook.
  8. Although prototyping and Joint Application Design are covered in more depth later in the textbook, you can provide a more in-depth introduction to these techniques. Figure 1- illustrates the prototyping methodology and can be used to facilitate the prototyping discussion, such as how it adds to the structured development techniques.
  9. This chapter briefly introduces students to CASE tools. While Chapter 4 provides a detailed discussion of CASE tools, you may provide more discussion of CASE tools at this point.
  10. Two video segments support your lecture on this chapter: “Joint Application Design” and “Application Engineering.” The JAD video segment is about 18 minutes long, and the Application Engineering video segment is about 12 minutes long. Video segment guidelines

Modern Systems Analysis and Design, 3rd^ edition Instructor’s Manual category, end users help determine system requirements. In some cases, end users, with the assistance of IS professionals, develop applications.

  1. The textbook discusses transaction processing systems, management information systems, decision support systems, and expert systems. Transaction processing systems automate the handling of data about business activities or transactions. Management information systems take the information generated by transaction processing systems and convert it into aggregated forms meaningful to managers. Decision support systems are designed to help organizational decision makers make decisions by providing an interactive environment that uses data and models. Expert systems represent attempts to codify and manipulate knowledge rather than information by mimicking experts in particular knowledge domains.
  2. The six systems development life cycle phases are project identification and selection, project initiation and planning, analysis, design, implementation, and maintenance. During the project identification and selection phase, an organization’s total information system needs are identified, analyzed, prioritized, and arranged. During the project initiation and planning phase, a potential IS project is explained, and an argument for continuing or not continuing with the project is made. During the analysis phase, the current system is studied, and alternative replacement systems are proposed. During the design phase, the description of the recommended solution is converted into logical and then physical system specifications. During the implementation phase, the information system is coded, tested, installed, and supported in the organization. During the maintenance phase, the system is systematically repaired and improved.
  3. Structured analysis and design help reduce maintenance time and effort. Structured analysis and design make it easier to return to earlier phases in the life cycle, such as when requirements change. Also, there is an emphasis on partitioning or dividing a problem into smaller, more manageable units, and making a clear distinction between physical and logical design.
  4. Prototyping is an iterative process of systems development by which requirements are converted to a working system, which is continually revised through close work between an analyst and users.
  5. JAD is a structured process in which users, managers, and analysts work together for several days in a series of intensive meetings to specify or review system requirements.
  6. Object-oriented analysis and design is a set of systems development methodologies and techniques based on objects rather than data or processes.
  7. In the early years of computing, analysis and design were considered an art. However, with the growing importance and changing nature of information technology and its usage in the work environment, work methods have evolved, making analysis and design a disciplined process. Through the years, the systems developer’s job has moved from builder to integrator. In the 1950s, the development effort concentrated on the processes the software performed; emphasis was placed on automating existing processes; all applications were developed in machine language or assembly language and developed from scratch. In the 1970s, systems development became more disciplined as many people worked to make it more like engineering. In the 1980s, microcomputers became key organizational tools; the software industry expanded greatly; fourth-generation languages were used more and more to write applications, and CASE tools were developed. In the 1990s, the focus shifted to system

Chapter 1 The Systems Development Environment integration, and developers were using visual programming environments to design user interfaces. Databases began residing on servers, as well as the application logic. Companies began purchasing enterprise-wide systems, and more and more systems development focused on the Internet, particularly the Web. The current focus is on Web-based systems development and wireless components. Additionally, many system implementations use a three-tier design. Currently, companies may assemble their systems using off-the-shelf components or by using application service providers.

  1. Successful team characteristics include diversity in backgrounds, skills, and goals; tolerance of diversity, uncertainty, and ambiguity; clear and complete communication; trust; mutual respect and putting one’s own views second to the team; and a reward structure that promotes shared responsibility and accountability.

Answers to Problems and Exercises

  1. Methodologies, techniques, and tools help ensure the quality and appropriateness of the system being built. Following a systems methodology, applying techniques, and using appropriate tools provides structure to the systems development process, since they have been tested and perfected by others. The quick and easy approach to building systems may be easier, cheaper, and quicker in the short run, but it almost always results in a poorly developed system, meaning that the system will be less than optimal and require extra work to maintain. In the long run, a poorly developed system requires more time and money to make right. Following an engineering-type approach ensures that systems analysis and design is rigorous, structured, and systematic.
  2. For an ATM transaction, the data include customer name, customer account number, customer personal identification number, customer account balance, transaction type, and transaction amount. At this point, the student should not be expected to know the structure or nomenclature of a data flow diagram or of processing logic. It is more important that the student analyzes the transaction, decomposes the transaction into its component parts and data elements, and understands the process. For the ATM example, the customer inputs his personal identification number by hand and, if this number matches with the account identification number, he is granted access, and begins an ATM transaction. The customer inquires about his account status, withdraws money, or deposits money. If, for example, he makes a withdrawal request, this request is compared with his available funds and the ATM machine’s allowable daily limit. If acceptable, the cash is dispensed, the customer’s account is debited, and a receipt is provided.
  3. The student project team’s size should be adequate for the project. Additionally, the team members should possess the necessary set of skills and experience for the project. It is important that a diversity of skills and abilities exists among the team members, but it is also helpful if the team members have common interests and values on which to build collegiality and trust. It is not necessary to clearly identify a team leader; leadership can rotate by time or phase. However, clearly defined roles and responsibilities for each team members should be identified. A reward structure, promoting shared responsibility and accountability, should be established. Since this project is for a small business client, team members must act professionally and deliver a quality product on time. When organizing a project team within a professional consulting organization, these steps do not change much. Since you are more

Chapter 1 The Systems Development Environment Seer Technologies Traditional SDLC (Figure 1-8) (Figure 1-5) Enterprise Definition Project Identification and Selection Business Object Analysis Analysis Protocycling Analysis and Design Technical Construction Design and Implementation Delivery Implementation

  1. Students should review the section titled “Your Role and Other Organizational Responsibilities in Systems Development.” After reviewing this section, students will recognize that the level of participation and leadership responsibilities vary depending upon the role and SDLC phase.

Guidelines for Using the Field Exercises

  1. The organization charts presented by students will vary. Use these differences to highlight the various ways that the information systems function can, is, and should be organized. Be sure to point out that the position of the highest ranking systems employee within the overall organization chart has important implications for the level of power this person has, the knowledge this person will have of business strategy and direction, and how effective this person can be.
  2. The degree to which these roles are formally or informally filled varies greatly from organization to organization. Similarly, the extent to which organizations use a team approach to systems development also varies. To some degree, however, the work of the various systems personnel must be integrated, even when a team approach is not used. Ask students to explain the organizational history that led to these job roles. Have them find out how the performance of each of these individuals is measured, especially in team settings.
  3. It should not be too difficult for students to list the various “systems” for an organization, perhaps for their university. These may include standard computer-based information systems, such as a transaction processing system for recording point of purchase sales or for registering for a course. They should also include systems that are not computer-based, such as a physical filing system for receipts or for transcripts. Push the students to place each of their “systems” in the categories provided in the question. Are there any other system categories not provided in this question? It is also useful for the students to determine the extent to which these systems are, or should, interact with each other. This enables the students to determine whether or not the systems are well integrated (be sure that the students have a clear idea on what it means for systems to be integrated).
  4. Urge the students to use their imagination. They might imagine elegant, costly systems that do not solve the right problem and, as a result, are not used. Alternatively, they might imagine a system where a database is kept redundantly in several different locations, or where information is rekeyed into one part of the system while it already exists in another format in another part of the system. They might describe a system that is lost completely because no proper backup and recovery procedures exist. The useful part of this exercise is that no matter what disasters or problems they imagine, they have probably already happened in one setting or another.

Modern Systems Analysis and Design, 3rd^ edition Instructor’s Manual

  1. This is a useful exercise, particularly for beginning information systems students. This exercise enables students to see how information systems are used throughout the organization. Frequently, in smaller organizations, information systems development is more informal, and the various information systems roles are played by one or a small number of people. It is interesting to see how people in smaller organizations find creative ways to develop and implement technology on a limited budget and with a limited information systems staff.
  2. Journals are an effective teaching and learning tool. It is useful to collect these journals from time to time and provide direct feedback to each student, commenting on their experiences and answering their questions. You might also periodically have the students share their journal comments and questions with the rest of the class and use this as fuel for class discussions. Even if students do not share actual comments, have them discuss the sources of their comments, such as newspaper articles, conversations with other faculty and students, advertisements, new topics they read in this textbook, or comments made by a parent.