Page 15 - DCAP205_DCAP409_ANALYSIS_AND_DESIGN_OF_INFORMATION_SYSTEMS

Unit 1: Introduction to Information System Development

But the required fact finding activity during these stages is required only to a lesser extent. Notes
Actually during these stages, with the help of fact fending activity the information system
stakeholder collects feed back on technical design, standards used and so on.
Documentation is a continuous process of recording each fact finding and specification for
correct and future references. Presentation is also a continuous activity of communicating either
verbally or in writing the findings and recommendations for review by the information system
user and information system owners.

Both of these activities are required at almost all stages of information system development
project. In other words, these activities have a wider scope through-out the development process.
Both are essential to each stage because poor communication will cause delay and cost over runs.
Feasibility analysis is a good estimation technique which estimates cost, time and other related
resources required to develop information system. This is also a cross life cycle activity. Feasibility
analysis as we know comprises of economic, technical, organizational and operational feasibility
and are applicable to different stages of the information system life cycle development approaches.
Process and project management is one of the principles for developing effective info system and
is also a cross cycle activity. Because development of information system is a project so we have to
adopt some process for successful completion of information system development project.
There are a large number of unsuccessful information systems. The main reason for this is that
most of system analysts do not have managerial skill, are unfamiliar with how to properly
employ tool technology to system development projects. Because of this lacuna there are cost
overruns and a system with unfulfilled or unidentified information needs. So in order to have
successful information system, an analyst must have managerial and good communication
skills as well as he should be well versed in each stage and cross life cycle activities.
The System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) is the traditional system development method used
by most organizations today. The SDLC is a structured frame that consists of sequential processes
by which information systems are developed. These include investigation, system analysis, system
design, programming testing, implementation, operation and maintenance. These processes, in
turn, consist of well-defined tasks. Some of these tasks are present in most projects, whereas others
are present in only certain types of projects. That is, large projects typically require all the tasks,
whereas, smaller development projects may require only a subset of the tasks.
In the past, developers used the ‘Waterfall approach’ to the SDLC in which tasks in one stage
were completed before the work proceeded to the next stage Today, system developers go back
and forth among the stages as necessary.
System development for business applications is not an easy task. In developing a large integrated
system such as MIS, many people are involved and many months or even years are spent.
However, a small independent application such as Payroll can be developed in few weeks or
months by a single or few programmers. For such small systems, system development activities
may be done implicitly without proper documentation. But, for large systems, these activities
must be done explicitly with proper planning and documentation. Whether a system is small or
large, system development revolves around a life cycle that begins with the recognition of
users’ needs and understanding their problems. Such a life cycle comprising various phases is
called System Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

1. The focus of ................................. feasibility is on how well a proposed system supports the
values and objectives of the organization.

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