Page 46 - DCAP205_DCAP409_ANALYSIS_AND_DESIGN_OF_INFORMATION_SYSTEMS

Analysis & Design of Information Systems

Notes Requests from Outside Groups

Developments outside the organization also lead to project requests.

Example: Government contractors are required to use special cost accounting systems
with government stipulated features.
Generally, it has been observed that new demands from external groups bring about project
requests, either for new systems or changes in current ones. Project requests originated from
this source are also quite important.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:

8. When projects are formally requested, the systems analysts, under the management’s
direction, conduct a preliminary investigation to ................................... the reasons for the
request.
9. Developing a new information system is one kind of a ................................... organizational
change.

2.4 Managing Project Review and Selection

It is true that a number of requests for systems development are generated in the organization.
Someone in the organization must decide which requests to pursue and which to reject.
The management decides the priority of a system development by reviewing the answers of the
following questions:
 When should the organisation go for computerisation, if it is still using manual systems?
 Are the users satisfied with the performance of existing systems (manual/computerised)?
If not, what are the reasons?
 What are the major problems of the existing systems? Do they effect the normal working
of the organisation? If yes, how long can the organisation tolerate such problems?
 What are the major projects that the organisation has to do? Which one of these is the most
important?

!
Caution The management must ensure that the most important systems are developed first,
followed by the less important ones and the least important ones in the last.
The criteria to accept or reject a request can be decided in a number of ways. One of the suitable
methods commonly in use is by committee. Mainly three committee’s formats are commonly
used:

2.4.1 Steering Committee Method

This is one of the most common methods of reviewing and selecting projects for development.
Such a committee, consisting of key managers from various departments of the organisation as
well as members of information systems group, is responsible for supervising the review of
project proposals. This committee receives requests for proposal and evaluates them. The main

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