Page 52 - DCAP205_DCAP409_ANALYSIS_AND_DESIGN_OF_INFORMATION_SYSTEMS

Analysis & Design of Information Systems

Notes 3.1 Preliminary Investigation

The first step in the system development life cycle is the preliminary investigation to determine
the feasibility of the system. The purpose of the preliminary investigation is to evaluate project
requests. It is not a design study nor does it include the collection of details to describe the
business system in all respect. Rather, it is the collecting of information that helps committee
members to evaluate the merits of the project request and make an informed judgement about
the feasibility of the proposed project.

Analysts working on the preliminary investigation should accomplish the following objectives:
1. Clarify and Understand the Project Request. What is being done? What is required? And
why? Is there an underlying reason different from the one the user identifies?

2. Determine the size of the project.
3. Access costs and benefits of alternative approaches.
4. Determine the technical and operational feasibility of alternative approaches.

5. Report the finding to management, with recommendations outlining the acceptance or
rejection of the proposal.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
1. After analysis, a document is prepared by the analyst, which is called as ....................................
document.
2. .................................... Language is fundamentally the same as the structured analysis, but it
is purely textual whereas structured analysis uses both text and graphics.
3. .................................... Language has been specially designed for specifying the requirements
of real time control systems.
4. The first step in the system development life cycle is the preliminary investigation to
determine the .................................... of the system.
5. .................................... is the collecting of information that helps committee members to
evaluate the merits of the project request and make an informed judgement about the
feasibility of the proposed project.

3.2 Scope of Study

The preliminary review of the system is performed which assists in recognizing the scope of the
system. Depending on the result of the original study, feasibility study occurs. The feasibility
study is essentially the test of the projected system in the light of its workability, fulfilling user’s
needs, effective utilization of resources and .obviously, the cost usefulness.

Did u know? The major objective of feasibility study is not to resolve the problem but to
attain the scope.

!
Caution In the process of feasibility study, the cost and benefits are predicted with greater
correctness.

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